OK, now I'm finishing this up.
Tuesday's dinner was at DaRuMa, a Japanese joint, east of Sarasota. We sat with four girls and two guys (around my age) celebrating a b-day for one of the girls. I could tell she was the classic "high maintenance-thinks she's low maintenance, partying blonde." But they were all cool. I even had the "honor" of taking pictures of them drinking sake bombs. And I don't think Dad was prepared for the simultaneous table bang that precedes the drinking of the bomb. The meal was excellent (the chef did do the flaming onion volcano!); I hadn't had that kind of food in maybe a year when I was at the Dells. And this was the first teppanyaki restaurant I had been to that serves duck breast. I enjoyed the taste and I thought it was a creative addition to the standard menu.
Wednesday was the John W. Ringling Museum, seemingly from start to finish. We got there around 10 and were there about five hours total. Now if I had known this complex was outdoors with a lot of buildings around, I would have taken a jacket along. As I walked through the first museum, the History of the Ringling Circus, I read about a lot of the circus performers, their lives, their legacies, and that kind of thing. I realized a lot of clowns, comedians, etc. really are the masters of image management. So many times they try to fix their own unhappiness by making others happy. I credit that, there are certainly worse approaches to take. Through bad, good can come out. Maybe in a way, it's a good kind of deception. But still, they still can't deceive themselves once the show is over.
The Howard Tibbals Circus Model is something every human being should see in person. It is remarkable. This guy spent 50 years designing and crafting a 1920's miniature circus and it is now displayed in the Education Museum at the Ringling Complex. And it contains 42,143 individual items, and that does not even include some of the small pieces like all the thousands of railroad tracks and stakes.
The Ca d'Zan mansion was John and Mable's dream mansion built right off Sarasota Bay. I took a number of photos of this place. I would not mind hosting a party on the outdoor marble terrace. We also checked out the dwarf garden, with statues of various dwarfs. Sleepy, Bashful, Sneezy... eh, not quite. Finally, we hit the art museum. The Ringling's were huge collectors of classic art and they have a separate museum just to show it off. Most notably, I saw a lot of 15th and 16th century paintings with Christian depictions.
I took the afternoon to be alone and I wasn't the only one who needed that time either. Following some stone crab that night at Moore's, we headed in for the evening. The next morning (our final full day), we had breakfast on Siesta Key at the Broken Egg, a place Dick Vitale has endorsed many times. And you can tell; they have his books, CD's, signed memorabilia all over the front windows of the place. Besides, that, they feature a lot of unique art spread out around the walls. It definitely adds to the ambience; it's not just another breakfast place you walk in, sit, grab the newspaper, drink coffee, eat eggs, and leave. It feels more homey and more inviting. Of course, we inquired about the bagels. Not New York. I did enjoy my three egg/turkey sausage breakfast very much though. On the way home, mom and I really got to Dad with on the go Trivial Pursuit. (Thanks...) We answered questions he had no idea we would ever get. I doubt it really bothered him, he just likes seeing us react. We decided to chill and since it was a very warm day, we wanted to get one last good day of sun. While Mom went to the salon, Dad and I went over to the shuffleboard court. I had not played this in maybe 10 years. He won the first game 79-63, I won the second 78-59, and I held him off in the decider 75-73. From there, I went down to the hotel pool area and tanned for a while (listened to a few Ortberg messages in there as well) and spent about a half hour in the hot tub. Yeah, I enjoyed that. So I actually skipped lunch. Seriously.
We wound it up at Roy's Hawaiian Fusion for dinner. I had heard about this place and noticed it the first day as we rolled down Tamiami. I'm glad we saved this place for the final meal. This place basically mixes European and Asian food and the result is outstanding. A Mai Tai was tempting but I decided to stay straight and opted for iced tea. The first sign that this place was different was instead of bringing out a plate of bread, they brought out a plate of seasoned edamame, the Japanese soybean. That always reminds me of the CPK Thai crunch salad. Very good, but even Dad would not go for that. We opened with asian BBQ ribs and lobster potstickers for appetizers. Mom also had a wedge salad and I like how all the ingredients were separated on the plate so she could mix them in however she wanted. For the main courses, Dad had the best Peking duck I've ever had. The hoisin BBQ sauce was smoky and savory. Mom had Hawaiian ono with Israeli Cous Cous and sweet potato puree. Don't ask me how, supposedly, it was amazing. As for me, I did a seafood sampler with salmon, butterfish, ahi, alongside bok choy and rice. Each fish was served in small square sushi dishes (Say that ten times fast). The flavors were remarkable. Though the waiter warned me I would "fall in love" with the butterfish, I have to say I preferred the salmon with the citrus sauce. And dessert. And dessert. And dessert. Dad had these coconut macaroons topped with creme brulee ice cream and one or two other things I can't remember, pronounce, or spell. Great stuff. Mom had the Melting Hot Chocolate Souffle cake. Not I didn't try it. As for me, it was the Pineapple Upside Down Cake with vanilla ice cream. Uh, yeah. I suddenly wasn't too upset about missing the peach cobbler at Fleming's. I would definitely try the Roy's in Chi-town for a special occasion. That night, we saw a Jeff Dunham special on Comedy Central. He is one funny dude.
The next morning, we grabbed some more Toojay's sandwiches for the ride home. Uh, where is the side of mustard??? I'm still looking... But the XM made the plane ride home good. And two days later, it started snowing. Good ol' Chi-town.
Late breaking news: Donors wanted for a man whose buttocks were blown off in a nuclear accident. As of now, no end is in sight.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Florida, part 2
I woke up Monday, and since I had not worked out in several days, I wanted to check out the gym while Mom was getting a pedicure. Now I had to wait until 9 am to go. Reason being I had to get a key from the lobby and the lobby does not open until 9. The gym was terrible, the treadmill had about 15 different controls and all I could do was raise and lower the incline. The elliptical runner was anything but smooth. And I figured about four lifts on the universal gym. So I ran on the beach. Around 11, with the weather pretty good, we decided to take a 90-minute lunch boat cruise from Marina Jack's to all around Sarasota Bay. The only celebrity homes we saw were Brian Johnson's (lead singer of AC/DC) and Jerry Springer's. Not sure what that says, but.... Actually, the views were stunning, and we got a little bit of history about the bay, though not as much as I would have liked.
Then it was off to Smuggler's Cove for mini golf. This was the one thing where I volunteered to pay for everyone. And had I known it cost $10 per game, I might have reconsidered. At this course, they have a pond with real life alligators that people are allowed to feed. After the front 9, Mom and I were tied at 2-over with Dad one shot back. Though both my parents hit a hole-in-one on the back nine and I did not, that was fine. See, I was all about consistency. I shot a two on every back 9 hole, for a score of 1-over for the back 9, and a 1-over 39 for the round. Mom shot 42 and Dad had two costly 4's, leaving him at 45. I still have the scorecard on my desk...
From there, we drove to Longboat Key, which is just north of St. Armand's. It is a very quiet island, very narrow with one main road and a ton of summer homes, condos, and hotels. I did see a lot of For Sale signs though. I guess a lot of people have to give these homes up with the economy struggling the way it is. We stopped to explore a couple of the beaches and we really took in the blue sky, the sand, the rocks, the warm air, and the sound of the waves crashing on the shore. We then went south to Siesta Key, which hosts one of the more famous public beaches in Florida. That night, I polished off the Trivial Pursuit game, winning the sports/leisure and history questions. Yes, those were the LAST two I got right. I did get whipped in Uno though.
Onto Tuesday. Mom and I walked the John W. Ringling Bridge, which connects the Sarasota mainland to St. Armand's Circle. It took 15 minutes each way and it is shaped like the top of a triangle, straight uphill and then straight downhill. Very good walk. We continued the walk into the circle for breakfast at the Blue Dolphin Cafe, a very small, popular neighborhood joint. They had killer French toast. The thick country bread tasted like it had been marinated in cinnamon and vanilla for days. Meanwhile, Dad read his latest book on the beach. We came back and drove east about an hour, arriving at Myakka River State Park. As we drove in, we noticed a flock of vultures flying around. I think Dad was already nervous by this point. But we took an airboat tour through a lake filled with alligators. Now the boat is covered with six seats out in front. In front of those seats is where the captain of the ship sits. Right in front of him are three more seats. And guess who got those three seats??? We sat and I immediately noticed the rail of the boat didn't even go past my shins. So if the boat tipped, well, it's been a good 27 years. The driver gave a very informative and entertaining tour, but where I was sitting, I could barely understand any of it. Anyway after about 15 minutes, we spotted the first gator. As they came a little closer, the driver seemed to slow the boat down. Two of them actually swam right by us. When I say right by us, I mean they were about one foot in front of the boat. It was a little crazy, but really interesting too. All in all, I would say we spotted about 20-25 gators. What was really cool was up in top of a tree, I saw a bald eagle for the first time. And later in the shop (where you can purchase gator stew, by the way), I got an acoustic guitar record and a new beaded necklace.
Then we drove over to the Nature Trail and Mom started leading us through the woods. I figured it was just a typical walk through the woods. Little did I know she had a scheme cooking. We came to this tall wooden tower, the kind you would expect to see a zip line. Instead, we climbed stairs to about 35-40 feet in the air. We then walked across an 85-foot long suspension bridge, one of the few in the US. Dad then headed back downstairs while Mom and I climbed to the top of the tower, 76 feet high. There may not have been any mountains in sight, but getting higher than treetops and being able to see so far away was sweet. And unexpected to boot.
We drove back to Siesta Key for lunch at the Lobster Pot. A very New Englandish seafood joint. Mom had her lobster roll, so that made her day. I almost tried this blueberry beer from Maine, but in the end, stuck with iced tea. I think by this time, we were pretty tired and needed to rest.
At this point, a few observations:
1) The highs have been around 70, the lows around 50. With the heavy winds on Lido, I need about 10 more degrees for what I would call reasonable beach weather.
2) I have never heard and seen so much John Denver. Between the radio, TV, and the highway signs! I think I'm not in Colorado, but now I don't know.
3) The radio stations are much better here than in Chicago.
4) I watched Wheel of Fortune. Next was Family Feud. The question was "Name someone famous whose last name is 'White.'" I never thought of Vanna. And Mom didn't think of Barry. That's embarrassing.
5) Watched DDD on the Food Network late one night. The show was about turkey. They actually highlights the Alpine Steakhouse in Sarasota! Their specialty is turducken, which includes duck, chicken, turkey and a cornbread stuffing. Unfortunately, I was the only one awake at the time. Needless to say, we never made it there.
Then it was off to Smuggler's Cove for mini golf. This was the one thing where I volunteered to pay for everyone. And had I known it cost $10 per game, I might have reconsidered. At this course, they have a pond with real life alligators that people are allowed to feed. After the front 9, Mom and I were tied at 2-over with Dad one shot back. Though both my parents hit a hole-in-one on the back nine and I did not, that was fine. See, I was all about consistency. I shot a two on every back 9 hole, for a score of 1-over for the back 9, and a 1-over 39 for the round. Mom shot 42 and Dad had two costly 4's, leaving him at 45. I still have the scorecard on my desk...
From there, we drove to Longboat Key, which is just north of St. Armand's. It is a very quiet island, very narrow with one main road and a ton of summer homes, condos, and hotels. I did see a lot of For Sale signs though. I guess a lot of people have to give these homes up with the economy struggling the way it is. We stopped to explore a couple of the beaches and we really took in the blue sky, the sand, the rocks, the warm air, and the sound of the waves crashing on the shore. We then went south to Siesta Key, which hosts one of the more famous public beaches in Florida. That night, I polished off the Trivial Pursuit game, winning the sports/leisure and history questions. Yes, those were the LAST two I got right. I did get whipped in Uno though.
Onto Tuesday. Mom and I walked the John W. Ringling Bridge, which connects the Sarasota mainland to St. Armand's Circle. It took 15 minutes each way and it is shaped like the top of a triangle, straight uphill and then straight downhill. Very good walk. We continued the walk into the circle for breakfast at the Blue Dolphin Cafe, a very small, popular neighborhood joint. They had killer French toast. The thick country bread tasted like it had been marinated in cinnamon and vanilla for days. Meanwhile, Dad read his latest book on the beach. We came back and drove east about an hour, arriving at Myakka River State Park. As we drove in, we noticed a flock of vultures flying around. I think Dad was already nervous by this point. But we took an airboat tour through a lake filled with alligators. Now the boat is covered with six seats out in front. In front of those seats is where the captain of the ship sits. Right in front of him are three more seats. And guess who got those three seats??? We sat and I immediately noticed the rail of the boat didn't even go past my shins. So if the boat tipped, well, it's been a good 27 years. The driver gave a very informative and entertaining tour, but where I was sitting, I could barely understand any of it. Anyway after about 15 minutes, we spotted the first gator. As they came a little closer, the driver seemed to slow the boat down. Two of them actually swam right by us. When I say right by us, I mean they were about one foot in front of the boat. It was a little crazy, but really interesting too. All in all, I would say we spotted about 20-25 gators. What was really cool was up in top of a tree, I saw a bald eagle for the first time. And later in the shop (where you can purchase gator stew, by the way), I got an acoustic guitar record and a new beaded necklace.
Then we drove over to the Nature Trail and Mom started leading us through the woods. I figured it was just a typical walk through the woods. Little did I know she had a scheme cooking. We came to this tall wooden tower, the kind you would expect to see a zip line. Instead, we climbed stairs to about 35-40 feet in the air. We then walked across an 85-foot long suspension bridge, one of the few in the US. Dad then headed back downstairs while Mom and I climbed to the top of the tower, 76 feet high. There may not have been any mountains in sight, but getting higher than treetops and being able to see so far away was sweet. And unexpected to boot.
We drove back to Siesta Key for lunch at the Lobster Pot. A very New Englandish seafood joint. Mom had her lobster roll, so that made her day. I almost tried this blueberry beer from Maine, but in the end, stuck with iced tea. I think by this time, we were pretty tired and needed to rest.
At this point, a few observations:
1) The highs have been around 70, the lows around 50. With the heavy winds on Lido, I need about 10 more degrees for what I would call reasonable beach weather.
2) I have never heard and seen so much John Denver. Between the radio, TV, and the highway signs! I think I'm not in Colorado, but now I don't know.
3) The radio stations are much better here than in Chicago.
4) I watched Wheel of Fortune. Next was Family Feud. The question was "Name someone famous whose last name is 'White.'" I never thought of Vanna. And Mom didn't think of Barry. That's embarrassing.
5) Watched DDD on the Food Network late one night. The show was about turkey. They actually highlights the Alpine Steakhouse in Sarasota! Their specialty is turducken, which includes duck, chicken, turkey and a cornbread stuffing. Unfortunately, I was the only one awake at the time. Needless to say, we never made it there.
Florida, part 1
This was the first time I ever flew out of Midway Airport. We took Airtran since O'Hare no longer offers non-stop service to Sarasota. Our gate was A4. After stopping at Manny's Deli for bagels (not the quality we were hoping for), saw Gate A4 was right behind the deli. After we left, we walked up and didn't see anything but a set of double doors. I stared farther down the terminal, and A6 came right after wards with a lounge, seats, etc. I opened the double doors and I felt like I was in the movie Being John Malkovich. We walked six solid minutes down a jetway to the gate. Then we got on the plane and had a smooth flight. I have to say Airtran is cool, if for no other reason, they give you free XM radio. Good stuff there.
Upon landing, we went down to the baggage claim. I stopped in the men's room and right next to it, are about 20 different travel brochures about the Sarasota/Bradenton region. I selected two of them. I showed them to Mom and, wouldn't you know it, she had already picked the same two I had. No more, no less. We got our ride south, through St. Armand's Circle, down Lido Beach, to the hotel, arriving around 11. But we could not check in, since the room was to be occupied until 3 pm. So we hung in the tiny lounge of the Suntide Island Beach Club. Mom's feet were tired, so she sat on the sofa with her feet up, and began to work on her laptop computer. The woman (55-ish, WAY too much makeup, you know the kind) saunters over and says "Get your feet off my couch, hun." Didn't ask her to do it, she told Mom to do it. Not cool. Meanwhile, I check my shirt, and I found two tiny critters crawling on it. So insects and bugs are fine on the couch, but human feet are strictly forbidden.
Dad flew into Tampa and had to drive to Sarasota, and got to the hotel around 2 pm. So sicne there was nothing to do at the hotel, we went out and grabbed some lunch at TooJays Deli in the Westfield Mall. On our way, we passed by a Fleming's Steakhouse. As soon as Dad saw the F sign, our Saturday dinner plans were already set in stone. We had a couple of deli sandwiches at TooJay's and they were incredible. Big thumbs up for the thick onion rings and the corned beef/pastrami on rye combo. So we walked around the one-level "L" shaped mall for while. It's small, but easy to get around. It's one of the few malls I have seen with a Lady Foot Locker, but no regular Foot Locker.
We grabbed groceries, returned to the hotel, and checked in. We only had a one bedroom, which Mom got. With Dad's back issues, he had to be suited, even if he didn't want to say it. But he took the recliner in the living room, leaving the couch for me. We had a full kitchen, good. We had 60 TV channels, good. We could not open the windows, not good. The rooms were only cleaned once a week, definitely not good. So after 45 minutes of playing Uno, we headed to Fleming's for an awesome steak. I am aggravated with them though. They eliminated the peach cobbler with the ice cream and fresh whipped cream from the menu. Instead, I had frozen lemon gingersnap pie. Very good, but just not the peach cobbler. We went home and played Trivial Pursuit. The game did not end that night even after three hours. Dad had a few stellar answers. One question: Thomas Sullivan accidentally invented these in 1908 and distributed them in small, silk packages. Dad answered the US postal service. The answer is tea bags.
The next morning, I walked the beach. After about 15 minutes, I found a hammock in front of another hotel. I laid in it for about 10 minutes, but the wind was just too cold and strong, so I had to head in. Mom and I were then going to head to church. Unfortunately, Mapquest's directions included a street that does not exist. I was not pleased. So we went back, picked Dad up, and headed to St. Armand's Circle. It's a classy, shopping area, located just off the mainland, right near our hotel. There was a car show in the middle of the circle and it was very busy. One of the shop owners told us the car show was increasing the business of the circle by 40 percent. Kilwin's has this amazing homemade ice cream (the pumpkin pie was awesome), about 20 kinds of homemade fudge, and different nut corns. Two guys were making caramel peanut corn in front of us and we were able to get some. It was so warm and fresh. I don't recall buying anything that day, although Dad came close to buying a pair of Ecco shoes. For lunch, we went to Columbia, a large Cuban-themed restaurant that has been around for 100 years. We ate the 1905 salad, which they prepare tableside. It has iceberg lettuce, tomato, Swiss cheese, ham, Romano cheese, Spanish green olives, fresh lemon juice, olive oil, vinegar, Lea and Perrin's, and plenty of garlic. We also added the Cuban shrimp to it as well. Incredible. So incredible, I brought a bottle of the dressing home with me. I also had the finest Cuban sandwich of my life with plantain banana chips. Awesome place and I give this restaurant a full recommendation. We got back around 4 p.m. After a little chill time, we headed back to the mall for dinner at Cosimo's, a brick oven pizza place right across from Toojay's. Thanks Dad, for showing me how to say Zabaglione-Italian style. That would be a dessert with fruit and custard in a parfait glass.
By now, I noticed a few things about the area. Tons of smokers, tons of retirees, tons of plastic surgeons, tons of divorced women over 50, and practically nobody within 10 years of my age, in either direction. And the hotel was the same. Older folks, very little activity going on. That hotel was very much a getaway spot for people looking to relax.
Upon landing, we went down to the baggage claim. I stopped in the men's room and right next to it, are about 20 different travel brochures about the Sarasota/Bradenton region. I selected two of them. I showed them to Mom and, wouldn't you know it, she had already picked the same two I had. No more, no less. We got our ride south, through St. Armand's Circle, down Lido Beach, to the hotel, arriving around 11. But we could not check in, since the room was to be occupied until 3 pm. So we hung in the tiny lounge of the Suntide Island Beach Club. Mom's feet were tired, so she sat on the sofa with her feet up, and began to work on her laptop computer. The woman (55-ish, WAY too much makeup, you know the kind) saunters over and says "Get your feet off my couch, hun." Didn't ask her to do it, she told Mom to do it. Not cool. Meanwhile, I check my shirt, and I found two tiny critters crawling on it. So insects and bugs are fine on the couch, but human feet are strictly forbidden.
Dad flew into Tampa and had to drive to Sarasota, and got to the hotel around 2 pm. So sicne there was nothing to do at the hotel, we went out and grabbed some lunch at TooJays Deli in the Westfield Mall. On our way, we passed by a Fleming's Steakhouse. As soon as Dad saw the F sign, our Saturday dinner plans were already set in stone. We had a couple of deli sandwiches at TooJay's and they were incredible. Big thumbs up for the thick onion rings and the corned beef/pastrami on rye combo. So we walked around the one-level "L" shaped mall for while. It's small, but easy to get around. It's one of the few malls I have seen with a Lady Foot Locker, but no regular Foot Locker.
We grabbed groceries, returned to the hotel, and checked in. We only had a one bedroom, which Mom got. With Dad's back issues, he had to be suited, even if he didn't want to say it. But he took the recliner in the living room, leaving the couch for me. We had a full kitchen, good. We had 60 TV channels, good. We could not open the windows, not good. The rooms were only cleaned once a week, definitely not good. So after 45 minutes of playing Uno, we headed to Fleming's for an awesome steak. I am aggravated with them though. They eliminated the peach cobbler with the ice cream and fresh whipped cream from the menu. Instead, I had frozen lemon gingersnap pie. Very good, but just not the peach cobbler. We went home and played Trivial Pursuit. The game did not end that night even after three hours. Dad had a few stellar answers. One question: Thomas Sullivan accidentally invented these in 1908 and distributed them in small, silk packages. Dad answered the US postal service. The answer is tea bags.
The next morning, I walked the beach. After about 15 minutes, I found a hammock in front of another hotel. I laid in it for about 10 minutes, but the wind was just too cold and strong, so I had to head in. Mom and I were then going to head to church. Unfortunately, Mapquest's directions included a street that does not exist. I was not pleased. So we went back, picked Dad up, and headed to St. Armand's Circle. It's a classy, shopping area, located just off the mainland, right near our hotel. There was a car show in the middle of the circle and it was very busy. One of the shop owners told us the car show was increasing the business of the circle by 40 percent. Kilwin's has this amazing homemade ice cream (the pumpkin pie was awesome), about 20 kinds of homemade fudge, and different nut corns. Two guys were making caramel peanut corn in front of us and we were able to get some. It was so warm and fresh. I don't recall buying anything that day, although Dad came close to buying a pair of Ecco shoes. For lunch, we went to Columbia, a large Cuban-themed restaurant that has been around for 100 years. We ate the 1905 salad, which they prepare tableside. It has iceberg lettuce, tomato, Swiss cheese, ham, Romano cheese, Spanish green olives, fresh lemon juice, olive oil, vinegar, Lea and Perrin's, and plenty of garlic. We also added the Cuban shrimp to it as well. Incredible. So incredible, I brought a bottle of the dressing home with me. I also had the finest Cuban sandwich of my life with plantain banana chips. Awesome place and I give this restaurant a full recommendation. We got back around 4 p.m. After a little chill time, we headed back to the mall for dinner at Cosimo's, a brick oven pizza place right across from Toojay's. Thanks Dad, for showing me how to say Zabaglione-Italian style. That would be a dessert with fruit and custard in a parfait glass.
By now, I noticed a few things about the area. Tons of smokers, tons of retirees, tons of plastic surgeons, tons of divorced women over 50, and practically nobody within 10 years of my age, in either direction. And the hotel was the same. Older folks, very little activity going on. That hotel was very much a getaway spot for people looking to relax.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
NFL Recap Week 10
A stellar week, and NY is 4-0 since I started doing this, so I will have to keep it going. And if there is any magic in this blog, I need it to come out a little early this week, say Thursday night at 7:30. More on that later.
Jets embarrass Rams 47-3, Jets are 6-3 tied for 1st with New England.
1) Ageda-free. The last time that happened was when Chad torched the Packers in Lambeau two years ago. This game was over during the National Anthem.
2) Best game by the o-line all year. Favre was protected and Thomas Jones and Leon Washington had plenty of space to run through. Instead of looking like they were running on an LA freeway, it looked like a rural road in South Dakota somewhere.
3) Jay Feely kicked 4 field goals, including one from 55 yards out? I almost went through the TV when I saw that one. Uh, Mike Nugent, you'd better strengthen your legs.
4) Kellen Clemens played the whole 4th quarter but did not get to throw one pass. Not criticizing, but still...
5) And here comes Ty Law to play CB. I think this is an excellent pickup to shore up the secondary. But for him to ready in three days to face Moss, Welker, and Gaffney? That is asking a lot.
Giants d. Eagles 36-31, 7-1 for the season, still in 1st place in the NFC
1) When a defense stops Brian Westbrook, that's tremendous. He had 59 total yards on offense, probably half of a typical game for him.
2) Tom Coughlin simply outcoached Andy Reid. Replay challenges, personnel decisions.
3) The Giants held the ball for 13:30 in the first quarter and 39:10 for the game. Time of possession is so critical in these games.
4) Chase Blackburn had another excellent game. Recovered a fumble, made the game-ending 4th down tackle on Westbrook.
5) The Giants just wanted this game more. They hit harder and showed more urgency.
Around the League:
1) It was great to see Chad throw a 50 yard bomb to Ted Ginn, who made a great catch in double coverage. That said, I have to temper rooting for Miami. They're still only one game behind the Jets.
2) A QB completed 7-of-27 passes for 77 yards, no TD's, and and 4 interceptions. And his team won the game by double digits! The QB is Jake Delhomme and the opponent is Oakland. I still would love to know how the Jets could not beat that team.
3) Gutsy move by Herman Edwards in Kansas City. Down 1 point on the road in San Diego with a 1-7 team, he goes for a 2-point conversion with no time left to get the win. Tyler Thigpen's pass fell incomplete, but I have to credit Herm for taking a chance.
4) On a day Tennessee could not run the football, Kerry Collins threw for 289 yards and 2 TD's as they stayed unbeaten, defeating the Bears in Chicago. He also completed 12 straight passes and he showed he could win a game when Chris Johnson and Lendale White can't get going.
5) Arizona-San Francisco was strange. First, there were 18 penalties called in the last 20 minutes. No wonder the game took all night. Anyway, Arizona's receivers are the best. They do not drop passes and they get yards after the catch. Not just Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin, but Steve Breaston is a weapon. His speed is amazing. That said, SF's clock management was the worst clock management I have seen in some time. Down 5 points. they get to the Arizona 1 yard line with 46 seconds left! They spike the ball with 20 seconds left, bringing up 2nd down and Arizona calls time out. Three plays to go 1 yard and win it for SF. So they hand the ball off to Frank Gore, who gets tripped up at the 1. Now they have to hurry to get back to the line to snap the ball before time runs out! The clock continues to run down to 3 seconds and they hand the ball off to their second-stringer Michael Robinson, who gets stopped r no gain. They don't even get to run a 4th down play, game over.
PS OK, OK, good job by Minnesota. I was stunned Mason Crosby missed that field goal.
Jets embarrass Rams 47-3, Jets are 6-3 tied for 1st with New England.
1) Ageda-free. The last time that happened was when Chad torched the Packers in Lambeau two years ago. This game was over during the National Anthem.
2) Best game by the o-line all year. Favre was protected and Thomas Jones and Leon Washington had plenty of space to run through. Instead of looking like they were running on an LA freeway, it looked like a rural road in South Dakota somewhere.
3) Jay Feely kicked 4 field goals, including one from 55 yards out? I almost went through the TV when I saw that one. Uh, Mike Nugent, you'd better strengthen your legs.
4) Kellen Clemens played the whole 4th quarter but did not get to throw one pass. Not criticizing, but still...
5) And here comes Ty Law to play CB. I think this is an excellent pickup to shore up the secondary. But for him to ready in three days to face Moss, Welker, and Gaffney? That is asking a lot.
Giants d. Eagles 36-31, 7-1 for the season, still in 1st place in the NFC
1) When a defense stops Brian Westbrook, that's tremendous. He had 59 total yards on offense, probably half of a typical game for him.
2) Tom Coughlin simply outcoached Andy Reid. Replay challenges, personnel decisions.
3) The Giants held the ball for 13:30 in the first quarter and 39:10 for the game. Time of possession is so critical in these games.
4) Chase Blackburn had another excellent game. Recovered a fumble, made the game-ending 4th down tackle on Westbrook.
5) The Giants just wanted this game more. They hit harder and showed more urgency.
Around the League:
1) It was great to see Chad throw a 50 yard bomb to Ted Ginn, who made a great catch in double coverage. That said, I have to temper rooting for Miami. They're still only one game behind the Jets.
2) A QB completed 7-of-27 passes for 77 yards, no TD's, and and 4 interceptions. And his team won the game by double digits! The QB is Jake Delhomme and the opponent is Oakland. I still would love to know how the Jets could not beat that team.
3) Gutsy move by Herman Edwards in Kansas City. Down 1 point on the road in San Diego with a 1-7 team, he goes for a 2-point conversion with no time left to get the win. Tyler Thigpen's pass fell incomplete, but I have to credit Herm for taking a chance.
4) On a day Tennessee could not run the football, Kerry Collins threw for 289 yards and 2 TD's as they stayed unbeaten, defeating the Bears in Chicago. He also completed 12 straight passes and he showed he could win a game when Chris Johnson and Lendale White can't get going.
5) Arizona-San Francisco was strange. First, there were 18 penalties called in the last 20 minutes. No wonder the game took all night. Anyway, Arizona's receivers are the best. They do not drop passes and they get yards after the catch. Not just Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin, but Steve Breaston is a weapon. His speed is amazing. That said, SF's clock management was the worst clock management I have seen in some time. Down 5 points. they get to the Arizona 1 yard line with 46 seconds left! They spike the ball with 20 seconds left, bringing up 2nd down and Arizona calls time out. Three plays to go 1 yard and win it for SF. So they hand the ball off to Frank Gore, who gets tripped up at the 1. Now they have to hurry to get back to the line to snap the ball before time runs out! The clock continues to run down to 3 seconds and they hand the ball off to their second-stringer Michael Robinson, who gets stopped r no gain. They don't even get to run a 4th down play, game over.
PS OK, OK, good job by Minnesota. I was stunned Mason Crosby missed that field goal.
Sunday, November 09, 2008
All about the duck fat
Can't make it any clearer than that. I've had a pretty good run of Saturday lunches lately. Cemitas Pueblas, Pappadeaux and today, I finally made my first trip to Hot Doug's. After a morning workout, we drove 40 minutes to the corner of California and Roscoe Streets in the northwest side of Chicago.
We got there around 10:50 a.m. I saw the sign hanging above the restaurant and as I looked lower, the line was already out the door. I shuddered as I realized it was 40 degrees out, raining, and I had no jacket. Finally, we made it inside and I certainly appreciated the heat in the building. We ordered three sausages:
1) Sweet Pepper and Mozzarella Chicken Sausage with Spicy Pizza Sauce, Sautéed Bell Peppers, Caramelized Onions and Smoked Mozzarella Cheese
Chicken sausage has never been a favorite of mine, maybe because they tend to have such a mild flavor compared to other meats. The meat was flavorful, but it needed the vegetables to add the extra taste. The sauce was fine, though I didn't taste much spice. The best part for me was the smoked cheese. With all the veggies, bread, meat, and sauce, the cheese really helped bring the whole thing together.
2) Ribeye Steak Sausage with chimichurri and madrigal cheese
This was a special and it indeed, was one of a kind. Hard to tell that it was steak, but the smoky beef flavor was outstanding. And the green southwestern chimichurri had a little bit of heat and really went well with the ribeye. I wish I had been there when they served this one with fried crispy onions. I still don't know what cheese that is, but it was white and cubed.
3) Smoked Crayfish and Pork Sausage with Cajun Tartar Sauce and Habañero-Jack Cheese
My favorite. The sausage was the hottest, but not too much. It just had that late kick of heat. And the tartar sauce was smooth and creamy, like it came straight form New Orleans.
And the fries were fresh as could be. Not sure what the duck fat really adds, but that may have been one of the best orders of fries I have ever had, right up there with the Filling Station. And kudos for having Cherry Coke in the drink dispensers. And Tab and Dr. Brown's in the fridge too?
Yes, I think I officially have a thing for encased meats.
Monday, November 03, 2008
NFL recap
Obviously, it was a stellar football weekend for me as the Jets and Giants both won big games. Instead of my usual long paragraph rants, I am going to start writing five notes from each game. Although I reserve the right to rant when I deem it appropriate.
Jets d. Bills 26-17, Jets are 5-3, tied for first in the AFC East with Buf and NE.
1) Darrelle Revis is a lockdown cover corner. Lee Evans barely did anything and he has burned the Jets for years.
2) Vernon Gholston just whiffed on another tackle. I'll be patient since he is playing a new position, but I want to see something from him next year.
3) Kris Jenkins may be the best trade this franchise has made in years. He makes all the difference in our run defense. Marshawn Lynch never got going for the Bills.
4) After Buf got within six points, the Jet offense drives for 8:41 for a field goal that even Feely couldn't miss. And that put the game out of reach. Credit to the whole offense and even coordinator Brian Schottenheimer.
5) Leon Washington is a genius. He has one foot one of bounds, while fielding the kickoff, thus the ball goes to the 40. And the Jets drive those 60 yards for a TD. Genius.
Giants dismantle Cowboys 35-14. Giants in 1st place at 7-1.
1) Did the Cowboys even show up?
2) Brandon Jacobs' blend of power running and quick feet is remarkable.
3) Brooks Bollinger hasn't improved since leaving the Jets.
4) How did Justin Tuck get called for roughing the passer? The hit was hard, straight-up, and legal. I mean, even Troy Aikman was aghast. You know what? Let the QB's just wear two flags around their waists. God forbid a hand ever gets laid on them. This is football, not ice dancing.
A few other notes on the week.
1) That Colts-Patriots game was the most boring three-point game in history.
2) How does Detroit, down by 4 points, with 19 seconds left on the Chicago 35, and no time outs, throw two straight 5 yard passes, leaving time for one Hail Mary? Take shots into the endzone!
3) How in the name of Lane Kiffin did the Jets ever lose to Oakland? At home against Atlanta, the Rainders gained 77 yards for the WHOLE GAME and held the ball for 15 of 60 minutes.
4) Tennessee is a very easy team to root for.
5) Every Miami win makes me happy for Chad Pennington (Whoops, everyone already knew that one).
Jets d. Bills 26-17, Jets are 5-3, tied for first in the AFC East with Buf and NE.
1) Darrelle Revis is a lockdown cover corner. Lee Evans barely did anything and he has burned the Jets for years.
2) Vernon Gholston just whiffed on another tackle. I'll be patient since he is playing a new position, but I want to see something from him next year.
3) Kris Jenkins may be the best trade this franchise has made in years. He makes all the difference in our run defense. Marshawn Lynch never got going for the Bills.
4) After Buf got within six points, the Jet offense drives for 8:41 for a field goal that even Feely couldn't miss. And that put the game out of reach. Credit to the whole offense and even coordinator Brian Schottenheimer.
5) Leon Washington is a genius. He has one foot one of bounds, while fielding the kickoff, thus the ball goes to the 40. And the Jets drive those 60 yards for a TD. Genius.
Giants dismantle Cowboys 35-14. Giants in 1st place at 7-1.
1) Did the Cowboys even show up?
2) Brandon Jacobs' blend of power running and quick feet is remarkable.
3) Brooks Bollinger hasn't improved since leaving the Jets.
4) How did Justin Tuck get called for roughing the passer? The hit was hard, straight-up, and legal. I mean, even Troy Aikman was aghast. You know what? Let the QB's just wear two flags around their waists. God forbid a hand ever gets laid on them. This is football, not ice dancing.
A few other notes on the week.
1) That Colts-Patriots game was the most boring three-point game in history.
2) How does Detroit, down by 4 points, with 19 seconds left on the Chicago 35, and no time outs, throw two straight 5 yard passes, leaving time for one Hail Mary? Take shots into the endzone!
3) How in the name of Lane Kiffin did the Jets ever lose to Oakland? At home against Atlanta, the Rainders gained 77 yards for the WHOLE GAME and held the ball for 15 of 60 minutes.
4) Tennessee is a very easy team to root for.
5) Every Miami win makes me happy for Chad Pennington (Whoops, everyone already knew that one).
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