Entries Tagged as 'San Diego'

Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day Early

March 11th, 2006 · 5 Comments

taps.jpg
Be Afraid of the Clover Tapper :: Cork and Kerry, Beverly, Chicago

kate_erin_rachelle.jpg
Kate, Erin, Rachelle :: Cork and Kerry, Beverly, Chicago

coaster.jpg
Cork and Kerry, Beverly, Chicago

dance.jpg
Dancing to Michael Jackson :: Cork and Kerry, Beverly, Chicago

st_pats_countdown.jpg
Countdown to St. Patrick’s Day :: Cork and Kerry, Beverly, Chicago

I’ve never really celebrated St. Patrick’s Day. It’s a non-holiday to me. Oh, wait. I remember one time I celebrated St. Patrick’s Day in Coronado, San Diego. We drank beer and ate corned beef at Mc P’s, but it was more like Saturday night out and not going out to celebrate a holiday. And if you’ve ever been to Coronado, you know it doesn’t exactly scream “Irish Neighborhood!”

Anyway, St. Patrick’s Day in Chicago this year is a week-long celebration. The parades are this weekend and the actual holiday is next. Erin and Chuck had plans to go to Cork & Kerry way down in Beverly to drink some Irish beer but to beat all the amateurs who go out just for the holiday. They invited us to tag along. I’ve never been that far south in Chicago and they were telling me that this bar was the bar most like an Irish pub in Chicago, so I decided to go. Fun times. It took us forever to get there an back, though! Still, worth it for a good time out and to see Beverly. Big thanks to Justin for picking me up and driving and staying sober enough to drive home!

One other thing – Chuck is a huge liquor snob. Well, not snob, because I saw him drink PBR with breakfast today, but he knows more about booze than anyone I know. I asked him what kind of beer I should try out and there was one on tap called Smithwicks Irish Ale that he recommended. It’s black, almost like Guinness, so I was kind of leary because I would normally never get a dark beer, but I decided to try it anyway. It’s really light and tasty. Chuck explained all how the beer is made, but what I remember him saying is that corn syrup is involved in the making of the beer and it gives it a sweet flavor.

[Read more →]

Tags:············

Time on the Truck Floor

September 27th, 2005 · 4 Comments

time_in_a_bottle.jpg
Jim Croce Cassette, Waupaca, WI

On Saturday night my dad and Stephanie and I went back to the old house to grab a few things that were left behind earlier in the day and to get Max & Callie. When I got into my dad’s truck something hit my foot and when I looked down it was Jim Croce’s Time in a Bottle, Greatest Love Songs.

Side 1, Track 1:
If I could save time in a bottle the first thing that I’d like to do is to save every day till eternity passes away just to spend them with you.

I can’t tell you how many times this opening line made me want to bash my head against the dash when I was a little kid riding around in the car. I’ve since grown to appreciate Jim Croce’s music and songwriting, but back then he was just some old dead guy my dad liked who sang boring songs and even Leroy Brown, the baddest man in the whole damn town, wasn’t cool. Now I know that Leroy is from Chicago’s south side and is meaner than a junkyard dog, and I’m all right with him. I actually really like the song, I’ll Have to Say I Love You in a Song, which unfortch was released after Jim Croce died in 1973.

I also remember a lot about the Croces from when I lived in San Diego. I remember hearing a story about how Jim & Ingrid moved to San Diego to settle down and concentrate on their family (in Normal Heights, no less), but Jim just had to go out and do one last tour.. then they’d be all set. And it was on that tour that he died in a plane crash. Ingrid now has a popular restaurant in the Gaslamp District. I could also remember hearing a lot of his son, AJ Croce.. I think he might play at the restaurant.

Still, as a kind of inside joke, my brother and I just have to look at each other and in a soft voice sing “if i could save time in a bottle….” to make the other one roll their eyes and laugh. And then want to bash our heads on the dashboard.

[Read more →]

Tags:·················

Goodbye Ruby

August 17th, 2005 · 31 Comments

rachelle_and_ruby.jpg
Ruby & Rachelle

In October 2000, Mark and I went to Comp USA in Kearny Mesa and I adopted Ruby. Since then she’s been with me through thick and thin, from California to New York and finally making her way with me to Chicago last year. I love her dearly. But 6 years is a long time, and in computer years she’s got to be about 96 years old and it’s starting to show. Slowness when trying to switch applications, not being able to handle Flash in a browser without having a nervous breakdown.. as long as 2 years ago when I talked Ted into buying the new SimCity and burning me a copy, Ruby refused to play that new fangled shit. These days we’ve got this relationship where we both love each other but I curse her out constantly for being so slow and not doing what I want and she’s hating on me for asking her to do things that she obvs can’t handle doing.

change.jpgSo the time has come. For a year or more I’ve been saying I should get a new computer. Then for the past 6 months I’ve said I’d buy a new computer when this change jar is full and I could cash it in and use it towards a new computer. Then for the past 3 weeks, with the jar full, I’ve procrastinated about what kind of computer I wanted. Finally, this weekend, I ordered a new iBook. I just got notice from Apple that it is with FedEx right now. I hope our network can handle me pressing refresh on the tracking screen every 2 minutes.

I’m really excited to get the iBook and to get a computer that’s going to actually work, and not at a 96-year-old granny pace, but still, I’m sad to let Ruby go.

Btw, how much change do you think is in this jar? I’ve got to cash it in like .. uh.. now, but am dreading lugging it somewhere. The bottom change doesn’t have quarters because it’s from New York and I needed them for laundry. The top change is full of quarters and even has a silver dollar on the top.

Other posts on Ruby:
» Insomnia
» Ruby & I Have a New Crush
» Say Hello To Ruby’s Baby Brother
» Ruby is 3!
» Backing Up Is Hard To Do
» Ruby’s on the Road to Recovery
» Ruby Needs Your Help
» Saturday Night: Great Music, Great Friends
» Sold Out Too Early

[Read more →]

Tags:·············

Waikiki & Alewa Heights, Oahu

July 21st, 2005 · 5 Comments


Sheraton Moana Surfrider


Statue of the Father of Surfing, Duke Kahanamoku


Statue of the Father of Surfing, Duke Kahanamoku


Statue of the Father of Surfing, Duke Kahanamoku


Statue of the Father of Surfing, Duke Kahanamoku


Banyan Tree


Rachelle & Banyan Tree


Kuhio Beach/Waikiki


Kuhio Beach/Waikiki


Makua & Kila statue


Kuhio Beach/Waikiki


Kuhio Beach/Waikiki


Kuhio Beach/Waikiki


Diamond Head


Kuhio Beach/Waikiki


ABC Store


Jack in the Box


Jack in the Box


Honolulu Zoo


Honolulu Zoo


Honolulu Zoo


Honolulu Zoo


Honolulu Zoo


Honolulu Zoo


Honolulu Zoo


Honolulu Zoo


Honolulu Zoo


Honolulu Zoo


View from Alewa Heights


Dinner in Alewa Heights


Kala


Dallas & Grandma


Rachelle, Caroline, Kathy, Dallas, Grandma


Dallas, Kala, Caroline, Grandma


View from Alewa Heights

One day Dallas and I spent an entire day just hanging around Waikiki.. at the beach, walking around, shopping.

The beach that was across from our hotel was Kuhio Beach, named after Prince Jonah Kuhio, who was prince of the reigning House of Kalakaua when the Kingdom of Hawaii was overthrown in 1893. There were a ton of tourists, for sure, but on the pier there were a lot of local kids hanging out and boarding and jumping off the pier.

For lunch, even though we both prefer In-N-Out Burger as our favorite West Coast burger joint, we had Jack in the Box Sourdough Jacks and it hit the spot. Reminded me a lot of when I lived in San Diego. The first account I worked on when I moved was Jack in the Box. Coming from Wisconsin, I didn’t even know what it was.

Later we walked up and down Kalakaua Ave. and did some shopping. I got some shirts at the Quicksilver store in the International Marketplace and a few other things at Lush.

In the afternoon we walked through the Honolulu Zoo. It’s an alright zoo, not great, but only like $6 (only $4 Kama’aina rate) to get into and worth a stroll around to see the animals and flowers. There was a lot of construction going on at the zoo which might have distracted from the overall ambiance, but probably guarantees that it will be getting better soon!

The thing about Waikiki.. it’s gorgeous and so well manicured and all that but it’s totally created for tourists. And is swarming with tourists. Which sort of drives me a little crazy. There is an ABC souvineer store on EVERY BLOCK. For a relaxing vacation I much prefer Kaua’i. Kaua’i has all of the touristy things that Waikiki and Oahu has, but it’s not so “in your face”. You can hike, you can go on tours, you can rent a bike.. but it’s not there every where you turn. And the beaches and countryside are much more natural, the towns are much smaller, there are way fewer people. Nice and relaxing .. although I think if I had to live there I’d go batty.

For dinner we went to Alewa Heights, where Dallas’ Uncle Bob and Auntie Helen live. Their daughter Kala, Grandma, Uncle Mel and Aunt Wendie were also there. We had local food – lau lau, kalua pig, rice, lomi lomi, poke, purple sweet potatoes, haupia, and lemon cake. It was nice to meet everyone, they’re all really nice, and Grandma said she remembered me from last year.

[Read more →]

Tags:·······································

Tandoori Chicken

November 9th, 2004 · 5 Comments

Tandoori Chicken
Tandoori Chicken, Wicker Park, Chicago

Generation Eats
Generation Eats, Wicker Park, Chicago

My Tandoori Chicken is real authentic since I don’t even have a tandoor oven! But even if it’s not completely authentic, it’s still very tasty. The chicken comes out so moist and tender and it has just enough spice.

I got the recipe from this cookbook that I picked up for $5 at the Pier 1 outlet in San Diego in 2000. The recipe is really easy to make -

Tandoori Chicken

4 lbs chicken pieces (breasts, legs, thighs), rinsed and patted dry*
8 oz. plain yogurt
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. curry power
2 Tbsp. paprika
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

Make 4 or 5 diagonal slashes in each piece of chicken, then set aside in a large ovenproof dish.**

Combine yogurt, onion, garlic, lemon juice, curry, paprika, salt, ginger, and cayenne pepper. Puree with a hand mixer. Pour yogurt mixture over chicken, flip the pieces round so that they’re completely covered and marinate for a half hour.

If barbecuing, heat coals to medium-hot and grill chicken for about 40 minutes, flipping often and basting with mixture in pan. If baking, put chicken in preheated 400 degree oven and follow the same cooking directions as barbecuing.

* I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts because it’s easier and cuts down on the fat content. Also, 4 lbs. is a lot of meat. I only used about 2 1/2 lbs.
** If you hate touching raw meat, like I do, it helps to have someone around who has no hangups about it. They’ll slash the meat and coat it with marinade with their bare hands. I can barely stand to watch.

[Read more →]

Tags:·······