text: Improving the care of stroke patients Using an evidence-based quality improvement initiative enhances outcomes for stroke patients. By Kathy Morrison, MSN, RN, CNRN EACH YEAR, about 795,000 new or recur- rent strokes occur in the United States, killing about 150,000 people. This averages out to one stroke every 40 seconds and one stroke death every 3 to 4 minutes. Perhaps even more alarming, the inci- dence of transient ischemic attack (TIA)— a warning sign of impending stroke—ex- ceeds that of stroke. About 15% of strokes occur within 90 days of a TIA. (See Stroke: A crisis for the brain and body.) Improving treatment and outcomes for stroke patients is imperative. Fortunately, evidence-based guidelines are available to help healthcare providers do just that. Our facility has enhanced stroke care by taking part in Get With The Guidelines—Stroke (GWTG—Stroke). Launched in 2004 to im- prove acute stroke treatment and prevent ischemic strokes, this initiative is part of the American Stroke Treatment Program, CE 1.6 contact created by the American Stroke Association hours (ASA) and the multidisciplinary Brain At- tack Coalition (BAC). LEARNING OBJECTIVES Understanding GWTG 1. Describe the types of stroke and GWTG-Stroke helps healthcare facilities risk factors for stroke. ensure continuous quality improvement of 2. Discuss how to use evidence- stroke treatment by aligning clinical care based practices to improve with evidence-based practice guidelines. It the quality of care for stroke focuses on quick diagnosis and treatment patients. using protocols to ensure appropriate care 3. Explain appropriate manage- and discharge of stroke patients. GWTG ment of patients with stroke. is available for implementation at both acute-care and rehab hospitals, and thou- American Nurse Today September 2008 Hemorrhagic stroke occurs when a blood vessel ruptures Stroke: A crisis for the brain and body and blood leaks into brain structures. Its most common under- Although a stroke occurs in the brain, it can affect the entire lying cause is hypertension. Less often, it results from rupture body. Disabilities caused by stroke range from mild to severe of an aneurysm or arteriovenous malformation. and may include paralysis, cognitive and speech problems, Risk factors for stroke and difficulty performing activities of daily living. Some risk factors, such as lifestyle habits, can be controlled, When considered separately from other cardiovascular dis- modified, or prevented. Others, such as heredity or natural eases, stroke ranks as the third leading cause of death. Among processes, can't be changed. If all the modifiable risk factors neurologic conditions, it's the leading cause of long-term dis- below were controlled, 80% of strokes could be prevented. ability. Only 50% to 75% of stroke survivors regain functional Modifiable risk factors include the following: independence. • Hypertension, the most important modifiable risk factor. Categorizing stroke The higher the blood pressure, the higher the risk of stroke. Strokes occur in two basic types—ischemic and hemorrhagic. Controlling hypertension reduces the stroke risk. Ischemic stroke, accounting for 80% to 85% of strokes, results • High cholesterol. While high blood cholesterol raises the risk from reduced or interrupted blood supply to the brain. With- of stroke, treatment with statin drugs may reduce risk by out adequate blood flow, tissue death occurs in the region about 30%. served by the blocked vessel. • Diabetes mellitus. Diabetes is an independent risk factor for Ischemic stroke is subdivided into several types based on stroke. Controlling diabetes significantly reduces risk. the underlying cause (as shown in the pie chart below). • Smoking. Smokers have twice the risk of ischemic stroke • Large-vessel thrombotic and embolic strokes result from and two to four times the risk of hemorrhagic stroke. hypoperfusion, hypertension, and arteriogenic emboli from Smoking cessation reduces risk. large arteries to distal branches. • Alcohol intake. Heavy intake (five or more drinks per day) • Small-vessel thrombotic stroke (lacunar stroke) typically increases the risk of stroke. Light to moderate intake (two stems from plaque, diabetes mellitus, or hypertension. drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women) • Cardioembolic stroke results from atrial fibrillation, valve decreases the risk—although experts don't recommend disease, or ventricular thrombi. anyone take up drinking to prevent stroke. • Other types of ischemic stroke are caused by prothrombic • Sedentary lifestyle. A low activity level increases the risk of states, arterial dissection, arteritis, and drug abuse. stroke. An active lifestyle lowers risk, with intensive activity • For the remaining 30% of ischemic strokes, the cause isn't providing more benefits than light to moderate activity. known. These strokes are termed cryptogenic. • Obesity and increased abdominal fat. Abdominal obesity, as indicated by increased waist circumference (greater than Ischemic stroke subtypes 40" [102 cm] in men and 35" [88 cm] in women) increases risk of stroke. • Atrial fibrillation. This arrhythmia is associated with a three- 5% to fourfold increase in stroke risk. Antithrombotic therapy Other reduces the risk. causes Nonmodifiable risk factors include the following: 20% 30% • Age. Stroke incidence rises dramatically with age, doubling Cardioembolic stroke Unknown causes for each decade after 55 years. • Gender. Men have a higher stroke incidence until age 85, when women may have a slightly higher incidence. At all ages, strokes kill more women than men. • Race and ethnicity. African Americans have a 38% or higher 20% stroke incidence than European Americans, possibly from a Large-vessel thrombotic higher prevalence of other risk factors (such as hyperten- and embolic stroke 25% sion). Hispanic Americans have a higher risk than European Small-vessel thrombotic Americans but a lower risk than African Americans. stroke • Family history of cerebrovascular or cardiovascular disease. Having parents, grandparents, or siblings who've had a stroke increases a person's risk. Also, some rare genetic dis- orders are associated with stroke. sands of healthcare facilities now stroke center—a hospital-based cen- provides evidence-based care as ap- participate. ter that stabilizes and provides emer- propriate. Many facilities become familiar gent care to acute stroke patients, However, a facility doesn't have with GWTG when pursuing Joint transfers patients to a comprehensive to be a primary stroke center to use Commission certification as a primary stroke center, or admits them and GWTG. Even if your facility doesn't September 2008 American Nurse Today plan to become a primary stroke center or implement GWTG, our Resources for improving stroke care hospital's experience with the pro- Healthcare facilities and professionals interested in improving the care of stroke pa- gram can help you and your col- tients can get valuable information from the websites of the American Stroke Treat- leagues learn how to use evidence- ment Program (ASTP) and the American Stroke Association (ASA). Resources avail- based practice guidelines to able on these websites include: • primary and secondary stroke prevention guidelines improve the quality of stroke care. • program capacity assessment criteria tool to analyze current programs and track follow-up Recommendations for primary • prehospital checklist stroke centers • stroke scales for patient assessment BAC recommendations for facilities • samples of hospital process documentation pursuing designation as a primary • implementation tips, including how to overcome common barriers stroke center include: • patient education materials • establishing criteria for emer- • professional educational resources. gency response The ASTP website is www.strokeassociation.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier= • availability of neuroimaging 24 3039761. The ASA website is www.strokeassociation.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier hours a day, 7 days a week =3002728. • laboratory, neurology, and neu- Also, ASA's field staff can offer suggestions and insights about successful ini- rosurgery support tiatives at other healthcare facilities. (Consulting with ASA's physician expert • administrative support helped our facility reach 85% compliance with the Joint Commission's lipid evalu- • appropriate staff education ation performance measure for stroke patients.) Another excellent resource is the • outcomes tracking. Joint Commission's publication Disease-Specific Care Certification Manual (second edition). Improving the infrastructure, evaluating treatment Having a primary stroke center im- BAC, and the Joint Commission. (See sponsored conference, "Improving proves the infrastructure through Resources for improving stroke care.) Stroke Care at Your Hospital," which a facility delivers care, pro- To become certified as a primary which featured a workshop on motes quick diagnosis and treat- stroke center, a facility takes these GWTG. Also, GWTG staff came to ment, and emphasizes proven treat- steps: our hospital and presented the pro- ments. At many primary stroke • identifies internal program cham- gram to our nursing and clinical centers, treatment is measured and pions to develop, lead, and mo- systems administrators. evaluated using GWTG electronic bilize teams tools that offer patient-specific • builds a multidisciplinary team to Performance measure review guideline information. These inter- implement treatment The stroke subcommittee conduct- active tools allow each facility to • assesses current treatment and ed a review of the performance track its adherence to the guide- identifies areas for improvement measures affecting outcomes in lines—both individually and against • refines processes stroke patients, listed in the Joint national benchmarks over time. • implements needed changes Commission's Disease-Specific Care They also generate automated pa- • continues to pursue excellence. Certification Manual (second edi- tient education materials and, with tion). These measures include: permission, send data to the Joint Our journey to certification • initiating deep-vein thrombosis Commission or other third parties. In March 2004, the Neuroscience prophylaxis Service Line at our 590-bed facility • giving antithrombotics within 48 Certification criteria decided we were ready to pursue hours of hospitalization In 2003, ASA and the Joint Commis- certification as a primary stroke • prescribing antithrombotics at sion collaborated to develop the center. A program coordinator was discharge voluntary primary stroke center cer- designated, and a stroke subcom- • providing anticoagulant therapy tification program, which allows mittee was formed from our multi- to patients with atrial fibrillation consumers and emergency medical disciplinary Neuroscience Care • considering tissue plasminogen service professionals to identify Management Team to prepare the activator (tPA) therapy (see Deter- healthcare facilities equipped to treat application for certification. mining eligibility for tPA therapy) acute stroke according to nationally To gain an overview of the certi- • treating low-density lipoproteins recognized standards. Certification fication process, stroke subcommit- greater than 100 mg/dL criteria were developed by ASA, tee members attended an ASA- • screening the patient for dysphagia American Nurse Today September 2008 • providing stroke education to the patient and family Determining eligibility for tPA therapy • providing smoking cessation ma- Patients with apparent ischemic stroke confirmed by absence of hemorrhage on terials to the patient and family computed tomography (CT) scan should be evaluated immediately to determine • considering a rehabilitation plan. eligibility for tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) therapy. The American Heart Asso- Note: Joint Commission changed ciation and American Stroke Association recommend I.V. tPA therapy within 3 hours of stroke onset in eligible patients. (Because of the bleeding risk, patients the reporting requirements in 2010 with hemorrhagic stroke aren't eligible.) A 2008 a study demonstrated that a select to include only 8 of the 10 meas- group of patients could be eligible for IV tPA up to 4.5 hours from onset. This group ures as endorsed by the National excludes age > 80, patients on warfarin, those with NIHSS >25, and patients with a Quality Forum (NQF). Dysphagia history of stroke and diabetes. screening and smoking cessation According to guidelines from the Brain Attack Coalition's tPA Stroke Study were removed. However, organiza- Group, patients can receive tPA only if they: tions must continue to track and re- • are age 18 or older port the common complication of • have been diagnosed with ischemic stroke causing a measurable neurologic aspiration pneumonia and their ini- deficit tiatives to limit this. So dysphagia • experienced symptom onset less than 180 minutes before tPA therapy would screening is still important, but not start. a directly reportable measure. Contraindications for tPA therapy include: For this review, a spreadsheet • evidence of intracranial hemorrhage on pretreatment CT scan was created that covered all 450 • clinical presentation that suggests subarachnoid hemorrhage, even with a nor- stroke patients treated from July mal CT scan 2003 through June 2004; it was or- • active internal bleeding ganized according to each perform- • known bleeding disorder (for instance, platelet count below 100,000/mm3) ance measure. Although the initial • heparin administration within 48 hours and activated partial thromboplastin database was time-consuming to time greater than the upper limit of normal develop, the effort paid off by pro- • current oral anticoagulant use, or recent use with a prothrombin time longer viding a crucial overall picture of than 15 seconds • within 3 months of intracranial surgery, serious head trauma, or previous stroke the stroke patient population. • on repeated measurements, systolic pressure above 185 mm Hg or diastolic Before the database was created, pressure above 110 mm Hg at the time therapy is to begin and the patient our facility could track stroke pa- needs aggressive treatment to reduce blood pressure to within these limits tients only through an annual retro- • history of intracranial hemorrhage spective chart review of a represen- • known arteriovenous malformation or aneurysm. tative sampling of stroke cases. Now • stroke symptoms that are minor or improving rapidly that we're using GWTG, we have • major surgery or serious trauma excluding head trauma in the past 14 days concurrent data on each stroke and • history of GI or urinary tract hemorrhage in the past 21 days TIA patient as he or she is admitted, • recent arterial puncture at a noncompressible site which allows more timely documen- • recent lumbar puncture tation of areas that need improve- • abnormal blood glucose level (below 50 or above 400 mg/dl) ment. Largely because of this per- • post–myocardial infarction pericarditis formance measure reporting, our • seizure occurring at the time of stroke symptom onset. 2-year recertification visit by the Source: www.stroke-site.org/guidelines/tpa_guidelines.html Joint Commission was a breeze. Our primary stroke center coor- dinator saw every patient with sus- pected stroke or TIA who was ad- stroke center—and we were award- tion site visit was conducted with the mitted to the hospital, gathering ed certification. In October 2006, tracer methodology. Care processes data for the new database and the Commission made its unan- are evaluated by following a stroke mentoring the nursing staff in per- nounced 2-year site visit. During patient's path through the hospital formance measures and standards. both visits, surveyors created a col- system. For example, first the emer- laborative rather than investigative gency department, then the CT, lab, Implementation and site visits atmosphere, and supported our ef- ICU, therapy, and care coordination. Our target date for implementing forts by making suggestions and GWTG was July 2004. In November sharing ideas gained from other Pinpointing areas for 2004, the Joint Commission con- successful primary stroke centers. improvement ducted its site visit of our primary In 2008, the successful re-certifica- Before we implemented GWTG, our September 2008 American Nurse Today Thanks to our database, we can facility complied with only six of now report on risk factors specific the 10 performance measures for stroke patients; in 2009, we to our stroke patients. achieved compliance with all 10. (We continue to be challenged in ing this data gave us much greater we know what percentage are dia- documenting that patient and family credibility than if we'd simply told betic, and we're managing their education has been completed.) Us- the pharmacy we thought it was care partly by tracking their hemo- ing the GWTG database, we can taking too long to start administer- globin A1C values (which reflect produce reports that compare our ing tPA. In response, the pharmacy long-term blood glucose control). performance against that of other fa- staff reviewed—and improved— Multidisciplinary team meetings and cilities. We've found this is a power- their own process, which has en- physician department meetings ful way to pinpoint areas that need abled us to cut a few more minutes brought these values to the atten- improvement and motivate staff to off door-to-needle time. From July tion of physicians, and we're now implement required changes. 2005 through June 2006, we seeing tighter blood glucose con- We're also using the database to dropped below the benchmark of trol. We're also able to track man- track door-to-computed tomogra- 60 minutes for the first time, and we agement of patients with hyperten- phy (CT) time—the interval from have maintained an average door- sion, the leading cause of stroke. the patient's arrival in the emer- to-needle time of 58 minutes. Because we can share these data gency department (ED) to comple- with physicians and other staff, tion of the CT scan. (Previously, Developing a dysphagia we're seeing more consistent man- we'd used a smaller database that screening tool agement. Before we implemented lacked benchmarking capabilities.) The GWTG database also helped us GWTG, these quality measures While we've always had good door- develop and improve a dysphagia were impossible to track and trend. to-CT times for acute stroke pa- screening tool. Before we had this tients (22 minutes in 2004, com- tool, our speech therapists were Eliminating outdated practices pared to the national benchmark of screening only about 50% of stroke Using GWTG has led us to eliminate 25 minutes), our ED nurses saw patients for dysphagia (a risk factor some outdated practices. ASA's sci- room for improvement. To boost for aspiration pneumonia). With entific statement "Guidelines for the motivation, they devised a quarterly guidance from our monthly GWTG early management of patients with contest in which the nurse with the teleconferences, we were able to ischemic stroke" provides treatment shortest door-to-CT time got a gift conduct a literature search that recommendations, along with clinical certificate to the hospital gift shop. helped us develop a customized evidence to back each recommenda- Using this strategy shaved another 4 dysphagia screening tool identifying tion. These guidelines state that: minutes off our door-to-CT time over patients at risk for aspiration. We put • anti-embolism support stockings the next year. Between July 2005 at-risk patients on a controlled diet have no proven value to stroke and June 2006, we shaved off anoth- and instructed them on safe swal- patients er 2 minutes by changing the proce- lowing methods or, if needed, we • routine anticoagulation in pa- dure so that stroke patients are tak- used an alternative feeding method. tients with acute ischemic stroke en straight from the EMS vehicle to As a result, our dysphagia isn't recommended the CT area. And in 2008, by provid- screening compliance rose to 88% • the patient's swallowing reflex ing education to the EMS profession- and the incidence of aspiration must be assessed before he or she als, we reduced this further. Our cur- pneumonia fell by about 50% from can receive anything by mouth. rent door-to-CT time is 13 minutes. July 2005 through June 2006, and With this scientific statement in Of course, time saved means pa- has remained low. Being able to re- hand, we convinced our physician- tients get the treatment they need port this statistic to the staff and ad- leaders and interdisciplinary team faster, which helps save lives and re- ministration gave us the chance to to change their admission orders. duce disability. dramatically demonstrate the extent Consequently, our clinicians stopped Our ED staff also recognized the to which process improvement af- ordering anti-embolism stockings need to shorten door-to-needle fects patient outcomes. for deep-vein thrombosis prophy- time—the interval from the patient's laxis; instead, we're using sequen- arrival in the ED to the beginning of Improving risk factor tial pneumatic compression devices. tPA administration. We developed a identification A study published in Lancet in 2009 performance improvement initiative Thanks to our database, we can provided further evidence that us- to track this time and presented the now report on risk factors specific ing these stockings in stroke pa- tracking data to the pharmacy. Hav- to our stroke patients. For instance, tients may be harmful. Patients with American Nurse Today September 2008 sensory deficit may not report ill-fit- can be used as an early predictor The GWTG experience has helped ting application, resulting in blisters of discharge disposition. An initial our nurses become more engaged and other skin problems. They also NIHSS score below 10 is linked to a in the delivery of high-quality care stopped ordering heparin drips for favorable outcome in 60% to 70% to stroke patients. They now fully virtually all ischemic stroke patients. of ischemic stroke patients at 1 year appreciate the extent to which And we no longer administer med- after the stroke; a score above 20 nursing care can give these patients ications orally (or allow any other portends a favorable outcome in the best chance for recovery. In type of oral intake) to patients with only 4% to 16% of these patients. fact, our nursing staff has become suspected dysphagia; previously, One study found that an initial so committed to providing high- our clinicians ordered that these pa- NIHSS score of 5 or lower indicates quality stroke care that member- tients be kept "NPO except meds." probable discharge to home, scores ship in the local chapter of the between 6 and 13 (moderate American Association of Neuro- Predicting patient disposition stroke) indicate probable discharge science Nurses has tripled in the At our primary stroke center, dis- to an acute rehabilitation program, past 2 years, and more of our nurs- charge planning starts on admission and scores above 13 (severe stroke) es are seeking certification as neu- with assessment of the patient's will likely necessitate placing the roscience registered nurses. preadmission functional level. Ap- patient in an ECF. proximately 50% of our stroke pa- Pride, purpose, and benefits tients are able to return home direct- Garnering awards and for all ly from the acute care department; recognition Our hospital staff is proud that the 20% to 25% are discharged to the Our facility has received three lev- facility is a certified primary stroke acute rehabilitation unit; 8% don't els of GWTG recognition—the center providing evidence-based survive the stroke, and the remain- bronze, silver, and gold Perform- care. What's more, the process of ing 17% to 22% require placement ance Awards. When the hospital obtaining certification has improved in an extended-care facility (ECF). newsletter published these awards, our teamwork. Using a quality im- Predicting disposition on the first our stroke program gained an iden- provement program and a powerful hospital day can reduce stroke care tity within the hospital. Now when database has given us a deep sense costs by allowing an early start to the hospital needs examples of per- of purpose and accomplishment, the time-consuming process of se- formance improvement or evi- and being recognized as a quality- curing an ECF bed. dence-based practice, it includes based program has had a dramatic For guidance in predicting dis- stroke program data. Our facility's impact within our facility. position and planning discharges, successful Magnet™ recertification Our experience with GWTG we turned to the National Institutes application in 2006 also prominent- shows that patients, staff, and the en- of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS)—a ly featured our stroke program. tire hospital benefit when scientific quantitative measure of stroke- We've gained regional and state research and evidence inform the related neurologic deficit. Although recognition, too. Our facility has care of stroke patients. Through initially used to determine a pa- hosted many on-site visits and GWTG, our stroke treatment has tient's candidacy for stroke research countless teleconferences with oth- gained an outstanding reputation, and trials, NIHSS has been found to reli- er hospitals seeking to improve our staff take great pride in knowing ably indicate prognosis and thus their stroke care. we're providing excellent care. * CE POST-TEST Improving the care of stroke patients Provider accreditation The American Nurses Association Center for Continuing Educa- Instructions tion and Professional Development is accredited as a provider of To take the post-test for this article and earn contact hour credit, continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Creden- please go to www.AmericanNurseToday.com/ce. Once you've tialing Center's Commission on Accreditation. successfully passed the post-test and completed the evaluation ANA is approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, form, simply use your Visa or MasterCard to pay the processing Provider Number 6178. fee. (Online: ANA members $15; nonmembers $20.) You'll then be Contact hours: 1.6. Expiration: 12/31/2013. able to print out your certificate immediately. Purpose/goal: To provide registered nurses with information on how to use evidence-based practices to improve the quality of care for stroke patients. Click Here to Register and Take Test at NursingWorld.org: http://nursingworld.org/ce/journal September 2008 American Nurse Today Selected references Adams, R.J., Albers, G., Alberts, M.J., Be- American Heart Association. Heart disease clinical practice. www.aann.org/pubs/ navente, O., et al. Update to the AHA/ASA and stroke statistics. Available at: http:// guidelines.html. Accessed February 12, 2007. recommendations for the prevention of stroke circ.ahajournals.org/cgi/reprint/CIRCULA Sacco R, Adams R, Albers G, et al. American in patients with stroke and transient is- TIONAHA.109.192667. Accessed September Heart Association/American Stroke Association chemic attack. Stroke, 2008; 39:1647-1652. 20, 2010. guideline: guidelines for prevention of stroke Adams H, del Zoppo G, Alberts M, et al. American Stroke Association. Get with the in patients with ischemic stroke or transient is- Guidelines for the early management of guidelines—stroke. Available at: http:// chemic attack. Stroke. 2006;37:577-617. adults with ischemic stroke. A guideline www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Healthcare Sigel B, Edelstein AL, Savitch L, Hasty JH. from the American Heart Association/Ameri- Professional/GetWithTheGuidelinesHFStroke/ The CLOTS Trials Collaboration. Effective- can Stroke Association Stroke Council, Clini- GetWithTheGuidelinesStrokeHomePage/ ness of thigh-length graduated compression- cal Cardiology Council, Cardiovascular Radi- Get-With-The-Guidelines-Stroke-Home-Page stockings to reduce the risk of deep vein ology and Intervention Council, and the _UCM_306098_SubHomePage.jsp. Accessed thrombosis after stroke (CLOTS trial 1): a Atherosclerotic Peripheral Vascular Disease September 20, 2010.del Zoppo, G., Saver, J., multicentre, randomised controlled trial. and Quality of Care Outcomes in Research Jauch, E. & Adams, H. Expansion of the time Lancet June2009; 373: 1958–65. Interdisciplinary Working Groups. Stroke. window for treatment of acute ischemic stroke with intravenous tissue plasminogen For a complete list of selected references, vis- 2007;38:1655-1711. http://stroke.ahajour- activator: a science advisory from the Ameri- it www.AmericanNurseToday.com. nals.org/cgi/reprint/STROKEAHA.107.181486. Accessed September 11, 2008. can Heart Association/American Stroke Asso- ciation. Stroke 2009;40;2945-2948. Kathy Morrison is Stroke Program Manager at Penn American Association of Neuroscience Nurs- State Hershey Medical Center in Hershey, PA. She es (2008). Guide to the care of the hospital- Pugh S, Mathiesen C, Meighan M, Summers also leads seminars on the topic of excellent stroke ized patient with ischemic stroke. AANN ref- D. Guide to the care of the patient with is- care. Previously, she was Stroke Program Coordinator erence series for clinical practice. chemic stroke; AANN reference series for at Lancaster General Hospital in Lancaster, PA.


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GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) -- A Green Bay officer who was recorded throwing a man to the ground during an arrest has been cleared of wrongdoing, but police are using the experience as a teaching tool for its officers and new recruits.
Police acknowledge that better communication skills could have kept the April 19th incident from escalating.
Officer Derek Wicklund was recorded shoving a 29-year-old against a parked car, throwing him to the ground and punching him.
A police investigation concluded that Wicklund didn't use excessive force, but it also found that Wicklund and other officers could have handled the incident better.
Police Capt. Bill Galvin says after Wicklund and another officer were recommended for additional communications training, the department decided to make the training available to all patrol officers.
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Indian Wells House Rental Photos and Description
House, 3 Bedrooms, 5 Baths, (Sleeps 6)
Behind the gates at exclusive Indian Wells Country Club, this dramatic and glamorous 4,000 sq. foot home has astonishing 180 degree views of the magnificent Santa Rosa mountains. The property is located on the golf course across a switchback fairway with lake and fountains. The main outdoor living areas offer a barbecue and wonderful living areas under large automated canopies, if needed. The pool and jacuzzi are privately placed in the same general area.
The 4,000 sq. foot home includes, three master bedroom suites with full baths and private patios. There are two additional baths, large laundry facility, and kitchen/family room with fireplace, and breakfast nook area.
Keywords: Indian Wells, Home, Indian Wells Country Club, views, pool, house, exclusive, custom, Palm Desert, La Quinta, contemporaily
About Cynthia
I have been a tennis player all of my adult life but now realize a need to start to introduce my body to the world of golf. Too many overhead shots and meniscus issues have caused a new reality for me. darn!!
Cynthia purchased this house in 2012
Why Cynthia chose Indian Wells
I recently purchased this home as I found it to have the most dramatic views in the desert. The high ceilings and use of wide open spaces gave me the feeling of luxurious living away from my main residence. The IWCC is very accommodating to my guests also.
What makes this house unique
My home is located close to great restaurants and almost every desert location. It is easy to meet friends for dinner or shopping. Tennis can be played at the Gardens where the Indian Wells Open is played and golf is close by too. Many courses are open to the public.


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Essentially Ellington Concert With Wynton Marsalis and the Best H.S. Jazz Bands
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The last date listed for Essentially Ellington was Sunday May 6, 2012 / 7:30pm.
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Catalyst Quartet & Sphinx Virtuosi at Carnegie Hall
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When the Catalyst Quartet first came to Carnegie Hall, The New York Times gushed that th...Learn More
Venue Details
On CPW.Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra travel • Aug 13 2014 star this tip starred
Shun LeeMostly Mozart Festival Orchestra dining • Aug 11 2014 star this tip starred
Reviews & Ratings
Featured review from HercRed Velvet
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Outstanding --really enjoyed the bands--gold star service excellent.
Quotes & Highlights
Visit the official Wynton Marsalis website.
Read what Goldstar members had to say about last year's concert.
Duke Ellington's music lies at the core of the rich canon of jazz music. Jazz at Lincoln Center created the Essentially Ellington annual high school jazz band competition and festival 17 years ago with the goal of instilling a broader understanding of Ellington's pivotal and singular role within the genre. The competition and festival culminates in an astonishing display of musicianship and virtuosity by the three top placing high school jazz big bands, who perform on the hallowed stage of Avery Fisher Hall with guest soloist Wynton Marsalis; the concert also features a full set of music by the acclaimed Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. Join us and prepare to be inspired!
Image: Courtesy of the Frank Driggs Collection
About the Ticket Supplier: Jazz at Lincoln Center
Their mission is to enrich the artistic substance and perpetuate the democratic spirit of America's music. From down home and elegant concert performances by the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra to entertaining educational programs that bring the sound and feeling of jazz into the lives of thousands of kids and grownups to innovative collaborative programs with artists in diverse idioms: they offer top quality musicianship and universal friendship. By taking the feeling of jazz on tour and by inviting artists and audiences from all over the world into their new home in New York City, Frederick P. Rose Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center brings people together for a simple purpose: To Have a Profoundly Good Time. Welcome is their motto.


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The Guys Were Also Bringing It At The Emmys
Let's not forget about the men.
Let's not forget about the men.
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So many gorgeous gowns. Updated live!
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I have fond memories of Mr. Yuk from my childhood. My parents placed the green-yucky-face stickers on various items under the kitchen sink, and sure enough, I never drank drain cleaner. But where did Mr. Yuk come from?
According to Wikipedia, Mr. Yuk is from Pittsburgh, and was introduced in 1971. Prior to 1971, poison symbols were commonly of the skull-and-crossbones variety, but there was concern that children might associate that "jolly roger" symbol with pirates. This article further explains... READ ON
The internet is composed of about 75% cat pictures and 20% unbelievable stories to amaze your friends.* So it's no wonder Oscar, the cat who predicts death, captured the imagination of cyberspace last week. Oscar lives in a nursing home, and only curls up with patients who die within the next few hours. You can read the entire report in the New England Journal of Medicine, or the shorter Associated Press story we linked... READ ON
Not sure how many acoustic guitar players we have reading the blog, but did you know that Greenpeace is teaming up with Fender, Gibson, Martin and Taylor to help protect the Sitka spruce tree and some tropical woods like like mahogany, ebony and rosewood, which are starting to become scarce? Yes, it seems guitar makers are finally wising up to the simple fact that if we go on logging as we have, there won't be a future for... READ ON
This post is the start of a new occasional feature on my favorite documentaries. I'm a huge documentary fan, and will share some of my favorites with you, perhaps once every week or two. If you have a documentary suggestion, please post it in the comments!
First up, Sherman's March by Ross McElwee (1986). This film carries the rather long secondary title: "A Meditation on the Possibility Of Romantic Love in the South During An Era of Nuclear Weapons Proliferation," and that begins to give you an idea... READ ON
I'm not sure how many of you out there were proximal to the NYC steam pipe explosion, but I from what I hear it was pretty traumatizing. The damage it effected of course drew morbid parallels to other, premeditated explosions, but since I grew up hearing engine room horror stories, I wasn't surprised to learn the cause attributed directly to a phenomenon I'm sure many of you have heard attacking your household pipes: water hammer. Sprinklers and toilets notoriously suffer from it, but any closed system... READ ON
By now you've probably heard of Oscar, the magical Rhode Island cat who can smell death coming hours away. Just in case, here's an excerpt from CNN:
"The 2-year-old feline was adopted as a kitten and grew up in a third-floor dementia unit at the Steere House Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. The facility treats people with Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease and other illnesses. After about six months, the staff noticed Oscar would make his own rounds, just like the doctors and nurses. He'd sniff and... READ ON
With hurricane season almost upon us, it's time to start stocking up on bottled water, extra batteries and canned food. But why stick to just beans and corn? Here's a look at some more exotic (read: disugusting!) canned foods we... READ ON
Solar ovens aren't a new phenomenon, but with the worldwide interest in alternative energy growing, new attention is being focused on them. NGOs are distributing them to impoverished villages where deforestation and desertification are a problem, and they're also popular in places where fire risk is extremely high (for instance, with campers inside particularly dry national parks). One interesting fact about solar cookers is that many of them use the greenhouse effect to cook food: solar rays are... READ ON
Jason had a great post earlier this year about his experience with his cell phone provider's customer service dept. But because we all have to suffer through these kinds of experiences on a weekly basis, I felt enough time had passed that we could revisit the subject.
Now I've had horrible experiences in the past, too. In fact, my DMV story, which went on for—are you strapped in to your seatbelts?—4 years! was so pull-your-hair-out awful, I was almost driven to tears (seriously).... READ ON
Dr. Ruth was trained as a sniper by the Israeli military.


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September 12, 2007
By: Audrey Singer, David Park and William H. Frey
New 2006 American Community Survey data from the US Census Bureau provides a detailed picture of the socio-demographic composition of New Orleans and its surrounding region, including who moved in and out of the area, approximately one full year after the impacts of hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
This report provides the first full picture of who lived in New Orleans and its region after the hurricanes of 2005, and what types of residents moved in, stayed, or remained displaced one year after the storm. This analysis is critical for moving beyond speculation to informed assessments about how best to serve both existing and displaced households in the aftermath of Katrina and Rita.
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Audrey Singer
Senior Fellow, Metropolitan Policy Program
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Data Coordinator / Senior Research Assistant, Metropolitan Policy Program
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November 26, 2014,
Neil G. Ruiz and Mark Muro
November 25, 2014,
Scott Andes and Mark Muro
November 24, 2014,
Joseph Kane and Adie Tomer
November 24, 2014,
Joseph Parilla and Alan Berube
November 21, 2014,
Nicole Prchal Svajlenka, Jill H. Wilson and Audrey Singer
November 20, 2014,
Greg Clark and Tim Moonen
November 20, 2014,
Adie Tomer and Joseph Kane
November 20, 2014,
Neil G. Ruiz
Metropolitan Policy Program ›
August 29, 2011
The Brookings Institution is a private nonprofit organization devoted to independent research and innovative policy solutions. For nearly 100 years, Brookings has analyzed current and emerging issues and produced new ideas that matter—for the nation and the world.
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sinkerSyllabification: sink·er
Pronunciation: /ˈsiNGkər /
Definition of sinker in English:
1A weight used to sink a fishing line or sounding line.
Example sentences
- The Cod were playing hard to get and the squid baits had to be just about holding the bottom, so that if you lifted the sinker off the bottom by a few yards, the tide would wash the end rig a few yards further downtide.
- If the sinker is light, then the flow of the tide can lift your baits twenty or thirty feet away from the bottom and the feeding fish!
- Another result of human interaction is lead poisoning resulting from ingestion of fishing sinkers.
2 (also sinker ball) Baseball A pitch that drops markedly as it nears home plate.
Example sentences
- But I wasn't looking for that pitch because he was now throwing sinkers away.
- Now he's trying to smooth out his delivery and return the sink to his sinker.
- Davey is more accurate than he was in the minors, but he might need to aim higher or take some of the sink out of his sinker.
3A type of windsurfing board of insufficient buoyancy to support a person unless moving fast.
Example sentences
- In 1981 Jaap beat his own record with 25.2 knots on a new sinker.
Definition of sinker in:
- British & World English dictionary
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Word of the day ingratiate
Pronunciation: inˈɡrāSHēˌāt
bring oneself into favor with someone through flattery…


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Even Nicki Minaj Can't Keep Grand Blanc And Lapeer K-Mart Stores From Closing [Video]
Despite K-Marts efforts to bring in big name celebrities, the Grand Blanc and Lapeer stores will be closing soon.
Despite K-Marts efforts to bring in big name celebrities, the Grand Blanc and Lapeer stores will be closing soon.
Chart-topping superstars The Roots, Nicki Minaj and Aloe Blacc are among the acts scheduled to perform at the 21st anniversary of Philadelphia's Wawa Welcome America July 4th festival.
Despite being accused of slandering a model on social media, 50 Cent decided to use it for the better good on Friday (April 25). The New York rapper went on Instagram to unveil the tracklist to his up
In recent years, Nicki Minaj, like Lady Gaga and Katy Perry, went to extremes with her hair, clothes and makeup. But like Perry with 'Prism,' Minaj is reeling it in and taking a step back, choosing to go the more au naturel route with her image, as well as her music.
Do you think you know everything about your favorite hip-hop and R&B artists? Think again. Here are 25 Hip-Hop and R&B Facts That Will Blow Your Mind.
Apr. 20, is a unique situation this year as the Holy Christian holiday of Easter and the (un)official day of marijuana both fall on this date today. We took a look at some of your favorite stars and the Easter wishes they're sending their fans, as well as a few 4/20 jokes here and there.
Tyga gets help from Lil Wayne and Nicki Minaj on his new track 'Senile'
Nicki Minaj surprises her fans by dropping new music.
While searching Instagram, I came across Nicki Minaj and Brandy's images of them rocking the natural hair look. I know women put a lot of energy and emphasis on there hair which is a good thing. I want to hear from the ladies in Flint, who rocked the natural look better?
The group behind the internet hit 'Boss Ass B***h' have upgraded their video.
The bootylicious Nicki Minaj Instagrams her butt in her latest selfies. The attention queen is becoming more active on the gram after showing off her bikini body in Mexico last week. You have to see these images below.
Nicki Minaj is channeling her inner gangster for the forthcoming 'Senile' music video. Putting her glamorous, over-the-top look aside, the fashionista goes for a very West Coast vibe, complete with tattoos on her stomach, a red bandana and dramatic eye makeup.


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Staples® Corrugated sheet measuring 40" x 40" helps to prevent strapping as well as forklift damage. Sheet is perfect for use as a layering pad on top of products for dust free storage, sold as 5 per bundle.
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40" x 40" - Staples Corrugated Sheet, 5/Bundle
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Needed this sheets of cardboard to fashion a customized box to ship a package. It was pretty torn up when it arrived at the house. it was simply shrink-wrapped. I was still able to piece enough together to make my box, which was way cheaper than buying one from Fed Ex.
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Orion Crystal Highball Glass
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Orion crystal features beautifully etched bases and will add modern appeal to any table setting. This eye-catching stemware is constructed of 24% lead crystal. The highball is intended for mixed drinks and sudsy beverages, but this glass is also great for root beer floats, iced tea, punch and soda. Hand washing recommended. Highball holds 14-3/4 ounce.
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What a great feeling - to feel as if you are back home, that's what it felt like to return to The Old Coach House again this summer for a week. Once again Sue left little delicacies for us to nibble on and Paddy was on hand to answer our numerous queries. The chickens have increased in number as have... More
- Also Known As:
- The Old Coach House Machynlleth, Wales


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As loath as some are to admit it, us human beings ain't nothing but a bunch of hairless, bipedal primates. Far from being ashamed of that heritage, Booth newcomer D-Why is one homo sapien who takes pride in his Animal nature, as he demonstrates on this unofficial remix off his forthcoming mixtape. Over the echoey synths and bouncing percussion of confusingly-named trio Miike Snow (borrowed from an identically-named track off the Swedish indie-popsters' self-titled album), the Brooklyn emcee gives us a little insight into his artistic philosophy; in a melodic flow lightly reminiscent of fellow Big Apple native Outasight, Why states his intent to make his own way in the game – and to enjoy every step of the journey, in spite of haters' and fair-weather friends' efforts to lead him astray: "I'm not concerned with my mistakes 'cause I'm learnin' / just when you think it's over, that's when the tables start turning." Digging this eminently head-noddable hipster-hop concoction? Then you'll find plenty more to like on D-Why's Don't Flatter Yourself EP, due out sometime before the New Year.
Written by richard on 12/14/10
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First DJ Booth Appearance:
"Wind Blows" (2011)
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7 Tips to Prepare for Your Appointment
The key to a successful appointment is communication. To get the most out of your visit, prepare ahead of time so you can lead the conversation with your doctor. These 7 tips will get you ready
Appointments & Offices
Check insurance plans, locations and make an appointment
Is Dr. Hyslop accepting new patients?
- Yes.
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Office Locations
- MFM and OB/GYN
- UT Southwestern Park Cities
- 8611 Hillcrest Ave Ste 300
- Dallas, TX 75225
- (214) 692-3100 (Office)
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2011-12 Regular Season
Hawks Acquire Oduya : Scott To Rangers
Feb 27th
Posted by Nakis in 2011-12 Ramblings
Well, the trade deadline came and went today without the Blackhawks making the major splash many of you probably hoped for.
Stan Bowman decided the rent was too damn high and sat on his hands for the most part instead of going out and getting the 2nd Center and shutdown defenseman that this team so desperately needed. He had plenty of cap space to make just about any deal he wanted happen – but the opportunity simply didn't present itself.
No Joy In Mudville: Another Game Without Toews In Anaheim
Feb 26th
Posted by Tim Currell in 2011-12 Game Previews
Having endured one and a half periods of the festering colostomy bag that was last night's game against Los Angeles, I don't feel the slightest bit guilty about being in a bitter and sardonic mood as we approach the puck drop for the Blackhawks' tilt against the Anaheim Ducks. Gordon Bombay's squad is 7-1-2 in their last 10 games, pushing 5 of those tilts to overtime (and prevailing in 3 of them). Anaheim has climbed out of the laughing-stock category with Columbus and Edmonton, and is just 6 points out of a playoff spot as today's action begins.
All things considered, I think I'd rather have the 'Hawks playing the Sharks.
Strapping it Down: Boxing with 'Hawks and Stars
Feb 24th
Posted by Bartl in 2011-12 Game Recaps
"When they got that first one, we need to stay the course and for whatever reason we seemed to get away from our game. We didn't manage the puck well in the third, and as a result we lose the game." – Jamal Mayers
This one is tough to be angry about. It's just damn annoying.
Not only do we have to listen to reports and read official statements about the possibly concussed Jonathan Toews getting into a car accident in the morning, we're treated to a game in which the 'Hawks looked… blah.
The Blackhawks' 3-1 loss to Dallas on Thursday at the United Center looked pretty good for about 50 minutes, with the 'Hawks controlling much of the game and seemingly dictating the pace – not that it was all that exciting to begin with.
Corey Crawford was playing well and making the necessary saves on the few lapses in front of him, and he seemed on his way to helping record the team's first shutout.
Then a string of unfortunate bounces and a relaxed style of play did the 'Hawks in, as three deflected goals got past Crow to send them to their first loss in regulation when leading after two periods this season.
Going to get straight to a couple things here…
♦ Seven times the Blackhawks have put five or less shots on goal in the third period, with Thursday being the only time they lost. Basically, Coach Q and the gang decided the one-goal lead was enough and took down the firing squad to play a prevent-type D.
I don't care what team you're playing in this league, a one-goal lead with 20 minutes to play is not safe, and to think and/or play otherwise is just not smart. Add that onto the fact something named Richard Bachman was playing his ass off for the Stars all night, he's still a backup goaltender. Attack him, disrupt him – like how they did on Marian Hossa's goal and what they did against Detroit the other night – and get a goal or two to put it away.
Instead, the 'Hawks took their foot off the pedal and it cost them in a four-point game.
♦ Dallas, meanwhile, did exactly what the Blackhawks were doing the past few games to get back on track – put people in front of the net and get dirty goals. Steve Ott and Michael Ryder scored on deflections, then Brent Seabrook's skate got an assist on Loui Eriksson's tip-in. Crawford had no chance on any of them. Sure, there were some minor blimps on the 'Hawks end that kept the puck in their own zone, but the results are more telling than what led up to them. Dallas was attacking, the Blackhawks were tightening up. Game over.
♦ John Scott played 2:22 and had five shifts. Dallas came into the game ranked 21st in the NHL in fighting majors, making Scott's presence damn near worthless – again.
♦ Bryan Bickell was probably the most noticeable forward for the 'Hawks tonight. Pretty solid game all around.
♦ Power play: 0 for 31 over the last 12 games.
♦ Interesting trend: There were nine games on the NHL schedule Thursday, with seven road teams picking up wins.
♦ With the accident this morning and all the concussion rumors, it will be interesting to see if Toews makes the trip out west to face the Los Angeles Kings – with the newly acquired Jeff Carter – and Anaheim.
Here's your Boxing…
Jonathan Toews' Car Has Difference Of Opinion With Immovable Object
Feb 23rd
Posted by Tim Currell in 2011-12 Regular Season
Following yesterday's media feeding frenzy over reports that Blackhawks Captain Jonathan Toews may have a concussion, he was unfortunate enough to be the center of Twit-rumor-ligula after photos surfaced of his black AMG Mercedes having had words with a steel support for the L train on Lake Street. The car got the worst of that disagreement, and witnesses claimed to see Tazer climb out of the car and receive attention from EMT's who had arrived on the scene.
The Blackhawks released the following statement regarding the injury:
Jonathan Toews was in a minor one-car collision this morning in downtown Chicago while driving himself to the United Center. He was not injured.
So you can just imagine the insanity that broke loose on the Twitterscape, as the Blackhawks PR department (who would have known about the incident hours before the photos surfaced online) twiddled their thumbs while speculation about everything from the severity of Toews injury, to his level of sobriety, to Patrick Kane being in the passenger seat, to whether the Canucks had installed the bridge support there overnight ran rampant through the social media sphere.
Hint for next time fellas: ostriches with their heads in the sand just THINK they're safe.
Anyhoo, Tazer is fine, he did apparently get a ride to the hospital in an ambulance as a precaution and at the behest of the team's medical staff. The Tribune contacted him by text when the story started to get legs and his reply was, "I'm good." From the looks of the photos, the airbag likely deployed. So Tazer's ears are gonna ring a little while, and he'll be sore in the chest for a day or two. Those things save your life, but they're not pleasant to be around.
Toews was not slated to play tonight anyhow, he missed the game against Detroit with an upper-body injury as well. So, move along people, nothing to see here. Though I would bet that Toews' insurance agent is not having a particularly good day. If the frame's bent, they'll total that puppy. An AMG SL65 coupe lists for around $200K. Ouch…
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Proverbial Cheese Sandwich: Dallas Visits The UC
Feb 23rd
Posted by Tim Currell in 2011-12 Game Previews
It's easy to forget about Dallas, mainly since the Blackhawks haven't seen them since splitting a home-and-home with them to open the season in October. But also because in terms of the standings, the Stars haven't been a factor. They've been cruising around in bubble-team land for most of the year, currently hovering a game back of the 8th spot in the Western Conference.
Then one remembers who tends goal for them, and you get that knot in your stomach. Kari Lehtonen, who fought off 37 shots in his team's winning effort against Chicago to start the year, has always been a serious pain in the ass to get a puck behind. Going back to last season, when Chicago managed to drop 3 games to Dallas, the Blackhawks did a fine job of humiliating themselves twice on the visitor's ice — the first by blowing a 3-0 lead and managing to lose 4-3 in a shootout, the second by getting shut out 5-0 while Lehtonen barely broke a sweat at the other end of the rink.
No matter where they sit in the standings, the Stars always give the 'Hawks trouble. Tonight should be no different.
Blackhawks Blackjack: Splitting Aces, Not 10s
Feb 22nd
Posted by JesusMarianHossa in 2011-12 Regular Season
Do you like to gamble? Me too. I'm sure you've been at a Blackjack table when someone has split 10s and wanted to hit them upside the head with your shoe. On the other hand, there's one card that you always want to split. Aces. Well, after four wins and five games with Brent Seabrook and Duncan Keith being split up, I'm starting to think that Joel Quenneville would be that guy splitting 10s if he reunites them. He needs to treat them like aces. The status of Niklas Hjalmarsson is still up in the air and Nick Leddy has really improved his play when skating with Brent Seabrook. The Hawks have allowed 2, 1, 1, and 1 in their four wins and even the three goal game in Nashville was a good effort. It was also Sami Lepisto's first game since the Kennedy administration.
This mostly relates to even strength play. The penalty kill has seen Keith and Seabrook together with Sean O'Donnell getting time with Leddy. Hjalmarsson can take Leddy's time on the PK when he returns, or even Dylan Olsen who has been seen there. I'd rather not even begin to talk about the powerplay because there's still a forward on the point there.
Back in the Swing of Things: Boxing with Blackhawks and Red Wings
Feb 22nd
Posted by Bartl in 2011-12 Game Recaps
No Jonathan Toews. No Pavel Datsyuk. Still, the same ol' gritty rivalry.
The Blackhawks and Red Wings gave us another entertaining battle on both ends of the ice, and Corey Crawford beat Jimmy Howard in a fantastic goaltending dual as the 'Hawks held on for a 2-1 victory Tuesday night at the United Center.
Jimmy Hayes was rewarded with a goal after working in front of the net, then assisted on Marcus Kruger's tally with some nice board work and a charge to the back of the net, as Kruger tipped in an Andrew Brunette shot that bounced off Howard.
You know the basics, so let's get to some other stuff…
♦ It obviously wasn't ideal to have Toews out of the lineup with the always-vague upper-body injury, though there weren't many points in the contest I was screaming for Toews to be there. The final minute sticks out, when The Captain would've been on the ice for in-zone draws as the Wings had the extra skater, and Dave Bolland lost two to give Detroit a couple more shots at Crawford as the clock ticked away. Other than that, the 'Hawks keep the Red Wings at bay and Henrik Zetterberg damn near invisible.
♦ Patrick Kane was solid tonight, and it was only for a spectacular Howard save on Patrick Sharp that Kaner didn't register a point. Kane took the puck on the far side and circled toward the center of the ice while the 'Hawks were on the power play. He skated the puck to the near side and went right at Justin Abdelkader, who had lost his stick. Kane was able to move in and create a passing lane to get the puck to Sharp camping in front of the net. Howard went post-to-post and stuck out his left pad, snuffing out the chance. Nonetheless, a smart, heads-up play by Kaner. He was all over the place and seemed to step up his game with Toews out.
♦ Speaking of the power play: 0 for 30 over the last 11 games, with the last PP goal coming when Bolland beat Pekka Rinne in a 3-1 home loss to Nashville on Jan. 24 – the last game before the All-Star break.
♦ Crawford's play wasn't stellar, but his saves were not exactly routine. I saw far less rebounds than in the previous games during his current stretch of four straight games with one GA. Him staying in the blue paint more often than not has seemed to pay off, and his run has quelled the talk of trading for a goaltender – for now.
♦ When a goaltender is on like Howard was tonight, garbage goals are necessary to grind out a win like this. The 'Hawks got them with the help of some aggressive play in front of Howard, taking advantage of a couple loose pucks and pounding them home. This seems to have been lacking recently.
♦ Going 28 for 54 at the dot without Toews is definitely a victory on that end. With that being said, here's to hoping Toews doesn't have to sit out Thursday against Dallas.
Here's Boxing…
This Is OUR House, Bitches: Blackhawks Host Red Wings
Feb 21st
Posted by Tim Currell in 2011-12 Game Previews
Yes, Detroit (*spitting noise*) has won 23 straight at home; and yes, that is an all-time NHL record — which will continue to grow until they lose. But they have a problem.
They're in OUR house today, and the Blackhawks are on a winning streak of their own. So if they think they're going to have an easy time of it this evening, they came to the wrong place. December 30th ring a bell, bitches?
Thank You For That: Blackhawks Dominate Blue Jackets, 6-1
Feb 18th
Posted by Bartl in 2011-12 Game Recaps
No matter how terrible the Blackhawks were during their nine-game road trip, at least we have the Columbus Blue Jackets to thank for being only slightly better than a drunk men's league team.
Following up on their 4-2 slump-buster over the New York Rangers at MSG on Thursday, the 'Hawks crushed the BJs 6-1 behind solid efforts from nearly everyone.
The victory marked the Blackhawks' first back-to-back road wins since taking five straight from Nov. 25-Dec. 14.
After Sami Lepisto made every 'Hawks fan replay Chris Campoli's turnover in Game 7 against Vancouver in their minds 300-400 times, it was all Chicago.
Jonathan Toews made a hard move to the net and slid it past Steve Mason to tie it up, and Viktor Stalberg netted his eighth goal against the BJs this season just over four minutes later for what proved to be the game-winner.
Patrick Sharp took a great feed from Patrick Kane and one-timed it past Mason in the second before Kaner chased Mason through the five-hole less than two minutes later.
Marcus Kruger and Lepisto added the insurance in the third.
Hell of a game to write about in my first post in a long time. Moving and being without internet couldn't have come during a better couple weeks so I didn't have to talk about the lumps of shit that happened previously.
A few quick thoughts…
♦ Note to Lepisto: Never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever make a fucking mistake. Ever. Next time, Q won't just bench him, he'll call Bowman from a cell on the bench and have him cut. Granted, Lepisto's turnover was absolutely brutal, but he hasn't been playing all that terribly lately. After the Jackets' goal, Lepisto didn't see another shift until he scored his goal, playing 5:59 for the game.
♦ Here are the Blackhawks' numbers, with the "core" players highlighted:
The Glitter Rubs Right Off: Blackhawks Look For A Win On Broadway
Feb 16th
Posted by Tim Currell in 2011-12 Game Previews
This date has been looming large on the horizon ever since this road trip began. New York Rangers franchise goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, arguably the best goaltender in the league since the new year, would likely be the most impenetrable netminder the Blackhawks faced on this road trip. And as the games — ok, let's call them what they are… the losses — drew us nearer to today, Lundqvist kept getting better. In his last 8 games he has 7 wins, including 2 against Philadelphia and capped with a shutout of Boston on Tuesday. In that stretch of 8 games he has 3 shutouts and has let in a total of only 9 goals.
The way this was looking, the Blackhawks may as well have been shooting at a net protected by a force field.
But then, through some quirk of fate or coincidence, the darkness lifted, the clouds parted, and for the first time since before the All-Star break, the Hockey Gods smiled on the Chicago Blackhawks…
Don't Worry, She'll Hold Together
Feb 16th
Posted by JesusMarianHossa in 2011-12 Regular Season
Not only am I a stat wonk but I have a bit of an affection for using Star Wars to explain everything. The Blackhawks have lost lateral controls on their 2011-2012 campaign but the ship is still flying. If you've given up hope on this season, and I know for a fact that some of you have, no worries. It's just hockey. I'm not going to question your fandom (which is stupid), call you a bandwagon jumper (equally unintelligent) or ask that you please turn in your Indian Head sweater along with your keycard on your way out. There's some flaws that probably won't be fixed on this roster, even after the February 27th trade deadline that is quickly approaching. What there is, however, is a window that's very wide for this team in the future.
Misery : 0-8-1
Feb 14th
Posted by Nakis in 2011-12 Regular Season
0-8-1. That is worse than the start the Columbus Blue Jackets got off to at the beginning of the season. I hope all the jerks taking their kids to Disney on Ice are having a great time – because its killing the Chicago Blackhawks.
Talk Is Cheap: Blackhawks Look To End Losing Streak In Nashville
Feb 14th
Posted by Tim Currell in 2011-12 Game Previews
The Blackhawks play Nashville tonight, and it's my job to tell you about what we can expect during the game. So here's the obligatory paragraph about the Predators before we talk about the Blackhawks' 8-game losing streak.
Nashville is 6-2-2 in their last 10 games, most recently losing in a shootout to Boston. They've always been a defense-first team, but this year they are doing well in both categories — just outside the top-10 in both goals-for and goals-against. They can kill you from many, many angles: 9 players have 11+ goals, 9 players have 29+ points. Goaltender Pekka Rinne continues to shine, his .924 save percentage ranks among the league's top-10. Neither Ryan Suter nor Shea Weber has been traded, and likely won't be before the puck drops this evening. So that's bad for us.
Will that work? Okay. On to business.
No Rest For The Weary: Coyotes Host Blackhawks
Feb 11th
Posted by Tim Currell in 2011-12 Game Previews
I'm sure we'd all like to call a "time out" and give the Blackhawks a week off where the team, coaches, and management get to assess what's wrong, figure out how to fix it, and get this train back on the tracks again. But there's no rest for the weary, as Chicago is back in action tonight against the Phoenix Coyotes.
The bad news: Phoenix is on a 4-game winning streak. The good news: they have the second-worst power play in the league. So maybe if Coach Joel Quenneville gets his head out of his ass and leaves Nick Leddy on the bench during the penalty kill, we'll have a shot tonight. More on that in a few moments…
Fresh Chum For The Sharks: Chicago Visits San Jose
Feb 10th
Posted by Tim Currell in 2011-12 Game Previews
It's difficult to believe that less than a month ago, Chicago took down the San Jose Sharks at the United Center; and furthermore that the game was our second straight victory over San Jose this year. The only game we lost to the Sharks was in the Tank back in November on the Circus trip, and that was a 1-0 loss.
We can skate with this team. Well… we could skate with this team. Of late we can't skate with Edmonton, or Colorado, or any one of a host of other teams that we should skate circles around. We're having trouble beating the bottom feeders these days.
The Sharks are in first place in the Pacific Division. Oh Nellie, here we go…
Plenty Of Blame To Go A – Round Table for February
Feb 9th
Posted by Tim Currell in 2011-12 Ramblings
There have been far worse times to be a Blackhawks fan, that goes without saying. But for many of us this last string of losses has conjured up images of Dirk Graham behind the bench, Mike Smith making trades that only a mental patient would approve of, and Steve Passmore flopping around in the crease like a carp that got dropped on the dock. Is this how it begins? Will a six-game skid turn the season into a wash? Are we headed for another five decades of doom and despair? What can snap the Blackhawks out of the funk that they're in? The boys got together to discuss the current situation, what might be wrong, and what could be done about it in this month's Round Table…
* * * * *
Stoppable Force vs. Movable Object: Blackhawks Visit Colorado
Feb 7th
Posted by Tim Currell in 2011-12 Game Previews
The phrase on Blackhawks fans' lips these days is, "What the HELL is wrong?!?" I'll tell you what's wrong in a minute, and you're going to be more than a little surprised. But the matter at hand is tonight's game against the Avalanche.
Looking at this Avalanche team reveals one very salient point: this will NOT be the Colorado Avalanche we see next year. 8 players on their current roster are unrestricted free agents at the end of this season, and another 7 are restricted free agents. Most of the guys we face off against tonight are up for grabs when the season ends.
Hope Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman has some of our scouts with us on this trip.
Much Ado About Goaltending
Feb 6th
Posted by Bartl in 2011-12 Regular Season
If we're all in agreement this season is considered "Stanley Cup or Bust" for the Blackhawks, then I can forget about discussing anything in between.
Playoffs? Expected. Division title? Well, at least home-ice advantage, or the fan base expects doom.
It's a part of living within a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately society. Winning streaks mean championships, and losing streaks mean fire sales. You'll have to look fast to find the in between, especially with the come-as-you-are outlets like Facebook and Twitter.
Lately, the cries have been about the goaltending duo of Corey Crawford and Ray Emery, and how the Blackhawks stand no chance to advance in the postseason unless changes are made – no matter how drastic.
If you've yet to recognize a trend in the Stan Bowman era, goaltending is not his top priority. And there's a couple justified reasons for that.
Don't Break the Glass Yet
Feb 4th
Posted by JesusMarianHossa in 2011-12 Regular Season
Before everyone goes out to their Super Bowl engagements tomorrow I had planned to write a piece on PDO and who would be a prime candidate for a breakout right now. (Hint: focus was going to be Dave Bolland with a pinch of Bryan Bickell) After only one point gathered out of six over the past week that just didn't seem like a good idea anymore. Instead, I'm just going to write a short post that sends you off to hopefully your very own snack stadium with just one request.
Recap: This Fire is Out of Control
Feb 4th
Posted by C in 2011-12 Regular Season
A first period goal from Olli Jokinen was not a comforting way to start the game. It was a gorgeous slapper to the top the net that surely made some Hawks fans think, "Oh boy, here we go again."
The Hawks responded in clutch form by knotting it up with 29 seconds left in the first period. Patrick Kane delivered a gorgeous pass Brent Seabrook who buried it in the net to tie it up.
Last second goals like Seabrooks, are huge going into the intermission to grab some momentum back and come out strong in the second, as the Hawks did for the most part.
The Hawks played a fairly solid second period until Michael Frolik took a stupid double minor penalty with 3:24 left in the period.
Jay Bouwmeester capitalized on the back end of the power play scoring with a little over a minute left in the second.
The Hawks played a much more physical second period, going after the body and at least tried finishing their checks, which is more than they do on a typical night. More >
Brace Yourselves, There's A Game Tonight: Blackhawks Take On Calgary
Feb 3rd
Posted by Tim Currell in 2011-12 Game Previews
I tell you, the last time I had that much fun, I was getting a barium enema. Last night's game against Edmonton made my intestines seize up in exactly the same way. Hopefully tonight against Calgary we can maybe back off the severity to manual rectal exam.
The Flames team that we face tonight has a slightly different look than when we visited them back in November. Gone is former Blackhawks power winger Rene Bourque, and in comes former Canadiens' center Mike Cammalleri. The impact has been minimal so far, with Cammalleri notching 2 goals in the 6 games he's played with Calgary. Also gone is center Brendan Morrison who was traded to… well, to us! He'll be taking on his former team for the first time tonight at the ScotiaBank Saddledome.
The Flames are chasing a playoff spot right now, sitting 5 points back of 8th-place Minnesota in the Western Conference. Calgary GM Jay Feaster is trying to make a few last-minute moves to shore up his roster for the push to the finish, though he has stated for the twelve-thousandth time that he is not trading Jarome Iginla. In case you were wondering…
Crime Scene Remediation: Blackhawks Return To Edmonton
Feb 2nd
Posted by Tim Currell in 2011-12 Game Previews
November 19th was a low point, to say the least. Allowing 9 goals on 34 shots, the Blackhawks humiliated themselves in front of a giddy Edmonton crowd that, despite the cliche of Canadians' courtesy and good manners, took to taunting the 'Hawks in the 3rd period.
Apparently all bets are off when the puck drops.
So thousands of television sets all over Chicagoland were damaged by flying objects hurtled by frustrated fans, and the Blackhawks left Alberta having left their egos, their confidence, and any illusions of dominating Western Conference opponents splattered all over the Rexall Place ice. It took a crime scene remediation team four days to clean it up.
Adding is Done with Numbers, Not Names
Feb 2nd
Posted by JesusMarianHossa in 2011-12 Regular Season
NOTE FROM BARTL: I'd like to welcome our newest member and resident statistician to the staff. He'll be contributing to Cheer the Anthem when he gets free time. His stuff is good. You'll read it.
If you're a Twitter user, you've no doubt seen our staff of beat reporters for the Hawks respond to trade ideas from the fanbase. The inherent difficulty here is that most of us that follow the sport are just that: fans. The names that are suggested are more representative of a panicked Yankee fan dialing into WFAN asking if, "we can trade Swishah and a prospect for Longoria and Matt Moowah."
I like to daydream too. Picturing Shea Weber, Ryan Suter or P.K. Subban in an Indian Head sweater looks great, but it's simply not plausible. Instead, what I'd prefer to do here is suggest a real option that may not move your needle, but it'll address a glaring weakness that the Blackhawks are currently saddled with. More after the jump.
Silver Linings : Crow's New Cage
Feb 1st
Posted by Nakis in 2011-12 Regular Season
Is that sour taste out of your mouth yet? Yeah, it's not out of mine either. Losing to the fucking Canucks is the absolute worst. If you've been a Blackhawks fan since the early 90's, you've sort of been conditioned to expect losses in games with Detroit. Sure it sucks, but you knew it was coming. When they lose to the Blues, you can at least be reasonably sure they will kick the shit out of them next time – because they are the lowly Stanley Cup trophy-less St. Louis Blues. But losing to Vancouver? Goddamn it stings quite a bit. The worst part about this loss is that there won't be a chance at revenge until March 21st, when the two teams face each other for the final time of the season at United Center. The last time Vancouver beat us, the Hawks only had to wait 10 days to see them again.
The Blackhawks battled their asses off last night, but ultimately fell short in overtime when nobody seemed to notice Thing 1 (or was it 2?) costing right into the wide open slot. Not scoring in the 2nd period (which they absolutely dominated) proved to come back and bite the Hawks right in the keister. An unbelievable goaltending performance by Cory Schneider and one bad giveaway by Viktor Stalberg were the keys to the Canucks victory. It's as simple as that.
With A Single Step: Blackhawks' Journey Starts In Vancouver
Jan 31st
Posted by Tim Currell in 2011-12 Game Previews
And so, it begins: the home stretch of the regular season, kicked off by a 9-game road trip over the next 20 days, during which we take on 8 different Western Conference opponents starting tonight with our old friends the Vancouver Canucks.
So how have LuLu Belle and the Tampon Twins been lately, anyhow?
Well, LuLu is playing so well that his coach doesn't trust him to play the Big Bad Blackhawks who made him cry; and just before the All-Star break the Tampons were held to a single point, going minus-4 between them against the one-point-out-of-last-place Lightning. Not exactly what you call inspiring performances.


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Happy Halloween from Scotland The origins of Halloween can be traced back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (summer's end). The Celtic year was determined by the growing seasons and Samhain marked the end of summer and the harvest, and the beginning of the dark cold winter. The festival symbolised the boundary between the world of the living and the world of the dead. In the 9th century, the Roman Catholic Church shifted the date of All Saints' Day to the 1st of November, while the ... [ Read More ]
Slow Cooker Sausage and Bean Stew
Winter traditionally heralds a rise in slow cooker sales, on a cold and dark winter's evening there is surely nothing better than coming home from a hard day's work to find a bubbling stew or creamy casserole sitting ready to eat on the kitchen table. Slow cookers are cheap to buy, economical to use and they're great for making the most of budget ingredients. They offer a healthier, low-fat method of cooking and require the minimum amount of effort. Low-energy – slow cookers only use the same ... [ Read More ]
Easy Banana Bread
With the popular tv series The Great British Bake Off back on our screens this week, Britain will be going baking mad!! Here is an easy Banana Bread recipe which makes good use of those over-ripe banana's. Easy Banana Bread Ingredients:- Makes: 1 loaf 200g Plain flour 100g Caster sugar 100g Brown sugar 50g butter, softened (10 secs in the microwave will soften it quickly) 1 teaspoon vanilla powder or extract 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1 egg 2 very ... [ Read More ]
WW1 Centenary 4th August 2014
Today marks the centenary of the start of the First World War, 100 years on: Lest we forget In July 2013, I made an emotional journey to France and Belgium to trace my relatives who died in the Great War you can read more about my experience ... [ Read More ]
Hot Air Ballooning in Cappadocia, Turkey
Not many things will get me out of bed at 3:45 am!!! Maybe flying in a hot-air balloon at dawn above the incredible landscape that is Cappadocia would do it! Cappadocia (Turkish- Kapadokya) is an area in the centre of the Anatolian Region of Turkey. It is best known for its unique moon-like landscape, underground cities, cave churches and houses carved in the rocks. The region's conical rock formations, known locally as 'fairy chimneys' are so unusual they would not be out of place in the ... [ Read More ]
Books May 2014
Hello! You have probably noticed it has been very quiet around here on the blog. Lately all I have been busy with is work unfortunately, as usual I will not post just for the sake of it especially if I am not up to anything interesting. Although life is busy with work, I always have time for books! Here are my book choices for May. If you lived here, I'd know your name, News from Small Town Alaska by Heather Lende As both obituary writer and social columnist for the local newspaper, ... [ Read More ]
Homemade Hummus
Hummus the popular Middle Eastern dip/spread is really easy to make at home and super healthy! Full of protein the homemade version tastes better than the mass-produced hummus you find in the shops. Homemade Hummus Ingredients 1 can Chickpeas 1/3 cup Tahini Paste 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil 2 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice 1 clove of Garlic Pinch of Salt Method Drain and rinse the chickpeas in cold water Add all the ingredients to a food processor and blitz until smooth Pour into a ... [ Read More ]
Evening all, hope you have had a great weekend! This post will probably be a little like my Octopus recipe not to everyone's taste that's for sure but hey lets give it a bash you never know you might get to try them one day and at least you will know how to cook them!! While I was in the Outer Hebrides last week, I spent a glorious afternoon at the seashore searching for fresh winkles. They are found down by the seashore among the rocks and rock pools. Winkles or Peri-winkles as they are ... [ Read More ]
Easter Sunday – Outer Hebrides
Happy Easter from the Outer Hebrides What a beautiful day! ... [ Read More ]
Turkish Rice Pilaf (Pilav)
Hello y'all! I am around, it's just been a quiet few weeks with all work and no play. I thought I would share my favourite Turkish Rice recipe with you. It is the staple Turkish food - a side serving of rice. If you have ever visited Turkey you will find rice served with most main meals. You will never go back to 'ordinary' rice after trying it Turkish style! Turkish Rice Pilaf (Pilav) Ingredients:- 3/4 cup of long grain rice (I use Basmati) 1 cup hot water 2 tbsp Butter Salt and ... [ Read More ]
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Happy 50th Birthday, Tom Cruise!by Free Britney at . Comments
In light of recent events, Tom Cruise's 50th birthday is likely a more somber one than he'd have hoped, but we still wish the movie star nothing but the best.
Cruise jumps on couches, gets married a lot, loves Scientology and shares opinions on political and social issues that many consider out of the mainstream.
We know this. But what's really wrong with the guy? He's been one of Hollywood's biggest stars for almost three decades now and is basically harmless.
The Tom Cruise-Katie Holmes divorce bombshell is generating a lot of bad PR for him these days, so let's take a moment and wish him a happy big 5-0.
Tom Cruise is 50 years old today. Man, has the actor ever aged well.
From Risky Business to A Few Good Men, the Mission: Impossible series, Tropic Thunder and most recently Rock of Ages, he's among the biggest stars of all time.
For good reason. On a purely professional level, Cruise may be peerless.
So cheers, Tom, even if Born on the Third of July doesn't have quite the same ring to it. Many happy returns, keep your chin up and keep up the awesome work.
Click to enlarge some of THG's favorite Tom Cruise pictures below ...
Njoy ur b'day man, whateva dat happens, happens 4 a gud reason,,,, God is in control.
Wishing you a very Happy Bday and an awesome life ahead. You rock.
I agree, scientologist must not think marriage is sacred, for all the actors and millionaires marry and divorce at an alarming rate. Maybe, it is to have more converts to this cultist religion. Tom is okay, but seriously, a little weird.
I wish you nothing but the best Tom from one who shares your birthday.
Tom Cruise may be harmless in himself, even well-meaning, but Scientology is neither. As long as he continues to draw people into this money-suctioning cult by his presence, he is inadvertently doing harm.


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Buff Wings - Eagle Rock
- WildSwede Jul 30, 2010 04:46 PM
I had an appointment in Eagle Rock on Wednesday and decided to try the chili cheese dog at Choo Choo's Burger Stop on Eagle Rock based on a rec I saw here. Alas, they were closed. So in driving back towards Colorado, I turned into the shopping center on the north-west corner of York and Eagle Rock (the one with Little Cesar's) when I noticed a sign above the hard-to-see corner restaurant. It proclaimed "Buff Wings". Okay, they were open, had an A, I love me some wings, so what the hay.
I parked and walked in. Now, this place is not anything special to look at, decor is non-existent (there is a huge flat screen on the wall) but please don't let it deter you. Don't.
I noticed two "daily specials" on the wipe board in the window: 5 wings & fries or a Ghetto Dog and fries. $5.
I was greeted by a young man and sat down. He brought me the menu. It is pretty cool. He does french fries and sweet potato fries - either plain, seasoned, or flavored: Cajun, Buffalo or Elote flavors. Also, various appetizers: Onion Rings, Jalapeno Poppers, Zucchini Fries, Fried 'shrooms, Mozz sticks, bacon-wrapped asparagus and rice: $2-7. Wings: many interesting flavors: mild, med, hot, Ridiculous, Ludacris, orange chicken, Spicy Oriental, Teriyaki, Honey Mustard, Butter Garlic Parmesan, Lemon Pepper, Nacho Cheese, BBQ, Adobo, Lechon, Jamaican Jerk & Elote. Shrimp: either steamed or fried in various amounts and flavors. Burgers: 1/2 lb Angus burgers for $6 (includes selection of cheeses, toppings, sauces, and extras that cost extra). Waffles: Belgian or Brownie waffles with chocolate chips, almonds or strawberries ($6).
So back to me and my order. After some discussion about the Ridiculous and Ludacris sauces, I opted for the daily special with 'hot' on my wings, seasoned fries cooked well done and a side of Ridiculous. The ridiculous is made by him (him being Ian (the 26-year old co-owner (his friend, who trained at Le Cordon Bleu, is the other owner)) with fresh Habaneros. The Ludacris, he makes with Ghost Peppers, but did not currently have any as he said he needs to drive down to San Diego to get them from his supplier.
He got to work in the kitchen and soon brought out my wings and fries. These wings are nice and meaty – nothing like the anemic ones that can be found at some of those other wing places. The sauce was good, the wings not overly sauced. Fries were good, not too thin, not too thick and I really like the seasoning. The Ridiculous had a nice kick to it and that sweet-fruity taste that habaneros impart. Then some other people came in and ordered two Ghetto Dogs and fries each. Man, those were looking GOOD. So, I went ahead and ordered myself a dog and fries. He uses Hebrew National dogs. On the hot dog, which was wrapped in bacon came with grilled bell peppers and onions and a drizzling of ketchup, mayo and mustard. I have to tell you – that was one Fantastic dog!
Later we had a discussion and he is very serious about the integrity of his products. Ian makes all the sauces himself (with the exception of the Orange Chicken and, I believe, the spicy oriental). Makes the waffle batter from scratch as they are ordered. We spoke at length about the ghost peppers and he said he had tried using extract amongst other versions, but he said he really likes the flavor of the sauce from the fresh ones and prefers that. Gotta give him credit. They have been open for 4 months now. He said business has slowed since the college let out but he is looking forward to the next session.
He currently has cans of soda and bottled water as drink choices. This place is really good and the owner really cares about his food and what he serves. Go in, say hi and have some wings (or dogs, burgers, shrimp, waffles…) you will be glad you did. ;-)
Buff Wings
4411 Eagle Rock Bl./Corner York
Los Angeles, CA 90041
(323) 256-4870
Open til 9pm. He said he was thinking of changing the hours to 3pm-2am but not sure if/when that will go into effect.
Buff Wings
4411 Eagle Rock Blvd N, Los Angeles, CA 90041
Awesome, I grew up in Eagle Rock and still pass through alot, so I will keep this on my radar. Maybe I won't have to go to the Hollywood Wingstop for some wings.
re: Peripatetic
oh, it's in the shpping center at the corner of eagle rock and colorado?
re: kevin
Yes, I was originally going to Choo Choo's, but they were closed. While I was looking for somewhere else to eat was when I noticed Buff Wings. It is easy to miss. As I indicated, it is on the corner of York and Eagle Rock.
Buff Wings
4411 Eagle Rock Blvd N, Los Angeles, CA 90041
re: WildSwede
BTW, Choo Choo's is owned by Fred, the same guy who owns the taco truck in front of the Comfort Inn on Colorado Blvd just east of Eagle Rock Blvd... arguably some of the best carne asada in LA. I hear he's going to push to get the truck's carne asada menu back at Choo Choo's in the next month which would be FANTASTIC!!!
re: mrshankly
I will have to try it. Ian at Buff Wings said Choo Choo's food is really good when I told him that I was going to go there. Also, Ian's mom owns the Philippino resaurant that is south of York on Eagle Rock Blvd (there is one just north of York also but that is not the one).
Buff Wings
4411 Eagle Rock Blvd N, Los Angeles, CA 90041
re: WildSwede
I may have to set an entire day aside to get all the good eats in that area in. lol Thanks again for the recommendation!
re: mrshankly
Have fun!! ;-)
re: mrshankly
Yes!! ;-) They are Belgian Waffles. When I asked him why the waffles, he said "you know, kinda like the chicken n waffles thing". I get it.
Just for anyone who doesn't know - Ghetto Dogs are normally found near downtown L.A., esp. in the fashion district near Santee Alley at the small, aptly named roach-coaches that abound in the area. The smell is nauseating or delicious, depending how hungry you are. Interesting to see a restaurant picking them up as an item.
re: MsSpanton
> Interesting to see a restaurant picking them up as an item.
Buff Wings isn't the first. Fabs has been serving their "LA Street Dog" since they opened two years ago.
I'm pretty sure I've seen it on other menus.
say, this sounds interesting. Can you describe the wings a bit more? Are they deep fried (please say yes), not baked (barf)? Crispy, chickeny, well-seasoned skin? Battered (sacrilege) or not battered?? Tossed in flour is ok. When you bite into one, a bit of hot melted chicken fat oozes out? mmmm.... I love me Wingstop wings which is really close to me but the parking lot sucks and I go through Eagle Rock quite a bit so will have to add this to the rotation. Thanks for the tip.
re: reality check
Last time I looked as I was driving by there was a CLOSED sign in the window in the middle of the day.
re: Cubancoffee
Yup. Same here. I'm concerned.
re: reality check
hate to change the subject, but how are those donuts? always been curious. i am bummed about buff wings even tho i don't eat chicken. i would have gotten french fries i'm sure at some point.
re: Clyde
Donuts are better than Winchell's (not saying much), but not as good at the Donut Factory on San Fernando & Cazador. We think DF is the best in the area for that style of donut.
I drive by every single day, and the wings place should get an award for lamest business model. With the almost non-existant lame signage and obscure corner location, it was begging to fail. Meanwhile all the other shops in the mini-mall have been there for years (Sicha Siam, the donut store, Little Ceasars (yech).
Little Ceasars
2183 E South St, Long Beach, CA 90805
re: Briggs
thanks for the tip- i'll def try donut factory. the only place i've tried donuts in ER is colorado donuts next to trader joes/cacao on colorado- it's pretty good!
re: reality check
Sorry they folded but their location must have been pretty obscure. I've lived nearby for 17 years and never even noticed that the place was there. And they didn't do any local advertising that I recall. It sounds like a place I would have enjoyed.
re: Sam D.
I wouldn't have known about them if I didn't see a mention here. I'd have also gone more often if they had consistently opened at 1pm... at least half the times I swung by, they were closed in mid-afternoon.
re: sammycakes
From these posts, nobody should be surprised they are closed.
BTW, I didn't go for donuts. I just asked the owners about BW.