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La Casita Mexicana, Bell CA
Posted on | September 16, 2011 | 1 Comment
For my mom's birthday this year, I picked (wait a minute… why am I picking?!) La Casita Mexicana. Oh, I know why. If I don't pick, we'll likely end up someplace close by, that we've been to already, and I know my mom likes trying new places. I guess me being in town makes my other family members a little bit more amenable to driving further/trying different stuff!
Anyway, since Seattle isn't exactly, umm, known for it's good Mexican food, I wanted to get Mexican while in LA. I'd heard this place was good, but had never been… probably because it's all the way out in Bell. But off we went!
First of all, the place is NOT in the best part of town (safe enough during the day, though). The restaurant is also quite small, and a bit hot inside (well, at least the day we were there). No matter, cuz' it's all about the food, right?!
This is not exactly your typical Mexican food. If you're expecting El Torito, think again. Dishes are heavily reliant on unique sauces.. namely mole and chile, and they are quite good. Here's what we had:
For starters they bring you chicken tomato soup, which was an acceptable, if not good version.
Most of us had the lemonade with chia seeds. Good lemonade, with an interesting texture. Now, though, I'm wondering if I have a chia pet growing inside me!
One of their specialties is the chile en Nogada, so we gave it a try. Quite different than your everyday chile relleno, it's sweet with quite a bit of cream sauce on it. Definitely different, and I liked it a lot.
I wanted to try one of the carne asada dishes, so we opted for one with chipotle and cactus on the side. The chipotle sauce was quite spicy! The steak, however, was quite tasty.
The three mole chicken flautas was one of my favorite dishes. The mole sauces were all subtly different.. I think I liked the basic, chocolate mole the best. Spicy, sweet, with just a touch of bitterness.
Another standout dish was the enmoladas with chicken and cheese. Much more than just your typical enchiladas, as you can see, they were absolutely smothered in that yummy mole sauce.
For dessert? We had to try the churros filled with Mexican caramel. Wow, were they sweet. Good, but I'm curious that Giada DeLaurentis said these were the best thing she ever ate?!
All in all, an enjoyable and fun meal. Definitely some different flavors and textures than your typical cheese laden Mexican food (which I love as well!). I'm not sure everyone in my family loved it, but I'd go back if I were around Bell!
4030 Gage Ave, Bell, CA 90201
(323) 773-1898
Trip to NY State – upstate NY
Posted on | June 23, 2011 | 5 Comments
Part III of our recent trip to NY! We decided to get in the car and drive through upstate NY. Our journey started on a ferry to New London, CT. After disembarking, we were hungry for lunch, and ended up at a pizzeria called 2 Wives, which was surprisingly good! The pizza was molten hot, with a nice, crispy thin crust, tart sauce, and fresh, flavorful ingredients on top. Pizza in Connecticut. Who would've thunk?
45 Huntington St, New London, CT 06320
(860) 447-9337
Next, it was a drive through the rolling countrysides of Connecticut, then Massachussets, up to Saratoga Springs, NY. What beautiful country this is!
Here we arrived at Saratoga Springs. Thankfully it wasn't during a horse race, so all was relatively calm in town. I've heard it can get quite crowded and crazy!
After some debate, we decided on Hattie's for dinner. Apparently, the owner beat Bobby Flay in a fried chicken throwdown. So you KNOW we had to have some of that fried chicken! And no wonder they won. This fried chicken was amongst some of the best we've ever had. Crisp, juicy, and quite flavorful…
45 Phila St, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866
(518) 584-4790
After our brief stay in Saratoga Springs, (and a not so memorable breakfast at the Inn at Saratoga Springs), we were off again towards the fingerlakes region; Ithaca.
Looks like the lake had risen a bit with all of the recent rainfall in NY!
For dinner the first night, we went out to a Tapas bar called Just a Taste. Turns out it's one of the more popular restaurants in Ithaca, and rightfully so! The food was quite good.
Asparagus in brown butter, with garlic, pecans, and romano:
Really good! I LOVE asparagus, and this one had a nice blend of flavors and textures added to it.
Warm brie with canteloupe and crostini:
Probably my favorite dish of the night. Canteloupe and brie? A really, really delicious combination!
Fried arctic char with pickled onion butter and lemon dressed watercress:
Probably my least favorite of the night. Not bad; just a bit overly fishy for my liking…
(607) 277-9463
There are some remarkably beautiful areas in and around Ithaca. We found a lovely path leading up to two waterfalls.
The view was worth the hike!
For lunch the next day, I convinced Adam we should try the Moosewood. One of the first vegetarian restaurants in the Nation; they also have one of the top selling vegetarian cookbooks, ever (which I am now a proud owner of!) Their menu constantly changes, and consists of many items that can be found in that cookbook. Although the food may not LOOK overly appetizing, trust me, both of these dishes were delicious!
I had a corn and chile casserole, topped with mild salsa. I could have eaten two portions of this dish!
Adam had a stuffed eggplant dish, which was also quite good, with plenty of interesting spices.
215 N Cayuga St, Ithaca, NY 14850
(607) 273-9610
Our lodging in Ithaca was at the William Henry Miller Inn, a quaint bed and breakfast minutes from downtown Ithaca. Not only was the location super convenient, the place was wonderful, as was the host, Lynette.
Our breakfast included a delicious warm peach compote (dessert first? I like this place!)
Adam had the scrambled eggs with potatos, bacon, and some seriously delicious homeade focaccia:
I went with the banana french toast with a side of bacon. Yum!
In the evenings, Lynette leaves out a spread of various desserts. We had cookies, cheese, and a yummy orange cake!
303 N Aurora St, Ithaca, NY 14850
(607) 256-4553
All in all, our vacation was spectacular! The weather was beautiful, the food was remarkable, and I can't wait to go back to NY!
Trip to NY State – Long Island
Posted on | June 5, 2011 | No Comments
For the second phase of our New York trip, we headed out of the city towards Long Island. The weather was still gorgeous, as were some of the little towns we drove through. The beaches are quite different than on the West coast. Where's the sand?! =D
The areas we saw were gorgeous, and I love the little lighthouses scattered about.
Our destination was the North Fork Inn in Southold. After hearing about Chef Gerry Hayden's James Beard nomination, I thought we should try the restaurant. And heck, we may as well stay at the Inn too while we're at it right?!
The building is basically an old, restored home. Nice, cozy dining room, with a very home-y feel to the place… and with a lot of class!
Thanks to my impeccable timing (sigh), most of the staff (including Chef Hayden) were not there the night of our stay. Duh, that night happened to be the James Beard awards! It was fun, though, to root for Chef Hayden along with the staff that were there. They were streaming the awards while we were having dinner, and giving us updates!
As for the food? Well, if it was this good while the Chef was away, I wonder how good it must be when he's there! Everything we had was simply incredible.
Our amuse bouche was chilled potato leek soup with chive oil. The soup smooth and well seasoned… and that chive oil really added a nice flavor!
Assortment of roasted baby beets with goat cheese, pistachios, and sherry-shallot dressing:
I not only love beets, but I love goat cheese… So this appetizer was a no brainer for me. Everything was incredibly fresh, the dressing was perfect, and the pistachios added a nice touch to this salad.
Block Island fluke crudo, with crispy ginger cracklings, ruby red grapefruit, cilantro shoots, and olive oil:
Adam's appetizer was just as good. The fish was incredibly fresh and tender, and the grapefruit added a refreshing element.
Pan seared Long Island duck breast, with ramps, baby carrots, French green lentils, and bacon jus:
We decided to get the most 'local' dishes we could, so Adam ordered the Long Island duck. Just about the freshest, most delicious duck either of us has ever had!
Sauteed Maryland soft shell crabs, with ten spring vegetables, cranberry beans, steamed mussels, and olive oil:
My choice was the soft shell crab, which had just come into season. These were tender and delicate, and especially flavorful in the middle! I liked the addition of mussels and cranberries. SO good.
For dessert, we ordered the chocolate souffle tart with espresso ice cream, which was chocolate heaven!
We also ordered the rose poached rhubarb with ginger ice cream. I love rhubarb, and this dessert was delicious… I just wish there'd been more rhubarb in it!
Somehow we ended up with two additional desserts?
The coconut ice cream and passion fruit sorbet were both quite good- and I'm a sucker for tapioca.
We had both eyed the donuts on the menu, but decided on other desserts…. but were given the donuts anyway. We tried a donut each, then smartly saved the rest for our ferry trip the next day!
Let me tell you, it was NICE to finish a long, leisurely, and large meal, plus wine, and be able to just walk upstairs to our cozy room afterwards. Now that's how to enjoy a good meal!!
The next morning we were the only guests at breakfast (the Inn consists of only a few rooms). So we had this lovely veggie frittata, plus pastries, juice, etc. Yum!
Highly recommend the North Fork Inn, not only for dinner, but to stay at. Although we had a variety of completely different types of food throughout our trip, I think this meal was the best overall.
Everyone at the Inn was incredibly nice and accommodating. Just wish they'd won that James Beard award… Maybe next year!
57225 Rt, 25, Southold, NY 11971
(631) 765-0177
Trip to NY State – NYC
Posted on | May 16, 2011 | 3 Comments
For a long overdue vacation this year, we decided on a trip to New York. We couldn't have asked for better weather, and, apart from a couple of delays (US Airways… grrr), the trip went without a hitch. 3 days in NY City, 1 day on Long Island, and 2 days trekking through upstate New York. What a tiring, but fun vacation! And what remarkable food! And you know I photographed EVERYTHING that we ate. Here's some highlights from our trip:
I had a loooonnnng list of places I wanted to go to while in the city. One that (thankfully!) made the cut was Katz's Deli. It was morning, but I insisted on having pastrami, which was tender, tasty, and ridiculously good. The owner came out to chat with us briefly. What a great place!
Being a West-coaster, it took me awhile to get used to the disproportionate amount of taxis vs. cars in the city…
Another memorable breakfast? Hot dogs at Gray's Papaya. We went for the recession special- $4.45 for two hot dogs and papaya juice. Now that's a breakfast! Oh, and I get the whole 'crispy skin' hot dog thing now. I will never eat a soggy hot dog again…
We couldn't very well go to NYC without seeing a show, right?! After much thought, and considering what a huge South Park fan Adam is, I decided The Book of Mormon might be a good choice. I have no idea how I was able to score tickets as easily as I did. If you're in NYC, go see it. Great cast, and funny as hell. We laughed so hard, we cried!
I couldn't leave NYC without trying one of the supposedly best Ramen-yas, could I?! Ippudo was good. I liked the dollop of miso added to the tonkatsu ramen… very nice touch. But, sorry NY… I'm still a Southbay LA ramen girl!
Another non negotiable? A Yankee's game. Adam and I both LOVE the Yankees (even though I equally love the Dodgers). The new stadium is beautiful. But they lost to the KC Royals! Didn't Jeter realize I was in town and watching?!
For our one Michelin 3 star restaurant, I picked Jean Georges. Mainly because A) I couldn't secure a reservation at Per Se, and B) Le Bernardin was iffy, with Adam's shellfish allergy and all. I'm not disappointed that we ended up at JG's. The food was excellent, as was the setting and the service.
Parmesan risotto with mushroom and herbs:
Foie gras brulee, with pineapple meyer lemon jam:
Sauteed veal scallopine, Flying Pig ham, with mushrooms and lavender:
Red snapper crusted with nuts and seeds, with a sweet and sour jus: Probably the best red snapper I've ever had!
Here's a view of NYC from the Empire State Building. Chilly, but breathtaking!
We couldn't leave NYC without trying at least one of David Chang's restaurants. It was a tough choice, but I picked Momofuku Ssam. I liked the casual feel of the eatery, and of course, the food was excellent!
Their famous steamed pork buns, with hoisin, cucumber, and scallions. Quite tasty!
The duck sandwich, with spicy mayo, lettuce, and peppadews. Another incredibly flavorful dish!
We woefully chose to order the beef noodle soup sans tripe. I think if anyone could make tripe palatable to us, it would be Chef Chang. Oh well. Maybe next time!
Then… on to dessert, next door… Momofuku Milk Bar!
I admit, I've tried making a crack pie before, and while it was good, I grossly overcooked it. This one was much softer, and still stupidly buttery and sweet!
I hate to admit it, but Adam chose the better dessert. This candy bar pie is to DIE for. Caramel, peanut butter, and pretzels on a chocolate crust. How can you go wrong?! We also ordered several of their cookies… sadly, the last of which we ate yesterday. I'm going to have to bite the bullet and order some online to get my fix!
Adam and Kristi go to White Castle!
Okay, White Castle was a last minute addition. We'd both had the frozen versions before, but they really are better fresh! I actually preferred the cheeseburger over the plain burger.
It's funny… the only time during our trip that the skies were gray was when we went to visit Ground Zero. It was nice to see so much going on in the area, with the mass amount of construction taking place. Still, it had a powerful, almost eerie feel to it…
Mottanai Ramen, Gardena, CA
Posted on | April 22, 2011 | 1 Comment
I'm astounded at not only the amount of existing ramen-yas in the Southbay, but the amount that continue to open up! Come on, how about some new ramen places in Seattle?!
Anyway, at least I still come to LA often enough to get my ramen fix on occasion. This time, it was Mottanai, a new one near Marukai on Redondo Beach Blvd. As usual, I ordered the tonkatsu ramen. This one came with medium width noodles, a nice thick slice of tonkatsu, and some very oily, rich, but borderline overly salty broth. Good, and enough to satisfy my ramen fix!
Cost: $
1630 W Redondo Beach Blvd., Ste 9, Gardena, CA 90247
(310) 538-3250
Parks BBQ, Los Angeles, CA
Posted on | March 17, 2011 | No Comments
Park's is one of those places that I'd been meaning to go to for quite a long time.. and I finally got to it a couple of weeks ago. My family loves Korean bbq, so we had high hopes that Park's would be incredible.
We started off well, with some tasty banchans. The kimchee was quite good, as were the shredded potatoes. The least popular at our table was probably the tiny fishes, as they were.. well.. quite fishy, and a bit overly chewy.
We ordered the following items: Ggot sal, prime beef rib eye steak, bulgogi, galbi, marinated shrimp, and mushrooms:
Another item we ordered was the veggie omelette. This was probably the best version of this dish I've had; fresh, with plenty of veggies, and tons of flavor.
Overall, I was impressed; the quality of the meat was quite good, everything was fresh, and the marinated meats were well seasoned. The only reasons I might not come back? The price, which is much higher than most Korean bbq restaurants in the Southbay, and the location, which is a bit far from where my family lives. If I happened to be in the area, and was craving Korean bbq, I'd likely return.
Cost: $$$
955 S Vermont Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90006
(213) 380-1717
Enoteca San Marco
Posted on | February 19, 2011 | 3 Comments
It had been quite awhile since my last visit to Enoteca San Marco, but I went with my family recently after my brother won a bit of money on slots, and had some dining credit at the Venetian, and said he'd treat for dinner. Score! I suggested Enoteca, and off we went.
As my dad and one of my brothers are a bit, well.. picky, I tried to pick the least offensive cheeses for our cheese selection. The burrata was my favorite; creamy, savory, and incredibly fresh. The accompaniments were apricot and black cherry compotes, and honey.
Four our meats, we had the salumi and prosciutto. Both excellent.
After getting the fried squash blossoms at Mozza in LA, I had to order them here as well. Simply delicious. My dad, unfortunately, wasn't a fan. He kept saying "I didn't like the fried okra". Sigh.
A delicious salad with plenty of meat and cheese. How can you go wrong?
For our pasta, we picked the sausage and escarole, with spaghetti. The pasta was cooked perfect, and that sauce was to die for.
For our pizza, we ordered one with sausage and bell peppers. Quite flavorful, with a nice, crisp crust.
For dessert, we went with a trio of blueberry sorbet, chocolate, and olive oil ice cream. My favorite, hands down? The olive oil ice cream. Exceptionally creamy, with a bit of savory flavor to it. I gotta find a recipe for this!
Delicious, as usual, and still my favorite Batali restaraunt!
Cost: $$
3355 Las Vegas Blvd S, Las Vegas, NV 89109
(702) 677-3390
Yamadaya Ramen, Torrance, CA
Posted on | January 30, 2011 | 3 Comments
Another ramen review? Of course! Ever since I moved to Seattle, I've been craving good ramen even more than when I lived in Las Vegas. Surprisingly, there really aren't very many ramen places out here, and the best we've found still pales in comparison to the 'just okay' places in LA. Yamadaya is a newer place, located in an unassuming strip mall in Torrance. Small, with a limited menu. Perfect for a ramen-ya.
I had the tonkatsu shoyu ramen, which comes with thin noodles, sliced pork, egg, and seaweed. The noodles were semi-firm, and the broth was quite good, served nice and hot, and with plenty of flavor.
We also ordered the chicken karaage, which was quite flavorful, and not overly greasy, which I appreciate!
Yamadaya is another good spot amongst a slew of them in LA's southbay area…
Cost: $
3118 W. 182nd St., Torrance, CA 90504
(310) 380-5555
Orchids Garden
Posted on | January 28, 2011 | No Comments
I'd been meaning to try Orchids Garden's dim sum for quite awhile, and after doing some car shopping recently, we stopped in for dinner. It was a quiet night, and the carts seemed to come out one at a time, if that. We weren't starving, though, so it wasn't a big deal. We ordered char shiu baos, shu mai, Chinese broccoli, and my favorite, sesame balls! These were actually shaped more like footballs, but were quite good; chewy, sweet, and not overly greasy.
Everything was pretty fresh, although a few of the items weren't as hot as I would have liked. Good dim sum, but not quite as good as Chang's, in my opinion.
Cost: $$
5485 W Sahara Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89146
(702) 631-3839
Terrace Pointe Cafe
Posted on | December 27, 2010 | No Comments
For breakfast the day before my brother left, he wanted to go to the Terrace Pointe Cafe, as he'd had the corned beef hash here and loved it. Since there were 5 of us, we decided to order a few items and share. The bacon avocado omelette shown above was excellent, as were the accompanying home fries.
Shown below is the corned beef hash, with plenty of big chunks of corned beef, and again, those home fries mixed in. Quite a nice and hearty version of the dish!
Our third dish was the fried chicken and waffles. A decent version, with something like chicken cutlets over soft waffles. What made this dish stand out for us, though, was that maple syrup infused with pepper. Sweet, with a kick to it. Absolutely delicious!
A bit of a pricey place for breakfast, but everything was quite good, fresh, and the service was good.
Cost: $$
Wynn Hotel
3131 Las Vegas Blvd S, Las Vegas, NV 89109
(702) 770-3463


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Amberr has reviewed 1 products.
My 2 year old daughter loves her old style crocs that she can put on and off by herself, however with these the strap in the back makes it a little more difficult for her to do herself. The side of the strap down by the ankle bone rubs against her skin and has left some sores on her foot, but it has been a few weeks of wearing them in and it seems to be lessening. Overall she likes these shoes, but it has taken some time to wear them in.
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The National Restaurant Association (NRA) opened attendee registration for its NRA Show 2014 and the International Wine, Spirits & Beer Event.
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As a result of softer sales and traffic levels and restaurant operators' dampened outlook for the economy, the National
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old-fashioned blueberry muffins and the naptime chef cookbook
Brian and I have been working with Kelsey Banfield, otherwise known as the Naptime Chef, for a couple of years over on Babble.com's Family Kitchen. Blogging alongside her, we've come to love her simple and classic recipes, many of which we regularly make here in our kitchen. Now I'm thrilled to say that she's just come out with her very own cookbook.
Running Press was kind enough to send us a copy* of Kelsey's book, The Naptime Chef: Fitting Great Food into Family Life, last week and I've already made a couple recipes from the book. Kelsey's take on food is classic and straightforward, with clean flavors and elegant instructions. The cookbook is comprehensive and well-illustrated, offering recipes that range from breakfast to practical sides, to not-so-practical desserts. As a seasoned home cook I'm loving it, but it would also make an excellent gift for the novice cook (especially one who's juggling family life).
Though we devoured her delicious baked cheese dip recipe, I'm a longtime blueberry muffin-lover, and that's the recipe I wanted to share with you today. What makes for a perfect blueberry muffin? Start with the basics: it has to have plenty of blueberries. Once that's achieved, you want a tender crumb that's neither dry nor gooey. It should be light, and have a hint of lemon and butter. It was with these admittedly high standards in mind that I dove into the Naptime Chef's blueberry muffin recipe.
Though Kelsey's recipe plays on traditional flavors like blueberries and lemon, it has a unique approach that's almost like making a biscuit. The results have been incredible — piled with blueberries, the muffins are light-as-air and very buttery. All in all, a very good way to start my Monday. And the bonus? I actually made these during my baby's morning nap (could Kelsey's cookbook also have magical nap-inducing powers?).
To get your own copy of this great cookbook, or just to learn more, head over to the NaptimeChef.com. For another wonderful Naptime recipe, head over to One Hungry Mama and sink your teeth into Kelsey's recipe for chocolate zucchini loaf.
Old Fashioned Blueberry Muffins (reprinted with permission from The Naptime Chef: Fitting Great Food into Family Life by Kelsey Banfield)
makes 14 – 15 muffins
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons baking powder
zest from 1 lemon
4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, chilled
1 large egg
3/4 cup whole milk
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries, rinsed and patted dry
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Butter a 12-cup muffin pan or line the cups with paper liners and set aside.
In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and zest. Cut the butter into small cubes and pinch it into the dry ingredients with your hands or with a pastry cutter. This takes a few minutes to do. The batter will look like a bowl of small buttery pebbles once the butter and dry ingredients have been properly incorporated.
In a separate bowl, lightly whisk together the egg and milk. Pour the egg mixture into the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until fully combined. The mixture will look a little lumpy and gluey.
Carefully stir the blueberries into the batter with a rubber spatula so as not to crush them, until just combined. Spoon the batter into each muffin cup until it is three-quarters full.
Bake the muffins for 15 – 17 minutes, or until the tops are golden and spring back when touched, rotating the pan halfway through baking.
*Brooklyn Supper received a free copy of The Naptime Chef from Running Press in exchange for a blog post reviewing the book. We don't usually accept this kind of content, but Kelsey is a friend of Brooklyn Supper and has a great cookbook to boot — we'd have been happy to share the cookbook with our readers regardless. Aside from the cookbook, we received no compensation for this post.
8 Responses to "old-fashioned blueberry muffins and the naptime chef cookbook"
Read below or add a comment...
Those blueberry muffins look incredible! Biscuit-like sounds wonderful to me and I just love those rocky domes.
Just made these with grapefruit zest…fluffy and fresh!
I made this yesterday and they turned out delicious! maybe a little bit too unsweetened, I dont know if they were supposed to be like that or if something went wrong with the measurements (since I had to convert everything to gramms). Anyways I added white chocolate topping on some and lemon topping on others and they were perfect!
Thanks a lot for your recipe! -
Oh my God just made these muffins they are FANTASTIC!!! a tiny bit more sugar only because I have a sweet tooth! but these are to die for thank you so much my parents will be happy when they get home!!!!
Can I make these with frozen – defrosted blueberries?
Thanks so much for a great recipe! Since blueberries are not in season (nor are frozen ones available in Bolivia where I live) I made them this morning with peaches, adding a bit of ginger and cinnamon- WONDERFUL!! Thanks for a basic recipe that can be adjusted to the seasons so well!
[…] that makes Kelsey feel familiar to me. Like an old friend who'll always be there with perfect blueberry muffins or a chocolate zucchini loaf when I really need […]
[…] Like I mentioned in my last recipe post, I've been spending more time in the kitchen since the weather has turned cooler. Today is the third time I've made this particular recipe and they have been delicious every time. My recipe was inspired by this post. […]


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Who do you think looks best today? (5 photos)
The best street style from London Fashion Week: http://ow.ly/p48HS via @StyleCaster
The theme of the night was "Punk: Chaos to Couture." And Sarah Jessica Parker took that quite literally, pairing a full floral ball gown with a dramatic feathered faux hawk.Read MoreLess


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The Global Intelligence Files
On Monday February 27th, 2012, WikiLeaks began publishing The Global Intelligence Files, over five million e-mails from the Texas headquartered "global intelligence" company Stratfor. The e-mails date between July 2004 and late December 2011. They reveal the inner workings of a company that fronts as an intelligence publisher, but provides confidential intelligence services to large corporations, such as Bhopal's Dow Chemical Co., Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon and government agencies, including the US Department of Homeland Security, the US Marines and the US Defence Intelligence Agency. The emails show Stratfor's web of informers, pay-off structure, payment laundering techniques and psychological methods.
URGENT Re: Obama speaking at 1030pm EST (that's 8 minutes)
Released on 2012-10-18 17:00 GMT
Email-ID | 870945 |
Date | 2011-05-02 04:34:41 |
From | email@example.com |
To | email@example.com, firstname.lastname@example.com |
List-Name | firstname.lastname@example.com |
They've had no confirmation - only a rumour at this stage, but they've
asked me to go to studio
On 02/05/2011, at 12:23 PM, George Friedman wrote:
No. This significant. Its big. No idea what.
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T
From: Sean Noonan <email@example.com>
Sender: firstname.lastname@example.com
Date: Sun, 1 May 2011 21:20:17 -0500 (CDT)
To: Analyst List<firstname.lastname@example.com>
ReplyTo: Analyst List <firstname.lastname@example.com>
Subject: Obama speaking at 1030pm EST (that's 8 minutes)
get excited????
maybe it's about birth certificates.
Sean Noonan
Tactical Analyst
Office: +1 512-279-9479
Mobile: +1 512-758-5967
Strategic Forecasting, Inc.


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It's no secret I'm a huge fan of Goodman Theatre. In fact, I'm the president of the Scenemakers, Goodman's young professional board comprised of next-generation leaders in Chicago's corporate, arts and civic communities who celebrate the theatre's artistic productions and support its education and community engagement (EACE) programs.
One such program is General Theatre Studies, or GTS, an intensive six-week summer program where diverse high schoolers ages 14 to 19 from all over Chicago collaborate on writing, staging and ultimately performing an original play. They learn all elements of theater production as well as critical thinking, literacy and storytelling skills from local theater professionals who serve as teaching artists. The students work on ensemble-building exercises designed to validate their voices and inspire them to examine their own potential for creativity.
A testament to the program's success, it's not uncommon for a student to go on to become a master, like Brandi Lee.
Now age 20 and majoring in acting and fiction writing at Columbia College, Ms. Lee participated in GTS all four years of high school. After graduation, she was offered an internship with Goodman Theatre as a teaching artist for successive GTS students. She credits Goodman's EACE programs for giving her crucial professional development in the acting business. She says, "Goodman actually gave me the skills to work," and adds, "They helped me understand what it means to put education, activism and arts together in a business setting." (Listen to an interview on Vocalo.org's The Morning AMp with Ms. Lee and me about the importance of students gaining professional experience in programs like GTS.)
Willa Taylor, Goodman's EACE Director, believes that GTS is vital to the theatre's commitment to arts education and community. Ms. Taylor hears countless testimonials from students and teachers alike that GTS has been life-changing for many teenagers in the program. That's likely because young people often struggle on a daily basis with heavy issues like poverty, abuse, gender-identity, low self-esteem and isolation. GTS gives them a safe environment to explore and create, not just art, but positive relationships with other students and with themselves. GTS and other EACE programs, like the Student Subscription Series – a series of special student-only matinee performances of Goodman productions with companion teacher training materials designed to enhance reading, writing, critical thinking and communication skills – are all offered free to students and schools.
In support of GTS, the Scenemakers are hosting the 3rd annual Scene Soiree, our signature fundraising fete, on Saturday, June 21, from 7-11pm at the National Hellenic Museum (333 South Halsted). This year's Soiree is inspired by Goodman's "Dream" Season and promises an unparalleled artistic experience with interactive dance performances by The Nexus Project and dreamscape installations in collaboration with the Actor's Gymnasium and Walkabout Theatre. The event also features music from DJ White Russian, cocktails and hors d'oeuvres, and a silent auction and raffle, including exclusive Goodman experiences and more. Last year's Scene Soiree drew more than 300 partygoers and raised over $45,000 for GTS, tripling the funds raised from the previous year.
To support GTS by purchasing tickets to the Scene Soiree and to see video from last year's event, visit GoodmanTheatre.org/SceneSoiree.
To learn more about the Scenemakers, in their 11th year of supporting Goodman Theater's mission of quality, diversity and community through fundraising, audience development and advocacy, visit GoodmanTheatre.org/Support/Scenemakers.


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Middle Eastern cargo remains strong in August
After posting a 16 percent, year-over-year, increase in cargo demand in July, Middle Eastern carriers continued their growth trend in August, reporting an 11.3 percent, year-over-year, rise in airfreight traffic. Such growth bucked the global trend, however; comprehensively, cargo carriers recorded a 0.8 percent, year-over-year, decline in airfreight demand in August despite offering 0.4 percent more capacity.
The International Air Transport Association, which complied the data, explained in a press release that global economic weakness continues to threaten freight markets, despite their slight recovery earlier this year. Carriers' August performance, IATA said, reflects a lack of business and consumer confidence.
"Passenger markets have not grown since June and global airfreight volumes are below previous year levels," Tony Tyler, IATA Director General and CEO, said in a statement. "In the face of these adverse conditions, disciplined capacity management has kept load factors high. There are always opportunities and some parts of the world are growing. But, overall, trading conditions are tough."
Adverse conditions or not, North American carriers recorded slight cargo growth in August, despite slashing capacity by 2.3 percent, year-over-year. These airlines enjoyed a 2-percent, year-over-year, surge in freight traffic last month, despite seeing volumes plunge 3.6 percent, year-over-year, in July.
After seeing cargo demand rise steadily throughout the year, African freight carriers posted another strong performance in August. Carriers in this region recorded a 10.2-percent, year-over-year, increase in traffic, amid an 8.1-percent, year-over-year, capacity surge.
Airfreight demand stalled in every region, however. Asia-Pacific cargo carriers saw the most marked declines in August, reporting a 5.5-percent, year-over-year, plunge in freight demand on a 3.1-percent, year-over-year, capacity drop.
European and Latin American carriers also recorded lower airfreight activity last month. Cargo demand in Europe slowed 0.8 percent, year-over-year, in August, despite regional carriers offering 1.9 percent more capacity than in August 2011. Latin American carriers saw a much more drastic contrast between supply and demand, however; freight volumes in Latin America declined 3.9 percent, year-over-year, in August while capacity climbed by 14 percent, year-over-year.
What Are Your Thoughts?
* Disclaimer: Please note that libellous or offensive comments are not allowed.


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on July 8, 2009How hard is it to make a good cup of coffee these days? Damn hard, if you listen to the lackeys of Big Bean. Almost beyond the skill of man. Trust the machine, they say. The Automatic Drip. The Electronic Espresso. The $20,000 Japanese Laboratory. Whatever crap the barrista can pull from that ginormous Italian Industrial.
No. Here is how to make a good cup of coffee:
Place two heaping tablespoons of grounds per mug in the bottom of a French press. Pour in the necessary amount of nearly boiling water. Stir the grounds until you get a layer of foam. Wait one minute. Press the plunger down halfway and pull it back up. Wait two minutes. Press the plunger all the way down, pour, and drink. Simple. Rich. Thrifty. Yes.
* You know, Eliot Ness leader of the Untouchables. As Agent Cooper (the guy in the photo) was to Twin Peaks, so Ness was to Chicago. And Cooper knew his coffee.
THE ENDORSEMENT: Breakfast on the Way to Work
THE ENDORSEMENT: The Manmosa
THE LIST: The 59 Best Breakfast Places in America
THE GUIDE: Esquire's All-You-Can-Eat Breakfast
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The Daily Endorsement is a quick bite, one thing the editors of Esquire recommend each morning for your immediate enjoyment: not a political candidate or position or party, but a breakthrough idea or product or Web site. One great new thing anything goes that we like and think matters. Hopefully you'll like it, too or at least pass it on to someone you endorse.
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Striped Linen-Blend Tee: Cool and comfortable relaxed fit tee in a lightweight and luxurious linen blend with gorgeous texture. You'll love it layered under a blazer or worn over your favorite cami.
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I stumbled upon this product when i was looking for a good but decently priced body wash.
What attracts me most is the ingredients list:
Water, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Glycerin, Glyceryl Glucoside, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almod) Oil, Bambus Vulgaris Leaf/Stem Extract, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Polyquarternium-7, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, PEG-200 Hydrogenated Glyceryl Palmate, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Fragrance.
In terms of the actual performance,
i) it is indeed very gentle but cleanse very well and rinses off without any residue. The fragrance is very typical of Nivea Men's Product but dissipates quickly as the fragrance contents is very low (listed last in the ingredients list).
I used to be freaked out with the word 'sulfate'. I personally will not use anything with Sodium LAURYL Sulfate. Sodium Laureth Sulafte is fine. In fact, it is strong enough to cleanse dirt, oil and sunscreen but gentle enough that it doesn't cause irritation and dryness.
and ohhh i use this as shampoo too.
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Siobhan Gallagher
I've met Melvin before and all he does is talk out of his arse, so not surprised if he screwed NIN over with their visuals. NIN being sandwiched between FOB and Boring Clyro is one of the main reasons I pulled off getting a day ticket. Glad I did now given their setlist.
London, eh? I wonder if he'll be playing the classics too, been waiting ages to see him!
No Abel :'(
Well said Moz
That's such great news! Can't wait.
My first time at Primavera this year, and what a great line up! :D Hands down best festival in Europe
Mine is Yours was pretty disappointing and Loyalty to Loyalty had it's moments, but man Robbers & Cowards was great. Hoping for a return to form for them.
I'd have Girl, E-Pro, New Pollution, Soul Suckin Jerk, Mutherfuker, Jack-Ass, somehwere in my top ten.
Well, I'd fly out there solely for the Mats if they played
The Hold Steady


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Ivan Eland Discusses NSA Surveillance Program and Edward Snowden on ARNN Recorded: Monday, June 24, 2013
Ivan Eland, Independent Institute Senior Fellow, discusses the NSA surveillance program and the fate of Edward Snowden on the nationally syndicated Americas Radio News Network.
Experts: Ivan ElandType: RadioIssues: Civil Liberties/ Human Rights, Culture/ Society, Government Power, Government Secrecy, Political Ideology and Philosophy, Privacy
How Rising College Costs Hurt Families and Society Recorded: Monday, December 24, 2012
Research Fellow Vicki Alger discusses the increasing debt burden of student loans and the state of college finances in an interview with Joy Pullman on Heartland.
Experts: Vicki E. AlgerType: RadioIssues: Culture/ Society, Economic Policy, Education, Labor and Employment
Alex Tabarrok: Launching the Innovation Renaissance Recorded: Friday, December 9, 2011
C-FIRE Deputy Director R.J. Lehmann interviews Independent Institute Research Director Alexander T. Tabarrok about his new book, Launching the Innovation Renaissance: A New Path to Bring Smart Ideas to Market Fast.
Experts: Alexander T. TabarrokType: RadioIssues: Economic History and Development (International), Economic History and Development (U.S.), Education, Free Market Economics, Litigation, Privatization, Property Rights
Bush, Obama, and Presidential Power Recorded: Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3
Was George W. Bush the worst president ever? Ivan Eland examines Bushs presidency and those of his predecessors to determine if their policies promoted peace, prosperity, and liberty while upholding the Constitution they swore to protect.
Experts: Ivan Eland, Ron Paul, Richard ShenkmanType: Independent Institute EventIssues: Banking and Finance, Bureaucracy and Government, Civil Liberties/ Human Rights, Constitutional Law, Culture/ Society, Defense and Foreign Policy, Democracy, Economic History and Development (U.S.), Economic Policy, Freedom, Government Power, History (U.S), Nationalism, Political Ideology and Philosophy, Politics, Privacy, Terrorism and National Crises


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Panic Time! J.J. Putz has a rib injury and he's on the DL. Updates to follow.
UPDATE: As pointed out this morning by my friend Dusty, maybe having Putz pitch two nights in a row in cold weather wasn't the best idea.
UPDATE: According to Darrin Beene of Tacoma News-Tribune, Putz "felt discomfort on a pitch to Michael Young" yesterday, and an MRI showed "mild costochondritis"--that's inflammation of cartilage in the rib cage. The M's have recalled Roy Corcoran from Tacoma. Corcoran had 15 saves last year for AAA Albuquerque, and allowed just one homer (276 batters faced).
MORE ON COSTOCHONDRITIS: This from the Mayo Clinic: "Costochondritis is an inflammation of the cartilage that connects a rib to the breastbone (sternum). It causes sharp pain in the costosternal joint — where your ribs and breastbone are joined by rubbery cartilage. Pain caused by costochondritis may mimic that of a heart attack." A quick Google search doesn't find any other pitchers that have had this condition.
THIN PEN TONIGHT: Lowe and O'Flaherty have both pitched the past two games, you'd figure they are out. Sean Green threw 37 pitches on Monday, he'd be doubtful. That leaves the M's with Baek, Rowland-Smith, and newly recalled Corcoran in the pen. They'll need a good start from Silva. (Or for the offense to wake up).
PRESS CONFERENCE SCHEDULED FOR 3:45PM: Trainer Rick Griffin and Putz will speak to the media at 3:45.
Trainer Rick Griffin: "We were very happy that it wasn't an oblique or a soft tissue injury, those take a lot of time (to heal)."
Putz: "I knew at the time (I hurt it) I was going to miss some time...It felt like an icepick jamming into my side."
The prescription is rest. The MRI showed "mild" inflammation, it should heal. Griffin said that both Dan Wilson and Willie Bloomquist had the injury at the same time a few years ago. They evidently didn't give a specific timetable, but the normal recovery time is three weeks to a month.
PREPARE FOR CLOSER BY COMMITTEE: Jason Puckett of KJR talked to Norm Charlton who says that the M's plan to go closer by committee. Dave Grosby has an interesting idea--put Baek in the rotation and make Batista the closer. Batista was Toronto's closer in '05, he was 5-8 with 31 saves and a 4.10 ERA.
UPDATE: Yup, it's closer by committee. McLaren just confirmed it.
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Putz on DL
Posted by Seth at 3:16 PM
2 comments:
- Travis said...
McClaren & Charleston must have been listening to Grosby. Batista just got save #1 in the J.J.-less time.
- April 2, 2008 at 9:35 PM
- red said...
- October 9, 2008 at 7:59 AM
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Planning ahead (or I should say....dreaming ahead) to spring. We moved into our home this past May and we didn't do a whole lot this year. Figured we'd get settled this year and then get started with things next year.
Anyway, we did go around the house with landscape pavers and fill it with cypress mulch. I don't really care for it as a long term mulch. It was cheap and worked for a quick fix, but it loses it's color...gets so pale and sun bleached. Seems like you have to add to it every season. What is a good mulch that isn't outrageously expensive? What I'd really love it pea gravel or landscape gravel, but I'm not buying that stuff by the bagful! Our local rock quarry doesn't carry it any longer so we can't buy it in bulk. |
Follow-Up Postings:
That's really a shame you don't have a quarry that carries the pea gravel. I love the looks of it. How far is it to a quarry that does carry it? Some times a road trip is justified. I get mine here in Black Hawk county. I guess I'd let my fingers do the walking and start looking in the phone book. Good Luck |
I found some Black mulch that is not suppose to fade to use in my Hypertufa. Maybe they have other colors that don't fade. Check your local nursery they might be able to help. I got mine on close out (broken bag) at Lowes. Paws |
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You might blame your weight gain on your lack of motivation, wavering willpower, and a few too many bad food decisions. Don't get us wrong; those things matter. But there's another culprit you should also consider: your neighborhood. Whether you make your home in the suburbs, a city, or a rural area, where you live can make it easier—or much harder—to put your weight loss goals into action.
Maybe a lack of sidewalks and bike paths leaves you scratching your head over where to work out. Perhaps your area is short on grocery stores but packed with fast-food chains, or your neighbor's car alarm keeps you up all night, derailing your early-morning jog. Tally up a few of these instances and you could have a hometown problem that's interfering with even the best weight loss intentions.
"In my experience it makes a huge difference where you live. Everyone can find a way to overcome their circumstances, but people who live in the suburbs where there aren't sidewalks and are dependent on their cars have a very difficult time getting exercise in. And in my practice, I find that they are more likely to be overweight," says Katherine Tallmadge, RD, author of Diet Simple: 195 Mental Tricks, Substitutions, Habits & Inspirations.
Here are the biggest neighborhood pitfalls that contribute to weight gain—and how, short of moving homes, you can make fixes to start dropping pounds again.


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Oil and natural gas prices started the year with a rally today, mainly because of the weather and perhaps a bit of bullish sentiment lent by the falling dollar, the unresolved oil pricing dispute between Belarus and Russia and the positive manufacturing news from China. But will these levels stick around much of this year, as traders and some notable onlookers expect?
February crude oil futures trading on New York's Mercantile Exchange today were up more than $2, or 2.6 per cent, at more than $80 a barrel, while gasoline futures were up 2.59 per cent. In London, Brent futures rose $1.85 to $79.78 a barrel after hitting a high of $80.13.
The unresolved oil pricing issue between Belarus and Russia was also sighted as a reason for the increase even though Belarus's state oil firm said that Russian oil was flowing normally to Europe regardless of Minsk and Moscow's differences.
Heating oil futures in New York were up more than 3 per cent as forecasters expected low temperatures to persist much of the week.
With natural gas warming many more US homes than heating oil (which is used mainly in the Northeast) the frigid weather was also felt by the Henry Hub futures contract, which rallied 25.4 cents, or 4.6 per cent, to $5.826 per million British thermal units. There was an even more impressive spike in gas price in the UK, which has a far less of a liquid market than the US, with intraday wholesale prices as much as doubling and then quickly reversing their gains.
But mixing my metaphors in the hope of attracting Lucy Kellaway's attention as one noted oil analyst did today, there are gremlins on the horizon.
Firstly, no-one can accurately predict the world's economic recovery (this is why Javier Blas and I happily watch Ed Crooks do the FT's yearly forecast for energy prices) and secondly, there are tanker-loads of oil supply, potential and real, ready for the taking.
This supply – both actual and potential given Saudi Arabia's 4m barrels of spare capacity – and a more pessimistic view of the economy's recovery, underpin the views of traders such as Vitol, Glencore, Trafigura, Gunvor and Mercuria (theoretically the best informed of all given that they ship around much of the world's crude). They predicted in interviews with the above-mentioned Mr Blas that prices won't rally much further than where they are today, at least for the next few months, a strikingly similar view to that espoused by our own tankerless, but well informed, Mr Crooks who was forecasting the entire year.
On the supply side, there is always Opec to contend with and so far oil volumes resemble a feast more than a famine. Nigeria's oil output, long plagued by attacks on its industry installations, is back above 2 million barrels a day, more than Nigeria has managed since March 2008. And Iraq has already had to assure jittery Iran that it does not intend to flood the market now that it has signed lots of agreements with international oil companies all promising to boost production at its dilapidated fields. In total Iraq could be pumping as much as Saudi Arabia in a few years, at least theoretically,
But Iraq's optimistic supply outlook may be short-lived. Candidates are already voicing opinions about reversing the deals if they are voted into power in March.
More than any other single predictable event, that election, will be the one to watch.
So if you want an early indication whether the predictions of the traders and Ed Crooks, will be proved right, and prices you see today will stick around for much of the year, tune into Baghdad over the next two months – it's more interesting than trying to predict the economy.


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Narrow your search
Known for its batteries, Energizer showcased its Energy Hardcase series of phones at CES 2015.
Pricing not available
At the 2014 Paris Motor Show, Fiat rolled out the 500x compact crossover as an attempt to stretch their brand of '500' vehicles.
In the New Year's "best of" edition of the famous game show, contestants aren't too sure at all about how much an iPhone costs.
While the AVR-S500BT is one of Denon's least expensive receivers its features line up is surprisingly generous, and movie and music sound quality is up to snuff for the price.
While the AVR-S500BT is one of Denon's least expensive receivers, its features lineup is surprisingly generous, and movie and music sound quality is up to snuff for the price.
We put this ridiculously expensive machine to the test to see if it can possibly prove itself worth the premium.
The KitchenAid Pro Line 4-Slice Toaster looks wonderfully stylish and has plenty of features to go along with a lofty sticker price. Click through to see what a $500 toaster can do.
Startup Carry aims to be the Airbnb that will disrupt FedEx, UPS and the like. It will pay individuals to deliver packages to and from strangers. How safe can it be?
The Orion Pro's disappointing features completely overshadow its low price and dual-SIM setup.
The Fostex TH500RP may be the best sounding high-end headphone you can buy in its price class.


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Hello all,
If any of you did stained (not painted) wood cabinets with a countertop color that contrasts rather than blends, then I would like to see the pictures! Some of these color schemes may include:
I hope this clarifies what I am looking for. I would also welcome thoughts/feedback and suggestions on this type of contrast scheme. All types of comments/wisdom most welcome (even without photos)!!! I am keeping an open mind. I find myself dreaming (literally!) of this type of kitchen for past few days , however, I suspect that unless you have good understanding of the palette, this type of kitchen can go wrong...that is what I am trying to avoid. |
Follow-Up Postings:
Here is mine. I have caramel maple cabinets and Ubatuba granite, whichh is a very dark green with gold flecks/veins running through it. |
- Posted by abbycat9990 (My Page) on Tue, Jan 29, 08 at 21:35
I can't get the pictures to come up but we just installed Maple Cabinets with a Honey Spice stain and a wine glaze. The Granite is Scotish Meadow, which has a lot of movement with Grey's white's and some Rose in it. It compliments the cabinets really well. Tony M. |
Here's a lousy picture of our kitchen (cell phone camera--one of these days I will take pics with the real camera and post them...): Our cabs are a very light stained cherry (they've darkened up quite a bit since they were delivered just about a year ago). Our granite is Labrador Golden Flake (soft greyish-black with loads of silver and bronze pearling), and our backsplash tiles are clear glass painted white on the back of the tile (the tile are a mix of glossy and matte glass). |
- Posted by homey_bird (My Page) on Tue, Jan 29, 08 at 23:23
Wow! Those do look beautiful indeed! I am trying to make up my mind on which way to go. A contrasting color scheme makes a big impact, if put in properly. Patti, abbycat and Alku, your kitchens are simply beautiful! It makes me very confident that this type of kitchen might work. Can you share with me what made you pick this palette? Another commonality I noticed is that the kitchens are kind of soft contemporary....is there a relationship between contemporary kitchens and color schemes? I would love to see more. |
Our kitchen will be a cherry mandarin w/coffee glaze + Diamond Black granite...in a traditional style. Unfortunately, it's not done yet so I cannot take pictures. I posted only to let you know that you do not have to go contemporary if you like the contrasting color scheme. |
Here are a couple of photos from the old new kitchen, taken before complete, but you get the idea: And this is the new new kitchen, with a little less contrast wrt counters. Both are natural cherry. |
Homey_bird, I think contrast somewhere in your pallete adds visual interest. DH and I are both partial to dark woods, so choosing a light counter and backsplash was a way for us to go dark on the floors and cabinets. Also, my DH has a thing for picking "plain white" everything, so it was a nice compromise. |
- Posted by leahgillum (My Page) on Wed, Jan 30, 08 at 9:24
- Posted by homey_bird (My Page) on Wed, Jan 30, 08 at 19:02
thanks a lot for all those who posted after/during my post! I love seeing all your kitchens. The cabinets are superb; very modern as like them! Hope to see more; hope more folks will post the pix! |
We have stained cherry cabinets, and azul macuabas granite- I was worried about the contrast, but love it how it came out. Best of luck in your decision. |
alku, i just love your kitchen. i'm shooting for a similar dark cab/light counter contrast. i hope mine turns out half as nice as yours...... |
This is maple with a mocha stain and a coffee glaze on the perimeter and maple painted black on the island. Verde Butterfly granite. |
- Posted by patty_cakes (My Page) on Thu, Jan 31, 08 at 3:43
When thinking of contrasting cabs/countertops, the floor should also be taken into consideration. I had it so set in my head that I HAD TO HAVE ivory glazed cabs w/Black Absolute granite. I didn't stop to think that I would also be having a 10' of DARK stained contrasting cabs on an outside wall, as well as a dark wood floor. It got me thinking how dreary that seemed, and seeing it all together, it was. I ended up going with New Venetian Gold granite~it accents the stained cabinets, and IMO, dresses up the ivory glazed, and the floor blends beautifully with everything. Mind you, this was what I saw when using the samples as my 'eyes'. The kitchen won't be finished for a couple of months. I'm anticipating I made all the right choices. ;o) |
- Posted by franki1962 (My Page) on Thu, Jan 31, 08 at 11:43
We have cherry cabinets stained in Pecan w/ a chocolate glaze. We considered red and green toned granites but ended up with this (Blue Brazil) |
- Posted by abbycat9990 (My Page) on Thu, Jan 31, 08 at 12:15
- Posted by homey_bird (My Page) on Thu, Jan 31, 08 at 13:14
One thing I am noticing is that, most of the granites look black/black-ish in the pictures. I know that some of them would look very different when light shines on them, or when directly viewed. Due to the limitations of the camera, I cannot fully appreciate the impact of various hues on the cabinetry; yet this is fantastic. When I go to pick my cabs and stone, I will have a list handy and will run through all these combinations. All in all, I am enjoying the pictures, the kitchens. There is another benefit that I never thought of. My DH dislikes painting over wood, and therefore I know for a fact that our kitchen would be stained cabs (thus my specific question!). Yet, each time I loved a kitchen in pix, it was a painted cream kitchen (I think this has been discussed in another thread already here). I could never imagine any other stain except med cherry. Now, I am seeing all these wonderful wood tones, and finishes, and they all look so stunning.....I am feeling really good about stained cab kitchen!!! Thank you all. Like I said before, I want to see more :-) (I can never tire of looking at beautiful colorful kitchens). Speaking of which, what exactly tilted you folks for a stained kitchen? Just curious..... |
Maple cabinets with cherry stain, Peacock green granite countertops(dark green w/gold and black veining) and Dark Andino tumbled marble backsplash. |
I picked stain because I love dark wood and have never had it before. I also thought that far far faaaaaaaaarrr in the future, it would be easier to paint a stained cabinet if I needed a change than it would be to strip paint off to stain it...... |
- Posted by soonermagic (My Page) on Thu, Jan 31, 08 at 15:09
While my perimeter cabinets are painted, the island is stained dark and topped with a light marble: In my bathrooms, I have dark stained cabinets with funky granites. Here's a purple and green granite (gorgeous in person, but doesn't photograph very well): And here's Red Dragon: |
homey what "tilted" me - towards stained - I, like you, always appreciated the look of painted cabs - however when I made a choice on the cabinet maker & visited their showroom that convinced me. Like your husband feel, no painting wood - Their were so many beautiful species it seemed silly to paint wood. Additionally I felt that the stained would be easier to maintain in a busy home. Here's a link to the cabinet maker - to give you an idea - I had a hard time deciding which stained wood to go with |
Here is a link that might be useful: kennebec cabinetry
All of these kitchens look wonderful!! This gives me good ideas for our house that we are about to build. I also have a question for soonermagic... |
Susan Your kitchen is beautiful. You show your cabinets are maple with a cherry stain. Would you please provide the name of your cabinet maker and the stain information. Thank you Jan |
- Posted by lindybarts (My Page) on Thu, Jan 31, 08 at 18:46
Have you gone through the Finished Kitchens slideshow? Just checking... I don't know if mine is enough of a contrast for you but here it is. Alder cabinets with a Chestnut stain and New Venetian Gold Counters with Tumbled backsplash. |
- Posted by lilyshouse (My Page) on Thu, Jan 31, 08 at 19:10
My question is also for soonermagic, is that granite on your single bowl sink Brick Red? I am considering putting in really red granite the top of my island and island(cherry mahg stain) and buffet(cream paint) That would be quite a contrast. |
- Posted by homey_bird (My Page) on Fri, Feb 1, 08 at 1:17
Wow! I love the Peacock Green close-up and thanks jejvtr for sending me the cabs link. Lilyhouse, soonermagic's red granite is Red Dragon. Yes, I have looked at the FKB. The only problem (so far I think) is that there is no way to search for kitchens with a certain description. It would be good to have indexes such as "granite counters" or "stained cabs" or "island kitchens" etc. |
Okak, Thanks. My cabinets were custom built and the quality turned out to be fantastic. I don't know where you live, but I am in Florida and used Roger Romero (Roger's Cabinets). His phone number is (954) 584-9876. He is truly a master craftsman who takes pride in his work and customer service. It took him 12 weeks to build it all by hand and custom stain it, layering on coat by coat until we found just the right one for us. His price was not more than any other kitchen place who orders cabinets from manufacturers like Thomasville, etc. I wish other Floridians come across this post and give him a call. You won't be sorry. Tell him Susan from Coral Springs sent you! |
- Posted by lindybarts (My Page) on Fri, Feb 1, 08 at 9:49
homey, there are categories in the FKB. Starpooh has put alot of time into making a really great blog that you can search! Yay Starpooh...again! LOL |
Here is a link that might be useful: Finished Kitchens Categories list
Susan Thanks for your response. Unfortunately we do not live in Florida. Your selection of stain on your cabinets make your kitchen a showcase. I looked on the Finished Kitchen Blog but I could not find your kitchen. It would be great if you put it on the blog. Lindybarts Thanks for your response as well |
Soonermagic, do you have a source for the bathroom cabinet in the picture, the one with the Red Dragon top? Pretty? Thanks! |
Here's mine. Colonial maple stain on birch cabinets, Verde Butterfly granite, golden sienna tumbled travertine backsplash. This was a hard decision for me. I wanted something more monochromatic, but DH was pretty set on contrast and no movement. So, we picked something with a variety in the "pattern". This slab had large white quartz pieces and lots of "red/garnet" pieces that add interest. (See below) |
- Posted by soonermagic (My Page) on Wed, Feb 6, 08 at 11:38
There have been a couple of questions regarding one of my bathroom cabinets. I had it built by a custom cabinet maker, and used one of Pottery Barn's bath cabinets as the inspiration. I don't recall off the top of my head what the price was, but it was significantly less expensive than PB's, but that was before we topped it with Red Dragon, which is much more expensive than the marble that comes on PB's cabinet. Probably a wash in the end, but I got the granite of my choice. |
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#1 New York Times bestselling author Tami Hoag delivers a shocking new thriller Dana Nolan was a promising young TV reporter until a notorious serial killer tried to add her to his list of victims. Nearly a year has passed since surviving her ordeal, but the physical, emotional, and psychological scars run deep. Struggling with the torment of post-traumatic stress syndrome, plagued by flashbacks and nightmares as dark as the heart of a killer, Dana returns to her hometown in an attempt to begin to put her life back together. But home doesn't provide the comfort she expects.


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I recently collected a number of Weeping Birch and Japanese White Birch seeds, and I dearly want to grow them, but I found some information that says birches do not grow true from seed. However, this is contrary to most information I have on birches. So, does anyone have experience with birches? anyone know for sure whether they grow true from seed or not? I want to say that they do, so long as they aren't hybrids, because they have distinct species which are pure bred species. (Platyphylla, pendula, and ermanii are all distinct species). Any input will be greatly appreciated! |
Follow-Up Postings:
Dion, "Non-hybrid" seeds (seeds produced from same-species plants) will produce that species. However, frequently when people say "come true from seed", they mean that the seed will produce an offspring very similar to the parent. In other words, some cultivars (especially with garden annuals, for instance) are reproduced from seed. This is not usually the case with woody plants. Most tree and shrub cultivars must be reproduced vegetatively (cuttings, grafting, etc). So, I think the dependencies you are perceiving may be due to inconsistent uses/understandings of the phrase. |
- Posted by DionKar333 8/9 (My Page) on Thu, Nov 17, 11 at 23:27
Thanks Brandon, your information helped to clear things up. I am 99% sure the seeds I collected were pollinated by the same species, so hopefully they turn out alright. Ehow.com is probably not the best place to find good information, as that is the only site which said that birches do not come true from seed. I understand genetic variation within the same species might cause a few changes, but the way to article was written made it sound like they never come even close to the parent plant. Ah well, thanks for the info! |
Yes, I learned a long time ago that certain internet sites are only a good reference source if you bet against them. LOL |
Birches are notorious for hybridising easily (particularly between species with the same chromosome number), and are wind-pollinated, so it is impossible to be sure that they were pollinated by the same species. Very likely, they are not. Also (as I see from your 'My Page' that you're in the USA) note that all European and Asian birches are highly susceptible to bronze birch borer in the USA. Resin |
- Posted by DionKar333 8/9 (My Page) on Fri, Nov 18, 11 at 11:31
I understand that they are wind pollinated, but the reason I am 99% sure they are not hybrids is because I collected the seeds from groves of each pure species, with no other species to be found for miles. Because of these conditions, I think it is safe to say they were all pollinated by the same species, since there were literally no other types of birches for miles around. Everyone says that Birches are susceptible to bronze birch borer down here, but of all the thousands of birches I have seen in my city, none of them had any kind of disease or infestation. I don't know if that's just luck, or every single person who has them is taking super good care of them (very unlikely). And there are all types of birches, river, weeping, bog, European, downy, etc. Thanks for the considerations, but I don't think I have anything to worry about. |
- Posted by ken_adrian z5 (My Page) on Fri, Nov 18, 11 at 13:32
hmmmm ... i think you are confusing this all a bit .... if you take open pollinated seed.. FROM A NAMED CULTIVAR ... we all say.. it most likely will not come true from seed ... in other words.. you will most likely NOT get the NAMED CULTIVAR.. from the seed .... but then you say: I collected the seeds from groves of each pure species ... and i wonder how you came to that conclusion .... if you know enough species ID stuff.. i dont know why you would be confused .. so.. in summation.. i am baffled ... lol ... good luck with your seed ... ken |
- Posted by DionKar333 8/9 (My Page) on Fri, Nov 18, 11 at 15:54
It is really quite simple Ken. I know quite a bit about plants in general, but recently became interested in birches. I learned what I could from them, which is enough to positively ID quite a few species. However, I was slightly confused because I read a few erroneous bits of information that claimed no birch ever comes true from seed. However, Thanks to common sense and the input from the fine folks of this site, I was able to piece together that named cultivars do not come true to type, but pure species do. The groves I collected seeds from were pure species. One grove had nothing but Betula Pendula, so the collected seeds are most likely Betula Pendula. There were no other birches for miles around (except more pendula, though the concentration became less dense the farther out you went.) Because of the rather large radius of only pendula being around, I can safely say I have pure pendula seed. The same applies to the Japanese White Birch. This grove was on someone's private property (I got permission to collect seeds). Again, this grove was started from pure betula platyphylla and no other birches were found for miles. I collected seeds from the center of each grove to have the best chances of pure seed collection. In short, I was just a bit confused about birches coming true to type from seed, but it was cleared up. I do not have seeds from named cultivars, I essentially have wild type seeds. On an unrelated note, Ken, what's with all the "...." ? |
I think you *might* be confused about CULTIVAR versus SPECIES versus HYBRID. Note that what follows is somewhat layman, so I probably got some details wrong which I'm sure someone here will correct me on. A species, speaking in terms of plants, is any group of plants which readily interbreed and are generally very similar in appearance, habits, etc. A cultivar is a CULTIvated VARiety of a species. They tend to occur randomly from mutations in genes, and often the genes which produce their characteristics are recessive. Therefore, they are usually reproduced vegetatively because the characteristics which produce such plants are masked by dominant genes, even when cross-bred with another member of the same cultivar. A hybrid is a cross-breed between two species. Sometimes this happens naturally in the wild, but often-times it is done unnaturally by humans. Especially in the latter case, hybrids usually can only be reproduced vegetatively because hybrids between species are often sterile. |
Curious where you are that you can find extensive pure plantations of Silver Birch and Japanese White Birch? - they're not species I'd expect to see planted like that! "On an unrelated note, Ken, what's with all the "...." ? " That's just Ken being Ken, he always puts them in every post ;-) Resin |
Sounds to me like Dion probably has a reasonable understanding of the terms. There are a few things I would change about each of Famartin's definitions, but unless Dion has further questions about those terms, I think we're good. |
- Posted by DionKar333 8/9 (My Page) on Sat, Nov 19, 11 at 3:40
Brandon, I would say we are good. All of us probably have our own variations on all these terms and definitions, but I got the gist of the information. Resin, to answer your question, I live in San Jose. I have to drive a ways out (toward Saratoga), but I still managed. I was as surprised as you were. The Japanese White Birch was pure luck, some very wealthy person with a lot of land happened to really like those specific birches. This was out toward Cupertino. The Weeping Birches were in some sort of park or nature preserve, and even the surrounding houses had weeping birches (which I strongly suspect they got from the nature preserve.) Famartin, I wasn't confused about any of that, but I do appreciate the nice definitions. Well everybody, thank you very much for all your help, it really cleared everything up. I'm off to start these little buggers! |
- Posted by ken_adrian z5 (My Page) on Sat, Nov 19, 11 at 8:13
... its just a style.. or lack thereof ... lol anyway.. sounds like you are well on your way .... i think at this point.. you are simply down to planting your seed ... and continuing your observations for the next decade or two ... i like to think of the '...' as more of a conversation around the campfire .. rather than a proper written thesis in an editors hand ... shooting the bull is more of a give and take of sporadic thoughts.. rather than a properly formed thesis ... in proper MLA form .... in my experience.. the web.. with its 40 million hits per search topic is thoroughly baffling .. and that is the beauty of GW.. we can hope to focus you in your search for knowledge... and in this case.. by this point.. JUST PLANT THE SEED ... and let us know what happens ... good luck keep us posted.... over the next decades ken |
Good luck! As far as I know, California is justabout the only part of the USA that doesn't have bronze birch borers, so you should be OK for now at least. But they have been spreading west, and are now in the PNW (Seattle area, etc), so I'd suspect it's only a matter of time before they spread down to CA. Resin |
- Posted by wisconsitom 4/5 WI (My Page) on Sat, Nov 19, 11 at 17:00
To further what Resin has said, it could be the very fact of these groves being in what is essentially "non-birch" territory that has allowed them to be borer-free. No other host trees around for great distances equaling in this case, freedom from the insects. I see that you clearly know what you're doing. And I would add.....even if somehow some cross-pollination did occur, the resulting progeny should still be worthy plants. Best of luck. +oM |
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In suspension
Editor's note: Bass can suspend at different points throughout the season depending on location, fishery and other factors, but fall and winter are prime times for suspending fish, so this article from FLW Outdoors Magazine is timely.
Suspended bass – whether largemouths, smallmouths or spots – are notoriously difficult to catch. They're among the most finicky and flighty targets an angler can pursue. In fact, confronted with suspended fish as the primary pattern, most anglers punt and look for a secondary pattern. That's not always the best option; just consider what happened in August 2010.
That month, pro Kevin Hawk of Guntersville, Ala., targeted suspended bass to win the Forrest Wood Cup and its $600,000 top prize on Georgia's Lake Lanier. Three weeks later, Cheez-It pro Shinichi Fukae of Palestine, Texas, who finished 49th at Lanier, took home more than $50,000 in cash and prizes by winning the FLW Series Eastern Division event on Lake Champlain – also by targeting suspended fish.
They were two very different tournaments – Lanier was a struggle, and Champlain was a whackfest; the former involved mostly spotted bass, and the latter involved mostly smallies. But in both cases a drop-shot presented to suspended bass was the ticket to the winner's circle.
Such an approach is grounded in logic. A drop-shot can be dangled tantalizingly in front of suspended bass right at eye level. Yet the rig also can be ripped and snapped to draw reaction bites. In fact, in terms of duping suspended bass to bite, no offering is more versatile.
Suspended bass basics
The first step in targeting suspended bass is deciding if, indeed, they are suspending. According to Fukae and Hawk, such behavior occurs most often from late summer into early fall, when fish are offshore, the water is hot, the current subsides and baitfish schools are roaming away from the bank. Either angler typically looks for this pattern on clear, deep bodies of water, especially where bait is known for wandering in open-water schools (that's why advanced research is occasionally your best tool in the search). Obviously, Lanier and Champlain fall into this category, as well as lakes such as Beaver, Table Rock and Erie.
Locating suspended fish in those thousands of acres of water starts with your electronics and understanding the seasonal patterns of the baitfish bass feed upon. On Lanier, that means blueback herring. Before the Forrest Wood Cup, Hawk spent an extensive practice period searching for the herring and trying to piece together the puzzle of how they related to the available cover, because he knew the bass would follow them. In his native California, the bait, and the bass, often suspend around large boulders. In Georgia, he found that man-made brush piles replaced the big rocks as the holding stations for the prey. So his search began with locating brush piles, rather than bass, with his electronics.
A vertical drop-shot presentation is most effective at depths of about 15 to 70 feet, depending on the lake and conditions. Once suspended fish are detected, they usually can be patterned. Even if the depth of the water column varies from one productive area to the next, the depth at which the fish hold might not.
For example, on one of the tournament days at Lanier, Hawk's first fish let him know that the fish most willing to bite were at the 22-foot depth. That's where he targeted the fish the remainder of the day – on every spot, no matter the distance to the bottom.
Other times, you start by locating a major structure feature and then search the water above it or out parallel to it – bass often suspend parallel to the edge of a drop-off. Most of Fukae's fish at Champlain came in 30 to 40 feet of water. He didn't rely on brush piles like Hawk did, but his fish weren't out in the open, either. He marked humps, breaks and other structural elements that held fish; it's just that the bass weren't pinned to the bottom. Fukae also relied on the presence of baitfish to determine if a spot was worth a stop. No perch or other baitfish on his graph and he usually wouldn't even deploy the trolling motor.
Fukae was looking for classic summering spots for transient smallmouths, eventually putting together a milk run. Each day he had to relocate them, largely through the process of elimination. There wasn't necessarily a rhyme or reason that he could discern as to where they'd move. But he knew where the structure was located and that the fish would be somewhere in relationship to it.
Making them bite
To make the proper presentation, boat positioning is the first step and is based on the depth of the fish. Hawk will put the boat nearly right on top of his quarry, even in water as shallow as 15 feet, but usually not before making a few casts with a Sworming Hornet Fish Head Spin. He wants to pick off the aggressive feeders first, if possible. If he knows that the fish are suspended deeper – say 40 or 50 feet – he'll head straight for the meat of the spot, immediately placing the boat right on top of them. He fishes for them with his electronics, watching the actual strike occur like a video game.
"I'd be looking at my graph the entire time, looking for fish," Hawk says. "I'd drop a drop-shot right in front of the brush pile. Then I'd do one more drop right into the heart of it because if they're tight, you can't distinguish them on your graph. Then I'd move on to the next one."
In most situations, you want to put the lure directly in front of the fish's face and force it to bite, and that can best be achieved by watching the lure descend on your graph. Too high or too low and you usually won't get them to move, but placed right in their face and often they can't resist. It comes back to numbers and efficiency – trying to force an inactive fish to chase isn't a wise use of time.
This vertical approach is more efficient than casting a drop-shot because it ensures a direct presentation above the fish and can be done much more quickly and accurately. In fact, even when Hawk did "cast" his drop-shot from out in front of the brush piles at Lanier, he was rarely making more than 5- or 10-foot pitches.
The next step is getting the fish to bite, but it's not the subtle shake and twitch you might expect.
"I'm trying to cause a reaction bite," Hawk says. "You'll see one on the graph follow your lure down and hopefully he bites it. When I engage the bail [after the lure falls], if I'm not bit I shake the rod violently."
That often encourages a fish that has followed the lure downward to strike. If it doesn't happen quickly, Hawk will pull up stakes and head for the next spot. There's no precise way to gauge why the fish aren't in a feeding mood, but this game is about making as many fresh drops as possible.
"You can't tell from your electronics whether they're going to bite or not," Hawk says. "Even if I see good fish on the graph I rarely make more than a half-dozen drops before I cut my losses and leave. They might just not be feeding at that point, so I can come back later."
Fukae agrees: "If I can catch one of them, I'll usually stay there for a while and try to catch another one. If not, I won't stay there long. I tend to move quickly when fishing this way."
Efficient drop-shot gear
A drop-shot is preferable to other vertical lures, such as a shaky head or spoon, when the fish are packed most closely together. Success hinges on dropping the lure right on the bull's-eye.
The rest of your gear should be chosen with efficiency in mind as well.
A fast reel is critical. With a speedy gear ratio, not only can you make more drops, especially in deep water, but you can get a fish up and out of brush piles quickly. A fast reel also gives you the slim chance to catch more than one fish from a given stop.
"Usually you can't do that because when you catch one, the whole school comes up with it," Hawk says. "Then you have to give them 15 minutes to an hour to reset. Ninety-five percent of the time it's a one-fish deal."
Fukae and Hawk both use long spinning rods – at least 6 feet, 10 inches – for vertical drop-shotting.
"You want to use a soft rod," Fukae adds. "It performs like a drag works on the reel, reducing line breakage."
The rig itself can be customized for any situation. Hawk's dropper varies anywhere from 1 inch to a few feet long, although he rarely goes shorter than 6 inches. His rule is that if they aren't biting it, lengthen the dropper.
Hawk typically pairs his worm with a 1/0 Roboworm ReBarb hook and Texas-rigs it. Fukae prefers a Yamamoto Shad Shape Worm or Kut Tail paired with a Gamakatsu Octopus or Drop Shot Hook. If heavier cover is close by, he'll use a Gamakatsu EWG instead.
At Lanier, Hawk employed a 3/8-ounce weight, far heavier than most of the competition used, in order to force a reaction strike. He prefers the Skinny Bear Thin Drop Shot Weight, which he said comes through cover particularly well. Fukae used only a 1/4- or 3/8-ounce weight for his Champlain win, despite the fact that he was fishing deeper than most of the competition. Given his combination of a sensitive rod and limited-stretch fluorocarbon, he felt that those weights maximized drop speed without sacrificing the natural appearance of the worm.
If bank-beating is your game, finding suspended bass over cover might not be worth the time and effort it takes to figure them out. But if you like winning tournaments it's a critical pattern to understand. Once you figure out where they live, more often than not a drop-shot is the best way to get these misunderstood fish to bite.


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Restaurants in Wiscasset
Whether it's a classic culinary temple or a local haunt, these Wiscasset restaurants are destinations in and of themselves. Read on to discover Travel + Leisure's picks for the best Wiscasset restaurants and dining experiences. Browse our travel guides for insider information on food trucks, bakeries, cafés, coffeehouses, farm-to-table restaurants, diners, trattorias, bistros, pizzerias, ice cream parlors, tapas bars, noodle houses, sushi counters, fine dining establishments, and more.
Our global network of editors and writers selects the best restaurants in Wiscasset to help travelers soak up the local scene and find authentic dishes. Whether highlighting an insider hot spot, a celebrity chef's newest restaurant, a hip coffeehouse, or the best place for cheap eats, Travel + Leisure takes you there, serving up the best Wiscasset restaurant listings. Below find T+L's top picks for where to eat in Wiscasset.
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Red's Eats
PRICE RANGE:This central Maine institution has been located along the Wiscasset waterfront since 1954, and before that, in nearby Boothby, beginning in 1938. T... More
Explore restaurants in Freeport + Mid-Coast for more options.
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Zimmerman Detained, but Not Arrested
When police arrive on the scene after Zimmerman's 911 call they find Zimmerman standing over Trayvon's lifeless body. Sanford police take Zimmerman into custody for questioning, but conclude there is not enough evidence to arrest him on murder charges. He tells police he shot Trayvon in self-defense after the teen lunged for his gun. (Photo: AP)
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Photo: Lieutenant General Michael T. Flynn, Director of DIA |
Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, the head of the Defense Intelligence Agency, made that clear when he told National Public Radio in an interview broadcast Friday how U.S. officials must plan for the possibility that Vladimir Putin's Russia has access to American battle plans and other secrets possibly taken by classified leaker Edward Snowden.
"If I'm concerned about anything, I'm concerned about defense capabilities that he may have stolen from where he worked, and does that knowledge then get into the hands of our adversaries — in this case, of course, Russia," Flynn said of the former National Security Agency contractor who fled to Moscow to seek asylum.
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NFL Team Apparel Youth Chicago Bears Team Standard Dri-Tek Navy T-Shirt
See Price In Cart
Product Information:
Your little Chicago fan will look like an MVP this season in the NFL Team Apparel® Bears Team Standard T-Shirt. This team-colored tee features a screen-printed team wordmark and logo on the front. Dri-Tek fabric keeps your young fan in the game into overtime and beyond. A standard fit and crew neck provide comfort for all-day wear. Help your little one gear up for the game with this team-inspired tee.
- Standard fit, crew neck, youth t-shirt
- Screen-printed team wordmark on the front
- Screen-printed team logo below wordmark
- Dri-Tek technology provides comfort
- Fits youth sizes: 8-20
- Officially licensed by the NFL
- Fabric: 100% polyester
- NFL Team Apparel
Country of Origin: China
Web ID: 20241656
Customer Reviews:
NFL Team Apparel Youth Chicago Bears Team Standard Dri-Tek Navy T-Shirt
Great Tee!
Fits and feels wonderful! Great deal at a great price!
February 5, 2014
youth logo shirt
This material is great for kids with sensory issues. I just wish it was a little less expensive. I would definitely purchase more items then.
October 9, 2013
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