Woah - is that Luigi in the back?

Click on the picture for an expanded view. Worth the effort!

IMG_4472
Originally uploaded by AzyxA.

Durian Egg Rolls

Durian Egg Rolls
Originally uploaded by brady frequent traveler and eater.

YIKES!!! Who is brave enough to try this?

Feel Better Dave

Sorry to hear you are sick. Get better and fast we are all coming on Sunday !!!!! :)

Snoopy

This was made all out of tin cans. To see other awesome structures. Go to boingboing.net to find the link

Food Podcast

Don't know if you all download podcasts into your mp3 players, but this one is awesome, you can find it on itunes or here:

The Culinary Podcast Network is a group of passionate gastronomes; some of us are professional chefs, and others obsessed gourmands. We've collected some of the finest quality food podcasts available on the web, so you can get all of them here in one place, hot out of the oven! All You Can Eat, Gastrologica, CHIC Podcast, ReMARKable Palate, Jim's Kitchen, Hungry Mag, On Food, Chef Marc's Culinary Adventures. Presented by The Gilded Fork

Hungry Magazine #10: It Takes Matzo Balls No gutbombs or paperweights allowed. You need fluffy matzo balls, the kind that suck up rich chicken broth. You also need freshly steamed moist corn beef, peppery handcut pastrami. Throw in a syrupy rich frothy egg cream, a couple of crusty charming countermen, deep vinyl booths, and a healthy dose of chrome, and you got yourself a old style delicatessen. Bradley Rubin, the owner and visionary behind Chicago’s soon to open Eleven City Diner knows this. In this week’s podcast, we talk to Rubin about the old deli legends, whether you need Brooklyn water to make a good bagel, the elements of a great deli/diner, and the perils of entrepreneurship. food, food podcast, cooking, deli, matzo, Hungry Magazine, Culinary Podcast Network, Gilded Fork

What Eva Ate & Drank At Martha's At the Plantation

What Eva Ate At Martha's At the Plantation
Originally uploaded by brady frequent traveler and eater.

Eva and I had a wonderful time in Nashville. We drove out to Lynchburg and toured Jack Daniels, checked out the Frist museum, saw a show at the Grand 'ol Opry, visited the Belle Meade plantation, and stayed at the crazy Opryland Hotel.

Bring it ON!

Went to a sushi class and bought a rolling pin. Story of my life. :) Here she is. I've been looking at her since I first laid eyes on her a year ago. I remember the moment so clearly. She was red, sleek and shiny. I was there with a friend. Everyone was looking at her. Now, she's mine. And together, we will produce many a saucy tart...

What's the Menu so far

Okay so I was wondering what people will be bringing on Sunday. I dont want to overlap on the entrees you make. Give an idea of what your entree will be. Thanks.

Neha

Ikal del Mar

Ikal del Mar
Originally uploaded by andyb.

Dang, is that pretty. Look at how the fabric is floating from the roof.

I MISS ITALY!!!

"HOW does Rome taste? An odd question perhaps, but the sort that comes to mind when I read travel accounts that define cities by sights and sounds, colors and tempo. What about the flavor, I wonder, meaning that more literally than figuratively."

What an amazing article. I was in Rome for three weeks a couple years ago, when I was broke and unsure of whether or not I had a job waiting for me after the MBA. I was there as a "dorm mom" for a bunch of undergraduates. But I remember finding hole in the wall restaurants that were just heavenly. Pasta steaming with grated black truffle, true eggy carbonara, attentive waiters, endless wine...

Read the article, your mouth will water. :)

Follow the leader

10K for Restaurants

I'm really thinking about doing this 10k, but will see how fit I am when we do the Wrigley Early Run next month. Anyone else interested in maybe the 5k fun run/walk?

***

Main Course. 10K Run & 5K Walk

Sunday, May 21 2006, 8:00 AM, Grant Park - Chicago, IL

Come celebrate the 26th running of the Main Course. with all the goodies you've come to expect. Each participant receives a great 100% cotton shirt; a collection of sponsor provided race souvenirs and the opportunity to sample our sponsors products in the "Runner Hospitality Area". In addition, everyone is eligible to win gift certificates donated by Chicago's finest restaurants and hotels.

New this year is the addition of ChampionChip Timing.

The Main Course. is produced by the National Restaurant Association and held in conjunction with the association's annual Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show, May 20-23 at McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois.

Go to complete information and access to online registration please go to; http://www.restaurant.org/show/events/course.cfm

It's fast, it's easy.

dongdong loves his buddy duckie

dongdong loves his buddy duckie
Originally uploaded by beautyying.

Chicago Encyclopedia!

WOW, look what I came across while surfing about neighborhood referendum, an electronic encyclopedia of Chicago history! Tons of old photos, including this one, of the pink lady just a few buildings north of me:

CLICK HERE

For Michelle

I know how much Michelle loves Dell customer service...

NEW DELHI -- Dell Inc. plans to double the number of its employees in India to 20,000 in three years, Chairman Michael Dell said Monday, in what appeared to be moves by the world's largest personal computer maker to beef up its presence in one of the world's fastest growing markets.

Although most of the new hiring will be made at the company's call centers, there will also be substantial recruitment at its product testing center and a possible manufacturing plant.

Full Story

Amazing point of view!

Sofitel Hotel
Originally uploaded by glamabella.

Henna

Henna
Originally uploaded by carolyn8.

Crazy, huh?! Got henna'd at a Loyola event. Took this picture with Dave's camera phone in daylight, but lowered the exposure.

flicrkz.info

flicrkz.info
Originally uploaded by thomashawkblog.

Very interesting! Link to Thomas Hawk's flickr stream with a link to the flickz.info web site. Some links to very cool photo collections.

HOW DOES THIS WORK??

http://trunks.secondfoundation.org/files/psychic.swf

Potluck Proposal

Okay, it's been awhile since we've done a tribal potluck. I'd like to propose and actual schedule...once a month, on an early Sunday evening, that we get together at someone's place and each bring a new dish. I'd offer to host the first one, but I'd rather wait until the wood floors are in place and the kitchen's done. So if it's okay, I'll take May.

Who's taking April? :)

And to make it even more fun, we can each bring our recipes. Then create an Urban Tribe cookbook. I found a place that'll publish in small batches. :) We've got so many different ethnicities and cooking styles, I actually think it'd make a great cookbook.

Flowers like rainbow

Flowers like rainbow
Originally uploaded by Sharon-雪人.

So cute!

Amazing Zach at Sushi Japan

Amazing Zach at Sushi Japan
Originally uploaded by brady frequent traveler and eater.

Zach is a white guy who grew up in Lincoln, NE who married a nice Japanese girl and is now an awesome sushi chef. He and his wife own Sushi Japan in Omaha, NE. Its next to a tanning salon and tucked behind an Old Chicago and Sizzler. The quality of the fish and the presentation is surprisingly high. People cringe at the thought of sushi & sashimi in Nebraska, but the fish is flown in almost daily from Los Angeles. I've ate Japanese food around the world, including in Tokyo and Kyoto, SF Bay area and Los Angeles, and NYC, and Sushi Japan ranks very high on my top list.

I ate at Sushi Japan about every Tuesday for almost a year and a half. Here he is making his famous dessert roll - avocado, cream cheese, anago roll deep fried with coconut and chocolate sauce. It is amazingly good. No one ever believes me! Last week I was in Lincoln, NE for work and drove the 40 minutes each way for dinner and it was worth it.

A Chapter Ended....

To let you all know the chapter that I wanted to begin has been put to a close. If it will reopen I dont know. For now my heart wont allow it. This is a big blow of reality for me and it will take a while to put myself back in. This is my worst nightmare come true and I know I am not sleeping. Thanks to everyone for their support. Thank you Carolyn for listening to me. I love you very much.

Today's Show Was Brought to You by the Letter "U"

Alright, so I think I'm pretty well-educated, I read books, I use words with more than two syllables...and yet today! I encounter a word I've never heard or used before! A very USEFUL word!

uxorious: excessively fond of or submissive to a wife.

LOVE IT!

Thank god we made it home

Our flight home yesterday was probably the worst flight i have ever had. Not only did i think the plane would fall I though lighting was gonna rip the wing off. Winds were so strong the plane was rocking like there was no tomorrow. I'm jus glad we are on safe ground....let's just say I wont be flying for quite a while!!!!!!!

I love you, Eva

Carnivale - Brady Kissing Eva
Originally uploaded by brady frequent traveler and eater.

Wow

A social worker finally snaps

Reply to: anon-65806895@craigslist.org
Date: Mon Mar 28 09:45:08 2005


After years of idealism, I have finally decided that I am sick and fucking tired of helping the disenfranchised and oppressed. I have a master's degree in social work, and I've worked in a number of different settings. I've been a social worker for Children's Protective Services, a therapist on a psych ward, and I've worked as a case manager for a non-profit that shall remain nameless. I've had a number of clients over the years that I would now like to thank for helping me come to the realization that certain people are beyond help.

1) The mother and father who forced their newborn son to nurse from the family dog: Thank you!! I thought it was going to be just another typical Monday morning. You know, examining 4 year olds and finding anal warts encrusting their little rectums, watching 7 year old little Johnny masturbate the way that Daddy taught him to, and removing little Suzie from her home so Mommy wouldn't be able to put cigarettes out on her thighs anymore. Boring, run-of-the-mill stuff. Then you two beautiful people entered my life. Just in time, I might add! I was beginning to think that abusive parents were losing their sense of creativity. Silly me! What's that? Oh, I know it wasn't your fault. Of course not. No, I agree, formula IS really expensive these days. You're absolutely right, sir, it WOULD have been worse to just let the baby starve. Can I ask you just one question though? Do you think that maybe, just maybe, you could have used your WIC voucher to purchase some formula instead of selling it so you could buy a goddam crack rock? Fuck me, you say? Nope. FUCK YOU, you smarmy pile of rhino shit! Fuck you and your crack whore "baby mama". Your child is coming with me! Merry Fucking Christmas!

2) The meth addict with Borderline Personality Disorder: Sweetie, here's a word of advice. When you are in the midst of a legal battle in which your parental rights are at stake, it is BAD for your case if you show up for your weekly supervised visits with your children spun out of your fucking mind. Also, if you're going to have fresh track marks all over your arms, you should at least wear a long sleeve shirt so I can't see them. We talked about this before, remember? I have to write a report to the judge in a few months, and I can't in good conscience recommend that the court return your children to you when you insist on showing up to your weekly visits high as a kite, wearing nothing but a t-shirt and a toothless grin. Also, it does not help your case if you assault me after I inform you that no, you can't see your kids today due to your inebriated state and your exposed vulva. I know you grew up in poverty, and I sympathize with your plight. Hell, I was poor as fuck growing up. My family was broke as a motherfucker. We lived in the projects and never had no cheese for our hamburgers or nuthin. Somehow, though, we still managed to find ourselves some fucking PANTS when we went out IN PUBLIC!

3) The guy who cut his own dick off and left it sitting on the altar at the Catholic church: Dude, the psychiatrist gave you the Haldol for a reason. You should really try taking it every now and then. You're really gonna kick yourself when you come out of this particular episode and realize that your johnson has transubstantiated into the body of Christ. Look, I agree that the Catholic church did some fucked up shit back in the day, but was this really necessary? What exactly did you think you were going to prove? Oh I know, I know, the voices told you to do it. But if the voices told you to go jump off of a bridge, would you do it? Wait, forget I said that.

4) The crackhead mother with 27 cats: I called you in advance to set up our appoinmet. You KNEW I was going to be at your house that day and that I would be evaluating your progress in making your home habitable so that your kids could be returned to you. So why, oh why did you answer the door with a CRACK PIPE IN YOUR HAND???? Oh, it's not yours? You were just holding onto it for your neighbor? Sure, I'll buy that. Let me ask you something though. Are those your neighbor's cat turds overflowing in the kirchen sink? No, you're right, those litter boxes ARE expensive. Perhaps you shoud consider getting rid of a few of the cats so there will be room for your children. Just a thought. By the way, is that your neighbor's blood coagulating over there on the couch?

5) The crack addict who prostituted her 8 year old son to support her drug habit: Congratulations! You have just managed to turn me into a supporter of the death penalty! What's that? You're concerned about having your little boy placed in an abusive foster home? Oh don't worry, your son is fine, dear. He won't be going to a foster home after all. You see, we had to place him in an institution because he now likes to save his feces in plastic bags so he can use them as lubrication when he jacks off onto women's panties. He also tries to rape other children. What causes him to do such awful things, you ask? Well, I'm not sure dear, but I'll hazard a guess. I could be wrong, but perhaps his current behaviors have something to do with the fact that his MOTHER RENTED OUT HIS ASS TO HUNDREDS OF PEDOPHILES TO SUPPORT HER CRACK HABIT!!!! Bitch, I hope you get ass-raped by Genghis Khan in hell for all eternity. I'd love to beat you upside the head with a tire iron and take a big steaming shit on your chest. I'd probably lose my license if I did that, though.

6) To the woman who didn't want her child to be adopted by those "faggots": It's so refreshing to meet a woman who cares so much about her child for once! You're right, honey. The Bible DOES say that homosexuals are an abomination to God. Tell me, what does the Bible say about punishing your toddler for crying by sticking him with your dirty syringe needles, thereby infecting him with HIV and hepatitis? I know the Bible says "spare the rod and spoil the child", but I don't remember anything about sparing infectuous diseases and spoiling the child. Perhaps you were reading the New International Version? Incidentally, those two "faggots", as you call them, have a few important things to offer your child that you have neglected to provide. What can a couple of faggots offer YOUR child, you ask? Well, first and foremost, they have JOBS!!!! Yes, that's right, JOBS!!!!!!! These jobs provide them with a trivial little thing known as HEALTH INSURANCE, which will be used to cover the medical treatment your child has to receive for the diseases that YOU gave him. These abominations to God are also capable of providing something called a HOME THAT IS NOT INFECTED WITH LICE AND CRACK. Finally, and most importantly, they will give him something known as LOVE. Ever heard of it? Now, kindly go euthanize yourself you miserable cunt.

Ok, I feel much better now. I think I might go back to school for an MBA or something. I'm tired of working to help these people for 60 hours a week at $35,000/year.



it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests
ok to transmit this posting into outer space

What a great idea!!! NOT!!!!

The sticker was hand made by this person in Maine!!!

Heee, we're playing with PS CS :)

Hee, we're in class playing with Photoshop. :)

IM anywhere!

Go to www.meebo.com, you can IM from anywhere, even if you are in a firewall! Web-based IM system.. real nicely done.

IM anywhere!

Go to www.meebo.com, you can IM from anywhere, even if you are in a firewall! Web-based IM system.. real nicely done.

I was hungry...now I'm not.

Boy, this settles the tummy rumbles. And if the picture weren't enough, read the BBC article.

HUSBAND EATS 50-YEAR-OLD CHICKEN

Poor dog

I can't stop laughing......ROFL

The Michelle We Know and Love

IMG_0808
Originally uploaded by carolyn8.

To the public, she is poised, glamorous and reserved. To us, that is all bullsh*t. This picture is the Michelle I know.

Winter in Chicago

Winter in Chicago
Originally uploaded by It's Me!.

Michelle

IMG_0814
Originally uploaded by carolyn8.

Thanks, Michelle! I'll show you the rest when you get back. I just needed a couple decent shots for class. If you're pretty happy with them, we'll do it again, minus the overexposed background. :) I know what to do about stuff like that now!

IMG_0785

This one's my favorite. :) So corporate.

Pricing: Noodles in Lanzhou

So in February, as noodle patrons across the city arrived for their morning fix, an unexpected notice awaited them: The price of a bowl of Lanzhou pulled beef noodles was going up. A large bowl, once only 27 cents, would now cost almost 31 cents.
"Beef Noodle Price Hike Touches Off Nerves Everywhere!" declared The Western Economic Daily, a feisty local paper.

Full Story

Jealous

How come flickr gets one and I don't?

Ok - Pretty Crazy!

IMG_0771
Originally uploaded by carolyn8.

He even has the orange jacket and the hat!!!

Truffle tree for carolyn....You need a dog and room for 18 trees!!!

..ordering information..

Our seedlings are grown in specially controlled environments. Each plant is individually treated and checked to make sure that the black truffle fungus, and only it, is growing on the root system. They are eastern filbert blight resistant. We recommend planting 500 trees per acre, in rows 12 to 15 feet apart, with a space of six feet between trees. The faster the soil is fully colonized, the faster the production. With proper care, trees can be expected to start producing truffles after six years, with full production in ten years. Average production is 75 lbs. per acre/per year. Garland Gourmet (and other mushroom brokers) will currently purchase truffles at a minimum of $300 per pound, depending on market conditions.

Perigord black truffles start to grow in spring and summer, and they are harvested from December through February. Several different methods are used for finding truffles. A pig or dog is used to help locate the truffles. Dogs, of course, can be trained to find most anything. Pigs, specifically sows, are naturally attracted to truffles because they emit a steroid similar to a pheromone produced by boars pre-mating behavior. Pigs can be challenging because they will fight one for the truffles. In France, another long-practiced method for finding truffles is avec la mouche or "with the fly". When ripe, swarms of flies can be seen hovering over the area where truffles are growing.

Price per tree: $22
Minimum order: 18 trees
Call for quotes on quantites over 1,000.

Harvest season is mid November through mid March. Specially trained dogs are used for harvesting the truffles. We offer dog training service, as well as all technical consultation

http://www.garlandtruffles.com/info.html

Cultivated Truffles

Will someone buy me a truffled tree? :) :) :)

"About 100 truffle farms have been started in New Zealand over the last decade and the trend is catching on in the United States, where as many as 30,000 truffle trees are planted annually, according to Charles Lefevre, an Oregon mycologist. The company Mr. Lefevre runs, New World Truffieres, began selling trees inoculated with truffles four years ago to farmers and, increasingly, to notable vineyards like Turley Wine Cellars. On the last weekend in January, more than 400 people attended tastings, cooking demonstrations and truffle cultivation workshops with European experts at the first Oregon Truffle Festival in Eugene, where the company is based."
Full Story

Anagram of the Chicago El Train

For the whole map click here

If this is a full time job Im ready!!!

Its made out of legos!!!

ORANGE YOU DEPRESSED?

ORANGE YOU DEPRESSED?
Originally uploaded by oybay.