2007 New York Orchid Show

Old ladies love flowers. I heard one such lady say "ohhh, what a feast for the eyes!!"





















































Some dudes were really into it.

Like I Said, We Ate

Let's do this in reverse order....














Grimaldi's on Saturday night...
















Get Pep...














The Dels left the next morning. Thanks for everything.














Rue 57 on Friday night.....














Not sure why we got this. I was stuffed. I guess just to be complete.














I had the mini Kobe burgers...



























The burgers were the shiznit.














Thursday night was Grand Central Oyster Bar...
















Located in the magnificent Grand Central Station.














Stew.

Stuff Done While Aaron Worked

A smattering of NYC tourism with the Del Castillo's:
















I'm telling Eric!!
















Daniel Son.
















Raptor-style.
















If you haven't noticed by now, these pictures are from the Natural History Museum and the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens.

Did you know I have a baby purple elephant living under my desk at work.































Brewklyn.

Skate Video Monday #11

I'm really behind. Busy times bro. I have a lot more of the del Castillo visit. I will get that up in drips and drabs. For now enjoy Ole Vegan Ed taking a break from teaching 1,2,3s with a little wood pushing in Brooklyn:

Thirsty Thursday #6

Snapperhead
by Butternuts Beer and Ale - Garrattsville, NY
Style: American IPA
ABV: N/A

Had this from a gravity cask at the Gate. I think its pretty limited as far as its availability so don't bother trying to get it if yr not in the Northeast. If it were widely available I would tell you to go pick it up. It's an IPA, which means it's well hopped. But even if you don't like hopped up beer this is still a good choice, because they have somehow hid the stronger hop flavors with fruity ones.

More info on IPAs:

First brewed in England and exported for the British troops in India during the late 1700s. To withstand the voyage, IPA's were basically tweaked Pale Ales that were, in comparison, much more malty, boasted a higher alcohol content and were well-hopped, as hops are a natural preservative. Historians believe that an IPA was then watered down for the troops, while officers and the elite would savor the beer at full strength.

Eatin' Mostly

Sofia's parents are in town this week. We stayed in there hotel before they got there.













Sorry, this is really late. I finally made it to the Ginger Man. 60something taps.













As the title says, mostly eatin'. Our first stop was Burger Joint.













Leti ordered all the food. She did well.













Then touristy stuff.













The next day. Same activity. I was at work while they were doin all this. I still have never been to Wall Street.













?













Peter Luger. Word.













The ice cream was jummy.

Skate Video Monday #10

BRAD STABA from "Nervous Breakdown" with music from Beck and SONIC YOUTH!!!

Thirsty Thursday #5

Dos Equis Special Lager
by Cervecería Cuauhtémoc Moctezuma, S.A. de C.V. - Monterrey, Mexico
Style: American Macro Lager
ABV: 5%

Most everyone's had this beer. It's good. No lime is necessary, but everyone seems to like it with a lime. Much better than Corona.

You may be asking "What the hell is American Macro Lager?" Well BeerAdvocate.com describes it like this:

Light bodied, pale, fizzy lagers made popular by the large macro-breweries of America after prohibition. Low bitterness, thin malts, and moderate alcohol. Focus is less on flavor and more on mass-production and consumption, cutting flavor and costs with adjunct cereal grains, like rice and corn.

Even though this beer is lumped in style-wise with Budweiser and Coor's Light, Dos Equis is a pretty solid brew. A terrific choice if you want something light and refreshing.

¡Felices Pascuas!

Matt and Whitney inivited us over for Easter lunch. We made cookies.













And they made the lunch.













Sleepy situations...













Ole Tiger was bitin'. Major sleepy situations....













Posed family photo. Of course.

ελληνικόσ Corner

Aaron's been wearing me down with incessant requests to go to the Grecian. I finally gave in.














It may have been because I needed to get my dose of classical greek art.














Or maybe it was just a roast beef triple decker sandwich with fries that was calling my name.

Skate Video #9

Split into two parts. Two legends. Stick around for the end credits for a special thanks to someone special.

Happy Repeal of Prohibition!

From BA:

On April 7, 1933 prohibition was finally repealed and BEER was the first legal alcoholic beverage to start flowing again in the US; well at least 3.2 beer was flowing. Anyway ... today is the 74th anniversary of the initial repeal! Let's celebrate with some American Beer!

Saturday Book Review #1

I'm reading The Moviegoer. Aaron claims he's suggested it a couple of times but I never listen to him. Oh well, maybe it's true.

What is the nature of the search? you ask.

Really it is very simple, at least for a fellow like me; so simple that it is easily overlooked.

The search is what anyone would undertake if he were not sunk in the everydayness of his own life. This morning, for example, I felt as if I had come to myself on a strange island. And what does such a castaway do? Why, he pokes around the neighborhood and he doesn't miss a trick.

To become aware of the possibility of the search is to be onto something. Not to be onto something is to be in despair. (p. 13)

Thirsty Thursday #4

Thomas Hooker Munich Style Golden Lager
by Thomas Hooker Ales and Lagers - Hartford, CT
Style: Munich Helles Lager
ABV: 5.3%

Sofia says it reminds her of a park in Summer. I say it reminds me of Munich, specifically the time Sof and I watched the Germany V. Sweden game this past summer.

The Gate is serving it now from a gravity cask. It's delicious. Sweet and Smooth. Get it in the NE for sure in most grog shoppes. Pick up a bottle for dinner. Come on, do it!

About the Munich Helles Lager style:
When the golden and clean lagers of Plzen (Bohemia) became all the rage in the mid-1800's, München brewers feared that Germans would start drinking the Czech beer vs. their own. Munich Helles Lager was their answer to meet the demand. A bit more malty, they often share the same spicy hop characters of Czech Pils, but are a bit more subdued and in balance with malts. "Helles" is German for "bright."

slacker

Aaron's been slacking. I've been swimming in Coles--getting soo ripped.

Skate Video Monday #8

Darts Deathmatch

At the Gate of course.