Sunday Funnies & Arts

As always, click to enlarge. For more Doonesbury, Tom Toles, Ben Sargeant, and Zippy the Pinhead, go here, here, here, and here...

Happy Birthday, Editilla!...

Happy songs...

Last night, Premium T. and I celebrated Valentine's Day at Cafe Juanita, where we got married. Here's the menu:

First Course

Maine Lobster with Green Apple Sorbetto and Lobter Butter Powder

Chiavennasca '07 Pietro Nera, La Novella

Second Course

Raviolo of Dog Mountain* Duck Egg and Full Circle Farms Sunchokes with Smoked Sea Salt

Barbera d'Alba '07 Bricco del Tempo

Third Course

Filet of John Dory with Winter Citrus

Rosso di Montalcino '05 Agostina Pieri

Fourth Course**

Loin of Veal and Crisp Sweetbreads with Brussels Sprouts, Truffled Potato Crema, Porcini Sauce and Pickled Quince

Montepulciano d'Abruzzo '04 Masciarelli, Marina Cvetic

Dessert

Pralus Chocolate Souffle

Porto '01 Dow's LBV

* A local organic farm

** I substituted Wagyu steak

The heck with Abraham Lincoln -- what about Rutherford B. Hayes? Now there was a real president...

So a big Texan stops at a local restaurant following a day roaming around Mexico. While sipping tequila, he notices a sizzling, delicious-looking platter being served at the next table. Not only did it look good, the smell was wonderful. So he asks the waiter, "What is that you just served?"

"Ah senor," the waiter replies, "you have excellent taste! Those are called Cojones de Toro: bull testicles from the bull fight this morning. A delicacy!"

The Texan hears that and says, "By God, bring me an order."

"I am so sorry senor," the waiter apologizes. "There is only one serving per day because there is only one bull fight each morning. If you come early and place your order, we will be sure to save you this delicacy."

The next morning, the Texan returns and places his order. Sure enough, that evening he is served the one and only special delicacy of the day. After a few bites, inspecting his platter, he called to the waiter and said, "These are fantastico, but they are a hell of a lot smaller than the ones I saw you serve yesterday."

The waiter shrugged and replied, "Si, Senor. Sometimes the the bull wins."

Speaking in Tongues: Novelist Zadie Smith (White Teeth, On Beauty) explores the links between George Bernard Shaw, Cary Grant, John and William Shakespeare, Lord Halifax, herself, Frank O'Hara, and L'il Wayne to Barack Obama in this tour de force:

It's my audacious hope that a man born and raised between opposing dogmas, between cultures, between voices, could not help but be aware of the extreme contingency of culture. I further audaciously hope that such a man will not mistake the happy accident of his own cultural sensibilities for a set of natural laws, suitable for general application. I even hope that he will find himself in agreement with George Bernard Shaw when he declared, "Patriotism is, fundamentally, a conviction that a particular country is the best in the world because you were born in it." But that may be an audacious hope too far. We'll see if Obama's lifelong vocal flexibility will enable him to say proudly with one voice "I love my country" while saying with another voice "It is a country, like other countries." I hope so. He seems just the man to demonstrate that between those two voices there exists no contradiction and no equivocation but rather a proper and decent human harmony.

Citizen K. has begun following angels and people / life in New Orleans, a photographic witness of everyday happenings in the Crescent City...

Anthony Suau wins the World Press Photo of the Year Award for 2008...

Molly the Dog looks out at a dingy waiting room filled with discouraged people:

They look sad and tired. Most have been waiting there for hours. Some of them have appointments and some don't. For a few moments I think I'm working in a clinic in a third world country. Then I remember I'm looking at the poor in a major US city.

Sunday Gospel Hour: Aretha Franklin leads the Georgetown University choir in "Battle Hymn of the Republic":

The carnality of food

As I wrote, the Valentine's Day dinner at Cafe Juanita was amazing. What I didn't write about was the carnality of the experience. That food can be sensual and erotic is practically a cliche. But Cafe Juanita... They served a Roman orgy of a meal, a lover's paradise of a banquet, a repast of gender emblems.

 

Take the citrus salad with hearts of palm. A half avocado sliced lengthwise reclines beneath ovarian grapefruit and blood orange, topped with a frisee of hearts of palm and thin-sliced marinated red onion. The local spot prawns served in their carapaces, which sequester a cornucopia of roe spilling out when the shell is pulled away. The raviolo, a deceptive disk that explodes with a fireworks of hidden flavors when bitten into. The steak covered with a layer foie gras that goes down like meat butter. All of which set up the dessert -- a chocolate souffle than one opens carefully and spills vanilla creme into. Get the picture?

  

Amy Denio writes from Ireland: "On the way out of the cemetery [of Ballintubber Abbey near Westport), I noticed a grave of a man who had died at age 50 about 5 years ago, and at the bottom it was written 'there are so many songs to sing' with RIP right below that, and ‘always loved’ at the bottom, which I found incredibly sad. At first I thought 'that's what I want on my gravestone...' But seeing that triggered some wierd deep sadness about a musician dying young, I could almost see the fellow singing joyously, friends all around. In fact, as I started driving away, I found myself racked with sobs. It really touched a nerve, seeing ‘there are so many songs to sing’ on a gravestone. I’m almost finished writing a song with that title. It was a very strong experience."

Now, you can listen to the song, "Ballintubber Abbey," here. It's a beauty, and I bet you can hear it in the pubs of Mayo before long.

Speaking of beautiful music, is there a prettier American song than "Shenandoah"? Listen to Englishman Richard Thompson's stunning version here.

The Seattle P-I has this troubling story about the rape of a Kirkland servicewoman while in the Army. Veteran's Administration statistics show that 19% of their female patients were diagnosed as victims of military sexual trauma. (And we all know that the numbers are greater than that because many rape victims choose not to seek treatment or report it at all.) While this has been an ongoing problem in the military, one wonders whether the lowering of recruiting standards has exacerbated it.

Call me a charter member of the I Detest Joe Lieberman Club. I haven't liked Holy Joe since 1998 when he lectured Bill Clinton from the Senate floor. Now he's cavorting with John McCain even though he promised the voters of Connecticut that he'd support the party nominee in 2008. A great reason in and of itself to pick up a half dozen Senate seats would be to kick that s------------- out of the caucus. (I don't use profanities in this blog, but if there was ever an exception to the rule...)

Meanwhile, don't miss this inspirational video of his playmate.

The sound of the leaves, the cry of the river...

Last night's Valentine's dinner at Cafe Juanita was, hmmm... Exquisite? Edenic? Exalted? Erotic? You get the idea. Suffice to say that the execution of the menu was as flawless as the menu was inspired. For Valentine's Day, C Juan offered this tasting menu:

Local Spot Prawns, Butter Poached with Prawn Bodetto and Kaffir Lime Leaf

Rising C Ranch Citrus with Avocado and Hearts of Palm

Raviolo of Sky Valley Pastured Egg and Celeriac with Parmegiano Reggiano

Wagyu Tenderloin with Foie Gras Sauce

Praius Chocolate Souffle with Vanilla Crema and Candied Citrus

or

Carmelized Meyer Lemon Tart with Blood Orange Marmallata and Creme Fraiche

Plus, an optional and superbly chosen wine flight culminating in a Vin Santo paired with the Chocolate Souffle. The Italian Chardonnay paired with the citrus salad just about revised my disenchanted perspective on Chardonnays. (They inevitably taste as if they've been kept in oak for the better part of century. Not this one, though.) More about this meal and the nature of food and cooking tomorrow.

Quote of the Day: 

"The mountains were tumbled about, in a thousand fantastic ways."

-William Makepeace Thackeray, writing of Connemara in 1842

You can see what he meant here. And if you haven't read Vanity Fair, what are you waiting for?

Ever since Foxessa put me on to WWOZ last week, I've been investigating their DJ's recommendations of the top New Orleans' CDs of 2007. I've got some stuff on order that should start trickling in next week. Stay tuned!

He's red and she's blue. Diane Mapes explains the pitfalls of dating someone who is your political opposite. Hey, we knew all along that liberal girls were more fun.

It's Friday, so it's also Coach Gibbons day. Today's routine:

1000 meter row

------

Five sets of:

15 dumbbell dead lifts (two dumbbells @ 35 pounds each)

15 kettlebell swings (35 pounds)

100 feet of lunges

------

Three sets of:

Row sprints designed to maximize power generated. Four strokes to build power, then five, six, and seven strokes at at least 200 watts.

Three dive bomber pushups

I'll leave you with the lyrics to Bruce Springsteen's "Valentine's Day." It's a beauty.

Killian Heard: Sound Grammar, Ornette Coleman. 78 years old and the guy hasn't lost a thing, either as a composer or as a musician.

Wedding Day Day (con't)

T. and I chose Kirkland's Cafe Juanita for our wedding and reception because it has the best combination of creativity, execution, and service we have ever experienced. Before the wedding, we would have put it up against any restaurant anywhere. After...well, it was a completely over-the-top experience. Not only was the menu magnificent, Holly Smith and her staff treated us and our guests as if we were long-time friends. Do yourself a favor and go there.

We had a corner table with tables for six for our guests along walls in either direction. This allowed us to circulate easily and visit with our friends and family. Everyone liked their tablemates, which turns out to be a great thing at a wedding reception.

Menu (served family style):

Salt Cod and Hearts of Palm Fritti

Fra'Mani Salame with Balsamico Panna Cotta

~~~~~

House Made Pappardelle with Goose Sugo and Parmigiano Reggiano *

Taleggio Raviolini with Pinenuts, Pomegranate, and Marjoram

~~~~~

Winter Citrus Salad with Avocado, Rising C Citrus, and Pickled Shallots

~~~~~

Whole Roasted Branzino** with Taggia Olive Pepperoncini Vinaigrette

Oregon Saddle of Lamb with Sunchokes in Bagna Cauda and Housemade Pepporoncini Fariciti Piccanti

Quail with Broccoli Rabe and Marsala Sauce

~~~~~

Wedding Cake ***

* Exquisite, and the first time they made it!

** Branzini is a Mediterranean sea bass

***A rich yellow cake with raspberry mousse filling and Italian buttercream icing

Serendipity

M-Day! Three of my four bros arrived yesterday. I'd just picked up Dad and Rosa when Jim called to tell me that he, Joe, and Frank were here and on their way from the airport. And Bob should be here this morning. 

While cleaning out my closet earlier in the morning, I found a wonderful picture of Mom, Dad, and Frank's daughter Phyllis when she was a baby. Mom would love T. (and vice versa). So much has happened since Mom died -- the MS scare and cancer; Laura's death; the boys' growing up, graduating, and leaving for college; T. coming into our lives -- that it's as if a lifetime came and went. 

At four, off to Cafe Juanita and the rehearsal. The chairs reconfigured. A song incorrectly downloaded. But the room looks right and we're ready. After, a nice dinner at the Pomegranate Bistro then off to celebrate my last night of bachelorhood with my brothers. Except that I'm worn out and they're done in from a day of flying. So I watched reruns of The Rifleman and Oz, took a Xanax, and went to bed. Tonight, my third life begins.