Austin

For the purposes of this post, the game which took place in Provo last night did not occur. I prefer my happy memories.

We recently returned from Austin, TX, where we watched BYU play Texas in a close game, and I thought a travelogue was in order. We were fortunate to have our friends Matt and Amber Nielsen with us. They have been great friends for a long time, and Matt and I go back to freshman year at BYU over 14 years ago.

Austin is a great town. As soon as we arrived, we went to see the Texas State Museum. Did you know that Texas was once it's own country? If you didn't, you would after about 1 minute in that museum. and if you missed that mention of it, you would have an opportunity to hear it again every 10 steps or so. Texans do not do small. It was a very nice museum, with some very nice artifacts.

We were hungry at that point and headed to a restaurant that I found on Urbanspoon- Curra's Grill. We had an outstanding meal with excellent service. Each of us ordered enchiladas, choosing from something like 15 different sauces. I chose a Mole sauce that was fantastic. We had great tamales and guacamole. We were very full.

After that we watched the bats feed underneath the Congress Bridge near downtown. It was interesting, but anticlimactic given how highly it ranks as a tourist attraction. There were a lot of bats.

We had breakfast the next morning at The Magnolia Cafe. Delicious. Seemed a favorite hangout of many of Austin's quirkier citizens. We met some very friendly Longhorn fans.

We enjoyed visiting some off the quirky shops in the SoCo (South Congress) area, especially a candy shop, the name of which I don't remember. I learned that there are many, many, many used boots for sale in Austin.

We then toured the state Capitol, which was more interesting than the museum. Did you know Texas was once it's own country?





We had a decent lunch before the game at Darrell K. Royal Stadium. It is a giant stadium, and we were at the very top. Here we are, with a fortunate backrest.



The fans were great, very welcoming, and despite the sad outcome for BYU it was a great trip. I hope to return.

We were fortunate to have my sister and brother-in-law welcome our three kids into their family of 6 for the weekend. We were grateful to know that the were in such good hands.

Tripping in Cali

We had a great trip to California to visit Lacy's family. For excellent photos, I suggest that you visit my sister Lillie's blog. She is a great photographer, and in this post, and several others, she shows a little bit of what we enjoyed.

I ate at Cafe Rio twice (excellent), In-n-Out once (excellent), Cheesecake Factory (excellent). Not very creative options, but still... excellent. The weather was great, as was the company. The ocean was cold. There were dolphins and snakes and children. All wild.

We toured the Reagan Library, quickly- at the kid's pace. It was impressive, a fitting tribute to the man. We ate superb, butter-filled pancakes in Du-Par's in Oxnard. I'd seen the place mentioned in books by Michael Connelly, a favorite author of mine, and wanted to give it a try. We ordered too much food.

We wanted to try a local burger place called The Habit (in Santa Barbara), but long lines and little seating made it a no-go for increasingly rambunctious Isaac. It was a great trip.

Here is a great photo of my beautiful Lacy, and of our family, taken by Lillie.

Al Sur

This was the first year that we have taken an actual "spring break" trip with our family. At Lacy's urging we started looking at things to do and decided to head south to see family and have some fun.

We left Monday and spent a rainy day at my sister's house in Orlando. The kids had a great time, and I learned that Masters of the Universe (available on Hulu) has not aged very well. Our niece Nicole planned a delicious dinner, which included some fantastic cookies that are definitely not a part of my normal diet. I had 3 (they were pancake-sized and worth it).

The next day we went to Disney World, taking advantage of my brother's employment there to get a sweet deal. The kids had a lot of fun, and I've included some pictures below. Due to the crowd, we left the Magic Kingdom for Epcot at about 4pm, which was an excellent choice. We had a pretty tasty meal at the new restaurant in Mexico, as our first choice (the German Biergarten) was not available. We don't drink beer, but the buffet there is fantastic.

We will not be doing Disney during Spring Break again. Far too many people. But still a fun day.

The next day we drove to Miami, where we visited Vizcaya, an impressive estate (now a county park) with some beautiful grounds and a fantastic location. The house was built in the 1910's, and it must have been a fascinating time to be in Miami. We then enjoyed a visit with my aunt Elena and several of my cousins and their children.

The next day was spent at Zoo Miami (formerly the Miami Metrozoo). This has always been one of my favorite parts of Miami, though we hadn't been there in over 7 years. The vegetation now seems fully recovered from 1992's Hurricane Andrew, and the kids really enjoyed seeing the animals. Next time we will rent a quad bicycle to get around the very large zoo.

We visited my great-aunt Elsita, who we had not seen since the death of my abuelita in August of 2009. It was great to show her the kids and enjoy some of her delicious natilla (comparable recipe found here). We took a quick swim in the pool, and then I took Joseph and Millie to dinner with my Uncle Ari and Aunt Kelly. We also got to meet our new little cousin Star, born to my cousin Stacci and her husband JR. The name is a combo of Sta from Stacci and R from JR. Millie is pretty jealous of that name, and has asked me several times since why her name can't be star. Dinner at La Rosa was delicious. We also had a good meal at Havana Harry's (Tres Vacas Fritas & Churrasco), but La Rosa gets the edge for its equivalent meat and FAR superior black beans. La Rosa also serves the traditional toasted and buttered Cuban bread. Joseph ate palomilla twice.

Friday was a lazy morning packing our things and a drive back to Gainesville. We stopped in Orlando at Downtown Disney to enjoy dinner with our friends the Eichelberger's at T-Rex. We ate in the Ice Room, which was a trippy place to be. Periodically the light would change color and we are convinced that it made the kids a little crazy. After that we hit Ghiradelli's and cruised home.

It was a great little vacation. We've spent the last two days listening to our Church's semiannual General Conference and enjoying some "quiet" time around the house and some good food with friends.

Tomorrow? Back to the gym, to work, and to reality. Here are some photos, somewhat out of order, and a video of Millie showing off her rhythm.

Let them Fry!

I have only eaten fried turkey once, at my brother-in-law's house a few years ago. It was probably the best turkey that I have ever eaten, helped no doubt by the marinade injected into the bird.

Ever since that Thanksgiving I have wanted to enjoy it again, but just haven't gotten around to it. This year my parents are on turkey duty, and it will be the traditional roasted kind. Maybe next time we will opt for the fryer.

If you plan to go the fried route, here is a helpful guide from Popular Mechanics.

Less is Less

This article from CNN talks about a nutrition professor who lost 27 lbs on a diet that most would consider unhealthy.

He ate food like Doritos and Twinkies, with the only restriction being his daily caloric consumption. Interestingly, many of the other indicators of health, such as cholesterol and blood pressure, improved after his experiment.

In sum, if you want to lose weight, EAT LESS. Shocking.

Delicioso

We have enjoyed a new restaurant near our house, Sabore (Sah-bore-ay). We have probably only tried 25% of the menu, and almost everything we have tasted we've loved. The menu features small plates, a huge variety of flavors, and latin and asian influences.

My favorite dishes have been the churrasco, mahi, yucca, and empanadas. We also had an appetizer called arangina and a mango cheesecake that was fantastico.

It has a nice vibe and great service. It is worth a visit.

SPOTD #165

Back on the bus.

Today's Phrase:
This Arabic proverb provides a needed lesson for fractious times.

Actual
Tu buen humor es un regalo que haces a los demás.

Phonetic with emphasis on bold syllable
Too bwain oo-more ess oon ray-gah-low kay ah-says ah lows day-mas.

Translation (roughly)
Your good humor is a gift you give to others.

Fantastic
I watched The Fantastic Mr. Fox a few months ago. I thought it was an extremely entertaining movie, with really superb stop-motion animation. I am big fan of the genre, dating back as far as I can remember. This is a pretty cool behind-the-scenes shot of the Badger and the actor who did the voice work- Bill Murray.

Putting in the Time
This is an interesting article about one of the workhorses of the NFL, New York Jets fullback Tony Richardson. He was released and resigned at the start of the season, to the consternation of some people who consider him one of the “good” guys in the NFL.

Cougar Pride
Max Hall was the quarterback of the (my) BYU Cougars for 3 years. He had a great college career, and although he would sometimes drive me crazy in big games he was always fired up to play. He has been signed by the Arizona Cardinals and is now their back-up QB. Read more about it here.

The Real Charlie Chan
Charlie Chan was based on an actual detective who worked in Honolulu around the turn of the century. This is an article about the book written about him, the Cantonese detective Chang Apana.

Serious Care
This guy really likes to take care of his jeans. It is an entertaining look at “optimal jean care.”

A Caper
Can be a delicious addition to many meals. Lacy has enjoyed making a really delicious salmon with lemon and capers. She got the recipe from my sister. Here is a place for some other caper-related recipes.

Vacations for the Apocalypse
This is an amusing look at some places that might be ideal destinations if the world comes to an end.

Link of the Day
This is a fascinating article about the use of linen “armor” in the ancient world. Well worth a look.

Second Lives

Sometimes I think I would like to be a butcher whenever I quit doing what I am doing. I just love cutting meat.

I've never dismembered a whole animal before, but this post from Popular Mechanics gives some of the basics.

You think there is a market for specialty meats in Gainesville?

A Few Things

Just a few things I've read lately, mostly in the WSJ-

• Apparently animals have attorneys in Switzerland. Weirder things have happened. I suppose they are running out of things to spend money on over there.
• Here is a belated remembrance of a woman who played a critical role in developing useful Crock Pot recipes. I am a devotee of the slow-cooker, and I will offer a moment of silence for the good woman when next I cook a favorite dish (Cafe Rio Pork).
• New York politicians are on a roll, as scandal after scandal seems to be emerging.
• I thought this was a neat piece from the NYT on the first Latin baseball player to play in Japan. At 76, he's still there.

Good night.

Nickel & Dime

If you have stayed in a resort at any time in the recent past you may have noticed a "resort fee" being added to your bill. It was either compulsory, or something charged if you wanted to use facilities like the gym. You also probably had to pay for a beach chair or some other heretofore complimentary service.

This trend seems worst at higher-end hotels. It may or may not be disclosed when a room is booked. While on a recent business trip my father discovered that the highly-rated resort hotel assessed a five dollar fee on drop-off and receipt of overnight mail.

As seen in this Chicago Tribune article (found on Drudge), hidden fees have begun to crop up in restaurants in San Francisco. The author decries the trend as in poor taste, and I agree. I would rather see a restaurant raise their prices than impose a fee that may not have been disclosed beforehand.

San Francisco has long been a focal point for culinary trends. I hope this is a movement that remains Bay-bound.

SPOTD #163

On the final day of the first month of 2010, the 163rd Spanish Phrase of the Day-

Today's Phrase:
Unfortunately, I was at a loss for something profound.

Actual
Es bueno leer.

Phonetic with emphasis on bold syllable
Ess bway-no lay-air.

Translation (roughly)
It is good to read.

When is a Poke more than a Poke?
When a poke means planning a hit. A British gangster is using Facebook's networking abilities to maintain his criminal activities.

2009 is gone
But its films live on. Here is Eric Snider's roundup of the best and worst of last year.

Homemade Artillery
Why not? This one can launch pumpkins at 600 mph.

Danger Driver
Want to see the most dangerous road in Europe?

Ticket Avoidance
Want to avoid trouble on the road with the Po-Po? Give these cars your consideration. I do think that their presence on the list is due more to the demographics of the drivers than the vehicles themselves, but there may be safety in these numbers.

Bad Idea Department
Twilight Tattoos. No one will ever regret this, right?

Danger Burgers
This is a list of the worst fast-food burgers, nutritionally. Two of my favorites are on the list.

Seamonster
Scientists have found the skull of a giant sea creature that could have eaten almost anything in the ocean. The skull is extremely well-preserved.

Link of the Day
Check out the most Viral videos of the past decade.

SPOTD #162 Travelin'

I have traveled a lot over the last month and thought I would use this edition to do some reviews. Not sure if anyone cares but me.

Today's Phrase:
We enjoyed our time with my wife's family on our recent trip to California. I am very happy to staying home for Christmas. If you happen to be traveling, this phrase is for you. Otherwise you may use it on others.

Actual
¡Buen viaje!

Phonetic with emphasis on bold syllable
Bwain vee-ya-hay.

Translation (roughly)
Have a good trip!

Eating
Angelo's 2: We had a fantastic breakfast at this old-looking restaurant in Garden Grove. A ton of food, including some delicious huevos rancheros, at a great price.
Yardhouse: On our last night in Cali we ate here with Lacy's family. Half-priced appetizers during Monday Night Football made for a perfect meal, including some of the best chicken tenders that I have ever had.
Point Loma Seafood: One of our favorite places to eat in San Diego. Delicious fish tacos and great clam chowder, with fish fresh off the boats.
Cafe Rio: I would have a real problem if we had one of these in Gainesville, but it would be worth the problem. The steak burrito, enchilada-style is something I always go for whenever I am in Utah.
In-n-Out: Seems like something you either love or hate. More lovers than haters out there, and I am a lover. Somehow they ended up on this list, but I think my twice-annual trips are probably okay.
Olive Garden: I mention it here because their Lasagna Fritta is deliciosa.
Waffle House: You can't beat the Waffle House after midnight. Everyone should go at least once in their life. Atlanta is a great place.

Driving
Expedition: We rented one and it had plenty of room and a nifty electric third row, but I prefer the handling of our Honda Odyssey.
Camaro: The rental version is the less-powered V6 model, but it still looks pretty cool. It handled pretty well, but the small greenhouse puts a serious damper on visibility. I especially liked the fat steering wheel.

Doing
Disneyland: This was my first time. Just as fun as Disneyworld, with it's own charm. The major difference is how small the castle is and how close the park is to the urban areas.
Sea World San Diego: Just like Sea World Orlando with better weather. You can't help but be amazed by the size and speed of the orcas. It made my jaw drop, even though I've seen it before. The sea lion show was disappointing for all its filler. I'd rather just see the animals performing.
World of Coca-Cola- Pretty fun place to pass the time in Atlanta. You can taste some disgusting Coke-produced soda from around the world, and some good ones as well.

Link of the Day
Enjoy some of the signs that have been photographed around the world.

On the Origin of Peppercorn

During a fantastic anniversary dinner I realized that I did not know where peppercorns come from, or pepper.

Now I know. Just thought I'd share.

SPOTD #153

We're going on a little trip later today, but I have some posts in the queue, so never fear.

Today's Phrase:
From pioneering industrialist Henry Ford.

Actual
El fracaso es una oportunidad de empezar de nuevo, de manera mas inteligente.

Phonetic with emphasis on bold syllable
Ell frah-cah-so ess oo-nah ah-pore-too-nee-dahd day em-pay-sar day nway-vo, day mah-nair-ah mahs een-tay-lee-hen-tay.

Translation
Failure is the opportunity to begin again, more intelligently


Movies
We saw Star Trek. I liked it. More here.

Tracking
Michael Yon is a self and reader-financed journalist who has become well known for dispatches from Afghanistan and Iraq. He has been writing about a tracking school in Borneo and it is fascinating. Soldiers from friendly armies all over the world go to this school to learn both urban and jungle/forest tracking. Good stuff.


I Wonder What's in Here?
This is a helpful article from the Wall Street Journal's health columnist on supposedly healthy foods.

Lava Livin'
There is a huge underwater volcano that has led to adaptations in sea life that are new to many scientists. Pretty cool.

Kryptos
There is a sculpture at the CIA headquarters in Virginia called Kryptos. It contains a code that has not been decyphered in the almost 20 years since the sculpture was dedicated. This is an interesting story about it from Wired.

Conspiring Minds
The internet has made it easier for conspiracy nuts to disseminate theories and ideas. This article helps explain how.

Link of the Day
Although the Swine Flu fears have subsided, authorities have produced a simple test at Do I have Swine Flu? It never hurts to be certain.

SPOTD #152

Coming at you from sunny, and increasingly warm, Florida.

Today's phrase:
An excellent phrase, inspired by one of the items below.

Actual:
Más tocino, por favor.

Phonetic with emphasis on bold syllable:
Mahs toe-see-no, pore fah-vore.

Translation:
More bacon, please.

We've Come a Long Way
Since Joseph's aunt and uncle gave him this little gem at Christmas my love of Nerf weapons has been reborn. I happened upon this retrospective of Nerf's finest creations.

Movies
Disturbia: A pretty good thriller. Not a bad rental. Not all that surprising, and a little grisly, but fun.
Run, Fatboy Run: Very funny british movie that had me a little misty at the end. It's the little boy. Not too Hollywoody, with some wacky, but not totally outrageous characters.
Bolt: The introductory sequence to this movie was great. I would watch a show like that. The kids loved it- "Zoom zoom."
Duplicity: First movie I've seen in the theater since Benjamin Button in December. Not bad, but not great. Slick and well-acted, but insubstantial.

Good Sport
This was a great story from the Miami Herald of a local kid getting an unlikely shot at the NFL. I'm not sure if he got drafted, its a good story.
In less happy news, former BYU quarterback John Beck was cut from the Dolphins. His only legacy is the classy way that he played, but I guess that's better than nothing.

Keep on Shrugging
I've written about Atlas Shrugged 5 Times on the blog. One of my favorite books ever, and it may (MAY) finally be made into a movie.

World's Oldest Lady loves...Bacon
And who can blame her? At 115 years she can do whatever she wants.

Idiot Watch
A German woman jumped into the polar bear exhibit at the Berlin Zoo, and then was attacked. I think she got exactly what she deserved.
Honorable mention? Whoever engineered the flyover of the 747 in New York City on Monday.

Link of the Day
Speaking of biting animals, how many piranhas does it take to eat a person? Click the link and find out.

SPOTD #151

It hasn't been that long since the last edition. I've just read a lot of great stuff, especially the link of the day.
I'll be pulling for Michigan State tonight. UNC is pretty formidable. Should be a good game.

Today's phrase:
From Winston Churchill. He would know.

Actual:
El éxito es aprender a ir de fracaso en fracaso sin desesperar.

Phonetic with emphasis on bold syllable:
Ell ake-see-toe ess ah-prain-dare ah eer day frah-cah-so enn frah-cah-so seen dace-ace-pare-ar.

Translation:
Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm.

Rare Dolphins
A large group of endangered Irrawaddy dolphins was found near Bangladesh. This is great, and not just because these dolphins look like alien dolphins (they are actually more closely related to orcas than the familiar bottlenose dolphins).

Battlestar Blues
I am feeling the lack of one of my favorite shows, Battlestar Galactica, and it looks like I'm not alone.
Another show has left the air, ER, and I think that it did so quite well.

Bad Film = Good Humor
Eric Snider reviews Bruce Willis' 1991 film Hudson Hawk:

Die Hard and Die Hard 2: Die More Harder were huge hits in 1988 and 1990, and that gave Willis the confidence to try an idea he'd come up with himself. The concept: a grating action-comedy where the action doesn't make sense and the comedy isn't funny.
The film: Hudson Hawk
The result: I CANNOT SEE YOU, FOR I HAVE CLAWED MY EYES OUT.

Black Market Spokane
A ban on detergents deemed environmentally unfriendly has led residents of Spokane Washington to Idaho.

Bad Call
An interesting bit of history has emerged between T.S. Elliot and George Orwell. Orwell orginally sent the classic book Animal Farm to the publisher where Elliot was director. It was rejected, as its politics were not all that convincing. Very interesting in retrospect.

Link of the Day
I saw this on the Travel Channel- it is something called the Hellfire Challenge at a wing joint called SmokeEaters. The extra-hot sauce has the equivalent of 1/2 a Habanero pepper PER WING! I once ate two habaneros as part of a pepper challenge, but I had non of the restrictions of this place:

1. SIGN WAIVER FORM ADMITTING THAT YOU ARE AN IDIOT FOR THE DAMAGE YOU WILL BE CAUSING YOUR MIND, BODY, AND SPIRIT FOR ATTEMPTING THE HELLFIRE CHALLENGE.
2. PARTICPANT HAS 10 MINUTES TO EAT 12 WINGS TO THE BONE.
3. AFTER EATING 12 WINGS PARTICPANT MUST WAIT AN ADDITIONAL 5 MINUTES AT THE TABLEBEFORE EATING OR DRINKING ANYTHING.
4. NOTHING TO EAT OR DRINK DURING THE CHALLENGE INCLUDING THE 5 MINUTE WAITING PERIOD.
5. NO NAPKINS ARE ALLOWEED TO BE USED DURING THE CHALLENGE OR DURING THE 5 MINUTE WAITING PERIOD.
6. PARTICPANT MUST LICK CLEAN ANY SAUCE ON HANDS BEFORE THE 5 MINUTE WAITING PERIODWILL START.

This is just nuts. Would any of you try it?

Awesome Video Saturday LXXXIV

This video is awesome. Bibbity Bobbity Bacon!

El Plátano

This interesting book review has almost inspired me to read 300 pages about the Banana.

Ever thought about how there are many apples or oranges and only one banana?