This started out to be a very sad day. It is my dad’s 69th birthday, and he was not feeling well — significantly weak and down in the dumps until about 2 p.m., when he perked up and suggested we go to Denny’s on Vestal Parkway for some coffee. It is always a good sign when he wants to go for coffee, so we all left his apartment feeling better. I called Steven and asked if he could come out and he said he would. This is another hot day in a string of hot days and hot days make challenging situations worse because you can’t think of anything other than how damned hot it is. Humid, too. We came back to our scuzzy hotel room and found ants marching in via a hole in the drywall around the window. This presented a problem since the window was near the desk and the laptop on said desk. While I appreciated the free, high-speed, wireless service — the only decent thing about the place — it was rendered useless by the column of ants I needed to brush off my calves every now and again. We stuck a cotton swab into the hole and complained to management. This was early evening. We called back at about 10:00 p.m. for an ETA and were told that “the exterminator left, but was on his way back.” Odd. He finally arrived after midnight – check out the photo above for his likeness. I told management that I did not want ants nor the smell of bug spray in the room. I suggested they look into an actual exterminator, and perhaps even clean around the sides of the building once in awhile. By that time we were beat, so we sprayed a tiny bit of chemical into the hole, stuffed the swab back in and hoped for the best. UPDATE: Months later, we received a full refund based on the complaint we filed
Category Archives: Events
2006 Binghamton Balloon Rally & Spiedie Fest
Today we went to the Binghamton Balloon Rally and Spiedie Fest in Otsiningo Park. The balloon part was last night, actually, and all we saw of that was the traffic jam it caused on Front Street on the way back from Wegman’s. I realized last night that I hate balloon fests, though not as much as parades or circuses. The fest was a large affair with all the same chain booths that you find at almost every street fair around as well as local arts and crafts people and religious organizations. I think I learned more about Jews For Jesus than spiedies. There were also several spiedie booths, the two largest being Salamida’s and Lupo’s, which I understand are competing entities. We sampled one chicken and one pork at the former and two lamb at the latter. I don’t know which was the best — they were all fine, but I am partial to the stronger taste of lamb.
We spent several hours there since there was so much ground to cover and, I must say, it was a cut above. We had been hearing on the radio for weeks that John Corbett would be there performing, and until I arrived at the event I thought it was the Sex and the City guy. I kept wondering why he would be there – that maybe he was from Binghamton – and even chatted with Steve about it. Turns out John Corbett is a country music act. Matt glared at me when he realized my mistake, thinking I was totally out of it.
We had some chain booth crawdads (you know, crayfish) with remoulade and then hopped on one of the shuttle buses back to Broome County Community College, where the car was parked. This event sets up a seriously efficient shuttle system. Alameda County Transit should contact these people for advice.
BBQ in El Cerrito
We made an all-American BBQ today with hot dogs and coleslaw, which is what Jon and Matt were craving. We bought the good hot dogs — the ones with a natural casing that snap when you bite into them. Be sure to toast the buns on the grill for a minute or so, which really makes a difference. Serve heated sauerkraut and yellow mustard with the dogs and you’ll send yourself back in time — before BBQs served tri-tip or portabellos.
Some of the best times I had with my own parents in the 1960’s and 1970’s involved grilling inexpensive steaks and then drowning them in ketchup. It’s just what you did back then. You didn’t need to have ahi tuna on the grill to have a good time. Please don’t send me email to tell me that “grilling” and “BBQing” are different – I know, I know! I’m using a term in common usage, i.e., “We’re having a BBQ today!”
Tom’s 40th birthday
My friend Marq, an always-vegan, threw a surprise party for his partner, Tom, a mostly-vegetarian, often-vegan, where vegan food was served. Including the cake.
Now, as many of my friends know, I like to eat what grows in the earth and have nothing against vegetarian cuisine. What I don’t like is gluten that parades around as New York strip. You’ve heard the comments: “Oh, that braised portabella and tofu cutlet was sooo rich, just like steak!” No it wasn’t. It was a good braised mushroom and tofu cutlet.
When you think about it, carnivorous cooks often prepare vegan food without paying attention. Some dishes are intrinsically vegan, like hummus, and almost everyone likes them. Really, who among us doesn’t appreciate a nice bruschetta?
As long as there’s mouthfeel and a flavor profile it can put its shoes under my bed.
The food served at Tom’s party was like that. Methinks the chef went through quite a bit of olive oil.
Valentine’s Day, Married-style
This is what I have planned for V-day this year: surf & turf. I’m not sure how I’ll prepare the lobster tails — most likely some sauté pan action and then butter and lemon. The oh-so-flavorful ribeyes will be done in a grill pan. Salt and pepper. That’s it. I can’t haul out the Weber so the grill pan will have to do. Add twice-baked spuds and some spring mix and we’re there. Hope he likes the iPod. Hope he doesn’t look at the website today. Hope his coworkers do and laugh their asses off. Oh, one more thing: please don’t rag on me about the feedlot beef. My back is still bothering me and one-stop shopping at Costco was, to quote an excellent episode of The Twilight Zone, “what was needed.”