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January 31, 2005
Book Ends
I think we all just ought to agree that this stuff cancels out Howard Zinn and move on from there.
Posted by stan at 10:24 AM
Port Cranes
Posted by stan at 09:29 AM
January 29, 2005
Dunkin' Reunion
This morning (and last weekend) Sara & I made a pilgramage to one of the two Houston area Dunkin' Donuts. The excitement level in the car jumped considerably as we rolled towards Bellaire Ave. and could see the top of the DD sign over the top of a couple buildings.
There were some small differences, a regular coffee is apparently black in this neck of the woods, but in the important areas, like slow service and uneven quality, it was just like home.
As a bonus, on our way out last weekend a woman actually backed into a guy walking in the parking lot with her giant SUV! Luckily, it was just a tap and the guy was too shocked that he just been hit by a giant SUV to get very angry. And no, the woman didn't even get down out of her giant SUV, but she did roll down the window to see if he was OK. As she insisted, "I was looking back! I looked back!"
Posted by stan at 01:49 PM
January 28, 2005
Martini
Posted by stan at 10:59 PM
Yet More Port Of Houston Pictures
I like to call this little series "Reflections on the Port of Houston," but it should probably more properly be know as "We Get The Picture, There Is A Lot Of Industry Here, Is This Boat Tour Almost Over? I'm Getting Bored, Maybe I'll Take A Picture Of This Reflective Window. Go Sox."
Also, for your benefit I've cropped the cuddling couple at the front of the boat out of these pictures. I suppose they can't be blamed, they're young, in love, on a romantic boat ride past the world's largest grain elevator...
Posted by stan at 09:05 AM
Port Of Houston
If you ever have the chance and you have a pretty sturdy immune system, you should definitely take the Port of Houston boat tour.
Here are some more pictures via a more talented photographer.
Posted by stan at 09:01 AM
January 27, 2005
Galvaston Alley
Say what you will about Texas, but they've got some awful nice alleys. Palm trees!
Posted by stan at 12:57 PM
January 26, 2005
College Campuses
This is the kind of thing I'd expect to see back at home more than down here in this bright red state. I was shocked, shocked I say to walk by this sign on campus the other day. Apparently, UH and all those firmly entrenched in the ivory towers here (though in truth, they are more like large boxy rectangular towers on this campus) are big fans of that freedom of speech stuff, provided your speech is expressed exactly how they specify it in University of Houston Freedom of Expression if you Express it Properly Policy. Also, please don't leave the designated free speech area, make that speech too loud, too early in the morning, or write anything on a sign anyone can see. This all brought to you by the same folks that are all in a tizzy about the Patriot Act.
Yep, it's a little bit of home right here in the Lone Star State!
Of course, it can't be as bad as the last free speech pen I saw.
Posted by stan at 10:47 PM
Houston SUVs
I realize people down here in Houston like the big SUVs a little bit more than those back home in Boston, but I think it might be getting a little bit out of hand...
Posted by stan at 10:25 PM
January 25, 2005
Yet More Oslo
The last of the random Oslo pictures, though these two could have been taken in Detroit for all you know. The first two batches are here and here.
Posted by stan at 12:02 PM
January 24, 2005
Opening Day
Is in just a little over 69 days...
Posted by stan at 10:41 AM
Why The Steelers Lost
I've heard a lot of reasons why the Pats beat the Steelers yesterday, better defense, better coaching, superior leadership, etc., but for my money the Steelers need only blame this guy:
We're all like devastated," Nick Hoban said after the game. Hoban, who lives on the South Side, said he already had purchased six airline tickets, six Super Bowl tickets and several Jacksonville, Fla., hotel rooms for him, his two sons and three nephews. Total cost: $25,000.
The guy spent $25 grand BEFORE his superbowl chicks had hatched? If a Red Sox fan tried some business like that he'd be drawn and quartered.
Via the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Posted by stan at 10:09 AM
January 22, 2005
Girl In Boots
Posted by stan at 06:06 PM
January 21, 2005
Things You Didn't Hear At Boston College
From last night's class at the University of Houston:
Professor: So, what can you tell me about Southwest Airlines business model?
Student: All I know is that they don't fly to Laredo.
Posted by stan at 09:57 AM
By Royal Permission
We drank this Thai beer at the excellent Erawan Thai restaurant on San Felipe the other night, it was about as good as you'd expect a Thai beer to be. Apparently you need permission from the monarchy to be solidly mediocre in Thailand. Luckily for this blog, no such permission is required here in the good ol' USA.
Posted by stan at 09:05 AM | Comments (1)
January 20, 2005
Busted Chair
Here is one of our dining room chairs after Sara sat on it. I wonder how often this would happen if she wasn't so skinny?
Posted by stan at 09:02 AM
January 19, 2005
Three Important Things
Posted by stan at 10:14 PM
More Old Oslo Pictures
Some more old shots from my trip to Oslo last spring, here is the first batch if you're interested, though this does have a do-you-want-to-see-the-neighbors-slides-from-there-trip-to-the-grand-canyon kind of feel to it. Oh well.
Here's the Parliment building, from what I gather they don't even lock the doors. I was a little worried that I would bump into the PM outside and, ever the ugly American, not know who he was, so I usually stayed away from it.
Right across the street from my hotel, but I didn't have time to do anything except walk by.
The waterfront along Oslo Fjord was very nice, especially due to the unseasonably warm March weather they were having at the time. I guess the whole area use to be a big industrial shipyard, but they eventually turned it into a residental area once ships started getting too big for the berths. The above is one of the many old drydock that they flooded to create private marinas.
The Palace was right across the street from my hotel too, the above is a picture on a morning walk I took. They too have guards with elaborate hats & M-16s, just like the Brits. Must be a monarchy thing.
The place in the distance, taken from further down Karl Johan Gate.
Posted by stan at 11:54 AM
January 17, 2005
Crazy Marvin Zindler
This crazy guy does a daily commentary segment on one of the local news . Tonight, he did a hard hitting story on having to undergo couseling before getting married at the 2nd Baptist Church of Houston. Apparently, a young couple he knew wanted to get married there, but thought the wouldn't be able to since the guy had been divorced before. Turns out the could get married there, what a story!
He is best known for lowering the boom on the Chicken Ranch in LaGrange, TX. This later led to us being subjected to Burt Reynolds and Dolly Parton a singin' and a dancin' in the dreadful Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.
And what does he get for punishing his audience over and over this way? That's right, the TV station signed him to a lifelong contract!
Oh how I underappreciated you when you were in my life, Hank Phillipi Ryan.
Posted by stan at 11:27 PM | TrackBack
Augusto Pinochet or AC Slater?
A fun internet time waster.
Correct guesses so far: Gomer Pyle, Hot Lips Houlihan, AC Slater
Wrong guesses so far: Alex P. Keaton, Pol Pot & Pinochet
Posted by stan at 05:28 PM
Salary Clock
In case you ever wondered how much more money Britney Spears makes than you, here's your answer.
Posted by stan at 04:49 PM
The Patron Saint of Brewers
At a reader's suggestion Sara and I sampled St. Arnold's Elissa IPA & Amber Ale. I like hops, but the IPA was pushing it with me (the website says only about 60 IBUs, but I find that hard to believe).
The Amber, on the other hand, compared favorably to my old friend Stone Pale Ale. It reminded me of the good old days, back at Anam Cara in Boston with my best girl, a Sox playoff game on the big screen, two plates of mac and cheese with sausage on order in the kitchen, ah...
Continuing on the bright side, it turns out that the Elissa, a 19th century tall ship, happens to be docked right down the road in Galvaston, which we'll have to pay a visit to some day soon. I worked within spitting distance of the USS Constitution for a month though, not sure it can top Old Ironsides.
Posted by stan at 12:12 PM | Comments (1)
January 16, 2005
The Pope
Posted by stan at 03:40 PM
January 14, 2005
The Modern American Family
Posted by stan at 07:07 PM
The National Beer of Texas
Posted by stan at 09:35 AM
January 13, 2005
Teddy Kennedy
Boy, imagine the hoopla if someone like, say, Tom DeLay, had made this slip of the tongue?
"Kennedy also mangled the name of the Democrats' new star, Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, calling him "Osama bin … Osama … Obama."
Posted by stan at 02:52 PM
Lindeman's Kriek
Lest we get too excited with the Era of Cheap Mexican Beer, Sara & I sampled Lindeman's Kriek, a black cherry lambic from Belgium. The verdict? Well, it sure smells nice, but it is just a little too sweet for my taste, I prefer the Framboise.
Posted by stan at 08:36 AM
Grill
Sara grills a burger.
Posted by stan at 08:00 AM
January 11, 2005
Chicago
Some great Chicago pictures for the Sun-Times.
Posted by stan at 12:35 PM
Lone Star Telephone Company
If you do a search for "Lone Star" in Texas on yellowpages.com, you get 1798 listing, which seems a drastic understatement. I'd say it's more like 1798 companies that do not incorporate "Lone Star" into their name in one fashion or another. My favorites so far:
-Lone Star Anesthesiology Consultants
-Lone Star Karaoke
-Lone Star Pain Medicine
-SWEET ADELINES LONE STAR CHORUS
-
Posted by stan at 09:45 AM
Fenway Cranes
Posted by stan at 09:29 AM
January 10, 2005
Cheap Mexican Beers
I am really starting to enjoy The Era of Cheap Mexican Beers. The PBRs of our neighbor to the south.
Posted by stan at 10:52 AM
January 09, 2005
On All Occasions
Posted by stan at 08:38 PM
The Texas Rose
We stopped by the delightful if not slightly sketchy Texas Rose Restaurant in Kirbyville for lunch. We didn't stick out like sore thumbs at all. Despite reminding me of eating in someone's living room, the food was good and the service Texas friendly (seriously, kids under 8 eat free? An 8-year-old can't get a free ride on the T back in Boston). Bonus points for the Kenny Rogers clock, which I was tempted to steal off the wall, as well as the fact that we could actually hear cows mooing as we ate (there was some sort of cattle depot out back). Points deducted for the impossibly small bathroom and the fact that further research has uncovered the previous name of The Texas Rose - "The Cow Paddy".
You gotta know when to hold 'em,
Know when to fold 'em,
Know when to walk away and, apparently, know what time it is.
What are you talking about? I'm not scared right now, I swear.
Posted by stan at 05:42 PM
Bridge To Texas
We took a quick 350-mile or so sojourn into east Texas yesterday, which culminated in a very brief trip into a rather rough part of Louisiana, Burr Ferry to be exact. We were happy to seen this bridge over the Sabine River back into Texas, where we continued to "Drive Friendly - The Texas Way."
Posted by stan at 04:30 PM
Texas Stuff
We get it, we're in Texas, it's big and is the Lone Star State. Enough already.
Posted by stan at 12:40 PM
January 07, 2005
La Carafe
Somebody beat me to the punch on this topic, but oh well.
Posted by stan at 09:25 PM | Comments (1)
Behind The Times
There is a point where an admirable persistence becomes a sad inability to accept reality. These folks passed that point a couple years ago I'd say.
Posted by stan at 10:52 AM
Texas' Sam Adams
Posted by stan at 09:59 AM
January 06, 2005
Peep
Posted by stan at 01:32 PM
Mexican
We officially arrived in Houston this past weekend, with our first sampling of real Mexican food at El Pueblito Place on Richmond Ave. Sure was better than Boston Mexican, that's for sure.
Posted by stan at 11:34 AM | Comments (1)
January 05, 2005
Cement As Far As The Eye Can See
Posted by stan at 09:30 PM
Just A Shame
Winter weather advisory: The snowstorm hitting southern New England will taper off to flurries this afternoon before getting stronger again tonight, according to the National Weather Service. Expect accumulations of 3 to 7 inches, followed by sleet and freezing rain.
Posted by stan at 02:07 PM
CameraMail
An inside look at the United States Postal Service.
Posted by stan at 02:03 PM
Book
Posted by stan at 08:21 AM
January 04, 2005
Carta Blanca
If you're like me you went through a frighteningly long John Steinbeck phase from junior year in high school to freshman year in college, because nothing makes those years more special than constant reminders of the plight of the downtrodden. And perhaps the phase was so deep that you even tortured yourself by reading The Log From the Sea of Cortez, which was about the terribly dull marine biology survey of the Gulf of California in Mexico that Steinbeck took with his old buddy Eddie Ricketts. Here's a typical passage:
"Found another tidal pool. Three sea anemone, four sea cucumbers, eight star fish. The sickly sweet smell of the mangrove trees permeated the air"
And so forth. There was also a lot about how the commercial fishing industry was hurting the ecosystem, true enough. Anyway, for such a dull book there are still two things I remember pretty vividly. One is the mention of a town called Puerto Escondito, which is on the southwestern coast of the Gulf of California, I think. I just rolls off the tongue, I never forgot it for some reason, in fact I think I might have mentioned it as a possible honeymoon destination. The second thing I remember is that the beer they both liked and drank during the voyage was Carta Blanca. At some point I pestered my father to pick some up, it wasn't very good as I recall.
So then, what did I see at the grocery store the other day? That's right, a giant quart bottle of Steinbeck's favorite. I figured I had to give it another shot, it can't be bad if they sell it by the quart, can it?
Posted by stan at 10:40 AM | Comments (1)
The Anatomy Of A Black & Tan
After watching me consistently botch my black and tans every visit to my parents house in New Hampshire, they mercifully bought me one of those clip-on thingamabobs that distributes the Guinness nice and neat like.
The thingamabob packaging also suggested that we try making a Black Velvet, which is Guinness and Champagne, but I think I'd rather jump off a bridge than try that.
Posted by stan at 10:06 AM
January 03, 2005
Snowy Drive 8 Days Ago
Today's Forecast: 72 Degrees
Posted by stan at 09:59 AM
Numbers
Symphony Hall
Boston, MA
December 2004
Posted by stan at 09:36 AM
January 01, 2005
Longhorns
If you're like me, you rang in the new year by busting open you 2005 Longhorn calendar. That's right, 16 full color, high quality stills of future steaks and hamburgers to take you right through to 2006.
Posted by stan at 11:29 AM