On Tuesday my Blackberry died. It was on with a fully charge battery was fully when the device shut off and refused to turn back on. I'm currently waiting for a new battery from RIM, and hoping that a new battery is all I will need. In the meantime I have a loaner phone from my carrier.
I would have thought that lack of e-mail would be the biggest issue. For the first day or two, it was odd not to be able to check e-mail throughout the day. However, the biggest inconvenience so far has been the lack of a calendar. I would make plans to do something and think, "Oh, I'll put that in my calendar," before realizing that I couldn't. The loaner phone has no calendar.
I didn't realize just how dependent I'd become on having a smartphone until the Blackberry died. Now that I've become more forgetful, having a PDA that reminds when to do stuff and where to go has been extremely helpful. And now that I don't have one I feel a little lost. Sad, but true.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Friday, January 30, 2009
Drinks at the Ritz-Carlton, Boston Common
Twice in two weeks I've stopped in at the Ritz-Carlton on the Boston Common for drinks. As you might expect at a posh hotel, everyone was extremely nice, and the atmosphere was upscale but laid back.
On the first visit, which was last week, my friend and I went into the restaurant, JER-NE. We started with dessert wines. Sadly, I don't remember the names of them, but his was the better of the two and was from South Africa. I think it was second or third on the list. It was sweet, and had a nice body to it, but wasn't overpowering. For our second drink we each tried a port. Mine was the Dow 5 Year Reserve*. He had the Sandeman. We agreed that mine was better. Once again, it was sweeter, and fuller tasting than the Sandeman.
The second visit was tonight, with a different friend. We sat in the lobby where it was quieter. She got the blackberry mojito, which was sweet with a hint of the rum. I ordered the Rockwell Classic, made with Hendrick's gin, simple syrup, and lime (possibly lemon if my memory is faulty), and served in a salt rimmed glass. I liked the drink, but others may find it too sweet and lacking enough gin taste. The salt helped counteract the sweetness. The drink also had a light touch. The only problem I found with it is that some salt had sunk to the bottom of the glass, making the last sip salty. I liked the saltiness, but I'm not sure I wanted to finish the drink that way.
*I'm fairly certain it was a 5 year reserve, but it was a week ago so my memory might be off. There were two Dows, and I got the younger of them.
On the first visit, which was last week, my friend and I went into the restaurant, JER-NE. We started with dessert wines. Sadly, I don't remember the names of them, but his was the better of the two and was from South Africa. I think it was second or third on the list. It was sweet, and had a nice body to it, but wasn't overpowering. For our second drink we each tried a port. Mine was the Dow 5 Year Reserve*. He had the Sandeman. We agreed that mine was better. Once again, it was sweeter, and fuller tasting than the Sandeman.
The second visit was tonight, with a different friend. We sat in the lobby where it was quieter. She got the blackberry mojito, which was sweet with a hint of the rum. I ordered the Rockwell Classic, made with Hendrick's gin, simple syrup, and lime (possibly lemon if my memory is faulty), and served in a salt rimmed glass. I liked the drink, but others may find it too sweet and lacking enough gin taste. The salt helped counteract the sweetness. The drink also had a light touch. The only problem I found with it is that some salt had sunk to the bottom of the glass, making the last sip salty. I liked the saltiness, but I'm not sure I wanted to finish the drink that way.
*I'm fairly certain it was a 5 year reserve, but it was a week ago so my memory might be off. There were two Dows, and I got the younger of them.
I guess it's better than raising the postage rate, maybe
Not only is print media getting hit by the rise of the internet, but so is the US Mail:
Personally, I hate "no mail" days. I like checking the mail box M-Sat, but with e-mail, online magazines, and online bill pay, I have decreased the amount of mail I send, so it seems reasonable to consider cutting back on delivery. It just seems a little sad that 6 day mail delivery might go away.
"WASHINGTON - Worsening economic conditions and the changing habits of Americans are threatening to do to the US Postal Service what neither snow, nor rain, nor gloom of night could: stop delivery of the mail, at least by one day each week." (Full article here)
Personally, I hate "no mail" days. I like checking the mail box M-Sat, but with e-mail, online magazines, and online bill pay, I have decreased the amount of mail I send, so it seems reasonable to consider cutting back on delivery. It just seems a little sad that 6 day mail delivery might go away.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Out of Town News to stay... for now
The Boston Globe reported that Out of Town News in Harvard Square will NOT be going out of business. Some good news for those of us who wanted the landmark to stay. But, the bigger question is, for how long will Out of Town News remain in business given the declining sales in newspapers, etc.? Will this reprieve last? As much as I would like Out of Town to remain, I know they have an uphill battle. With the internet providing instant news from wherever how much demand is there for buying magazines and newspapers both local and from around the world?
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Cambridge 1
I had dinner at Cambridge 1 on Church St in Harvard Square, a short walk from First Parish UU and the Church St exit of the T. It's one of my favorite places to get pizza. They serve flat bread pizza with toppings that range from regular (tomatoes, basil, cheese) to more interesting (lobster, corn, scallions). They also have microbrews if you want beer with your pizza.
Feeling budget conscious, I skipped the lobster pizza, a very delicious treat, and got the potato pizza - potatoes, fontina, parmesan, romano, rosemary, and garlic. No tomatoes or tomato sauce. A half pizza should feed one person, and the half portion of the potato pizza costs $8. The potatoes on the pizza are both thinly sliced and mashed. The cheese give it a nice salty taste, and there's a touch of butter in the pizza's flavor. I don't know if they actually use butter or another oil that mixes with everything else to give a buttery taste.
With my food I had a Bellini - Prosecco with peach puree. It was dry with a hint of peaches. Overall, it was pleasant, but I think I would have liked it a little sweeter and with a stronger peach taste.
Feeling budget conscious, I skipped the lobster pizza, a very delicious treat, and got the potato pizza - potatoes, fontina, parmesan, romano, rosemary, and garlic. No tomatoes or tomato sauce. A half pizza should feed one person, and the half portion of the potato pizza costs $8. The potatoes on the pizza are both thinly sliced and mashed. The cheese give it a nice salty taste, and there's a touch of butter in the pizza's flavor. I don't know if they actually use butter or another oil that mixes with everything else to give a buttery taste.
With my food I had a Bellini - Prosecco with peach puree. It was dry with a hint of peaches. Overall, it was pleasant, but I think I would have liked it a little sweeter and with a stronger peach taste.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Grenadine
Candy
Is dandy
But liquor
Is quicker
- Ogden Nash
With grenadine, you can have BOTH your candy and your liquor. Last night I made grenadine using 2 cups of pomegranate juice and 2 cups sugar. I mixed them over high heat until the sugar was completely dissolved. I then let it cool before putting in the refrigerator.
Homemade grenadine makes a really nice, light syrup. I imagine it would go well on ice cream and waffles. I already know it goes well on French toast since I tried that at friend's a few months ago.
Is dandy
But liquor
Is quicker
- Ogden Nash
With grenadine, you can have BOTH your candy and your liquor. Last night I made grenadine using 2 cups of pomegranate juice and 2 cups sugar. I mixed them over high heat until the sugar was completely dissolved. I then let it cool before putting in the refrigerator.
Homemade grenadine makes a really nice, light syrup. I imagine it would go well on ice cream and waffles. I already know it goes well on French toast since I tried that at friend's a few months ago.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Keeping lettuce fresh
A few posts ago I wrote about Boston lettuce being packaged with its roots as a way to keep it fresh longer. It's working. But, you can't always get a head of lettuce attached to its roots. And Boston lettuce can be pricey. What if I just want some romaine or red leaf? Luckily, Jeremy at Generation X Finance posted his method for keeping lettuce fresh for a week. I was very excited to see this since I don't eat salad precisely because the lettuce usually goes bad before I've finished it. The secret is keeping moisture away from the leaves.
Working storage outside COBOL
As I was reviewing a Unix Korn shell script I wrote a few years ago I noticed I'd commented the variable declarations as "Working Storage." This is what that section would be called in COBOL, a language I suspect fewer and fewer people use nowadays. Odds are a younger programmer who's never worked on a mainframe would see that comment and think, "Huh?"
In the future I should probably use a more universal term, like "Variables," otherwise I'm just making myself look old and uncool. Then again, maybe not. There might be some cool points to be gained in knowing a legacy technology. After all, it's still impressive and increasingly rare to come across someone who can read a hex dump with his or her own eyes.
Free soup at Falafel King
Falafel King now gives free soup with meals. I ordered a hummus sandwich and was initially miffed I didn't get my free falafel. But, my displeasure at missing out on a tasty falafel disappeared when I was asked which soup I wanted. Not only was I getting free soup, but I had a choice of four kinds! I went with the lentil soup, which has some spiciness to it.
Not bad for $5.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Grape Nehi
1 part gin (original calls for vodka, but I used gin instead)
1 part Chambord
1 part lemon juice
Shake with crushed ice. Strain into glass.
This is not Radar O'Reilly's Grape Nehi. This is more like Hawkeye Pierce's Nehi. Although Hawkeye would have used more gin, or vodka, or whatever lighter fluid they distilled in The Swamp.
Overall, it's a pleasant drink, but a touch too sweet. And it felt like it was missing something, maybe some fizz. Or maybe it would be better if I swapped out the Chambord for real grape juice.
As an aside, I have had Grape Nehi soda. When I was a young teen one summer I worked at a place that solde grape nehi in the vending machine, alongside Coca Cola in the old style bottles. I really enjoyed it. That summer was the only time I ever saw Grape Nehi.
1 part Chambord
1 part lemon juice
Shake with crushed ice. Strain into glass.
This is not Radar O'Reilly's Grape Nehi. This is more like Hawkeye Pierce's Nehi. Although Hawkeye would have used more gin, or vodka, or whatever lighter fluid they distilled in The Swamp.
Overall, it's a pleasant drink, but a touch too sweet. And it felt like it was missing something, maybe some fizz. Or maybe it would be better if I swapped out the Chambord for real grape juice.
As an aside, I have had Grape Nehi soda. When I was a young teen one summer I worked at a place that solde grape nehi in the vending machine, alongside Coca Cola in the old style bottles. I really enjoyed it. That summer was the only time I ever saw Grape Nehi.
Swing-A-Way Ice Crusher
This past weekend I ventured once again to Grand to purchase items from The Boston Shaker. This will be the last time I buy items from there for a bit. I need to cut back, but they have such cool stuff I couldn't resist!
One of my purchases was the Swing-A-Way Ice Crusher. It has a crank on the bottom that vacuum seals the crusher to the counter, making it easier to grind away at the ice. I've used it twice and it works well. The only improvement I'd suggest is adding a way to fasten down the top part, where the blades are, or at least make the lid harder to pop open. The top compartment has a tendency to open, so you have to hold it down tight with your hand while you crank. I'd expect to hold down the top, but it seems to want to open too easily.
One of my purchases was the Swing-A-Way Ice Crusher. It has a crank on the bottom that vacuum seals the crusher to the counter, making it easier to grind away at the ice. I've used it twice and it works well. The only improvement I'd suggest is adding a way to fasten down the top part, where the blades are, or at least make the lid harder to pop open. The top compartment has a tendency to open, so you have to hold it down tight with your hand while you crank. I'd expect to hold down the top, but it seems to want to open too easily.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
French Gimlet revisited
This evening a friend and I taste tested French Gimlets made with three different bases: soju, Plymouth gin, and Bombay Sapphire. She agreed with me that the soju version was definitely sweeter than the Plymouth version. We also noticed that the Bombay Sapphire had less of a gin taste, making it sweeter by letting the St. Germain show through more.
I prefer the French Gimlet made with the Plymouth. I think the stronger gin taste in the Plymouth gave the drink an extra zing. The other versions were fine, but a little bland compared to the Plymouth version.
I think the milder taste of the Bombay may work in a martini or similar cocktail where it's gin with little else. A softer touch would make it easier to drink nearly straight gin.
One peeve: I did not like the bottle for the Bombay Sapphire. The blue color is very pretty, but it was a sloppy pour. In order to pour the Bombay into the shot glass without the gin running down the side of the bottle or the glass I had to pour quickly, which means I'm more likely to pour too much. I think the mouth of the bottle is too wide. I found it irritating.
I prefer the French Gimlet made with the Plymouth. I think the stronger gin taste in the Plymouth gave the drink an extra zing. The other versions were fine, but a little bland compared to the Plymouth version.
I think the milder taste of the Bombay may work in a martini or similar cocktail where it's gin with little else. A softer touch would make it easier to drink nearly straight gin.
One peeve: I did not like the bottle for the Bombay Sapphire. The blue color is very pretty, but it was a sloppy pour. In order to pour the Bombay into the shot glass without the gin running down the side of the bottle or the glass I had to pour quickly, which means I'm more likely to pour too much. I think the mouth of the bottle is too wide. I found it irritating.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
The White Lady
2 oz Gin1 oz Cointreau
0.5 oz lemon juice
I actually used closer to 0.75 lemon juice, and a smidge more gin. Overall, not bad, but I think I prefer the French Gimlet. Probably because I have a sweet tooth.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Oxo Cocktail Shaker
Today I received my Oxo cocktail shaker that I had ordered from Amazon. It holds 16 ounces and has double-walled construction, so it's insulated from the ice. The top serves as a jigger, and has marked measurements.
I used the shaker to make two cocktails. I was very pleased that it doesn't leak while shaking, but the top can pop off. I was rather dismayed at the last bit - a few ounces of whiskey and Cointreau down the drain! However, I was able to use it without freezing my hands thanks to the double wall, and that's a very good thing.
Next up on my list of things to get: The Oxo Steel 7-Piece Barware Set.
Mystery whiskey cocktail #1
2 oz whiskey (Jameson)
0.5 Cointreau
a few dashes of orange bitters (Regan's)
Stir with ice, serve on the rocks.
This is a variation on a whiskey bitter, which is 2 jiggers whiskey and two dashes orange bitters (The Joy of Cooking - so maybe I need more cocktail books).
It has a pleasant taste. I think the ice and the Cointreau help mellow the whiskey. I haven't tried this without the bitters, but I'm guessing the bitters gives the drink depth. At least that's what bitters is supposed to do from what I've read.
While I can be creative and innovative, I doubt very much I have created a brand new cocktail. I did a quick Google search and found a recipe for the Bairn, which uses Scotch instead of any old whiskey. So perhaps this is an Irish Bairn? Honestly, though, I haven't found a cocktail recipe with these exact ingredients - using whiskey as opposed to the more specific Scotch. So, who knows? Maybe I have created something new.
0.5 Cointreau
a few dashes of orange bitters (Regan's)
Stir with ice, serve on the rocks.
This is a variation on a whiskey bitter, which is 2 jiggers whiskey and two dashes orange bitters (The Joy of Cooking - so maybe I need more cocktail books).
It has a pleasant taste. I think the ice and the Cointreau help mellow the whiskey. I haven't tried this without the bitters, but I'm guessing the bitters gives the drink depth. At least that's what bitters is supposed to do from what I've read.
While I can be creative and innovative, I doubt very much I have created a brand new cocktail. I did a quick Google search and found a recipe for the Bairn, which uses Scotch instead of any old whiskey. So perhaps this is an Irish Bairn? Honestly, though, I haven't found a cocktail recipe with these exact ingredients - using whiskey as opposed to the more specific Scotch. So, who knows? Maybe I have created something new.
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