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Telltale's King's Quest license pulled by Activision

posted by MtnPeak on - last edited - Viewed by 7.5K users
Paul Trowe of Replay says TTG no longer involved with KQ. Sorry for the long excerpt (hope that's ok), but thought everyone here should see this, especially the part at the end. Trowe certainly makes for a good interview subject, and he's definitely passionate about classic-style adventure games.

I would have actually been thrilled if Replay had acquired licenses from Activision. Replay's Leisure Suit Larry Reloaded is looking DAMN good, and at least you know the people over there are actually big fans of the classics!

Read whole thing here:

...Perk up, longtime Sierra fans. Company founders Ken and Roberta Williams have been doing some chatting with their former employee-turned-Larry crusader.

“I want to do a game with Roberta,” Trowe said matter-of-factly. “I emailed Ken and Roberta, [and] Roberta said that she will do another game depending on how the outcome of our first one goes. I will do my absolute fucking very best not only because I would anyway, but because I want Roberta to be proud of us and I want to work with her again.”

A new Roberta Williams game doesn’t automatically mean a new King’s Quest game, unfortunately. Trowe is unsure of Activision’s willingness to hand over the rights to the series. Reports from a couple of years back put those right in the hands of Telltale Games, the California-based studio behind 2012′s critically acclaimed The Walking Dead series. Now Telltale is preparing to turn its attention to a similar episodic treatment of Bill Willingham’s Fables. According to Trowe, Telltale is out of the King’s Quest picture.

“They had [the King's Quest rights], and we were going to license it from them to make the remakes. I wouldn’t do a King’s Quest without Roberta. [Telltale senior VP of publishing] Steve Allison told me that they have the rights but they don’t have the bandwidth.” Allison offered to look into sub-licensing King’s Quest out to Replay, but Trowe hit a dead end when he brought the conversation over to Activision. ”I talked to the guys at Activision and they were like, ‘No, we’re pulling it [from Telltale] because we’re going to do it ourselves.’”

This is the first public mention of Activision’s plans for King’s Quest since the Telltale connection was first revealed in early 2011. We’ve reached out to Activision for comment and will update accordingly when we hear back. Think about the possibilities though. More Leisure Suit Larry, post-release content updates, a planned F2P casino game, and the possibility of an entirely new game from Roberta Williams. It’s like 1987 all over again. Trowe is just as much excited gamer as he is industry professional, but wouldn’t you be too?

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  • Ok, this is worth adding to the timeline, but I say with some trepidation.

    Trowe has in the past proven himself to not be the most reliable of sources. He has exaggerated things, mentioned things about other companies he probably had no inside knowledge of (speculation), and in some cases knowingly tried to undermine other companies who posed possible competition with 'shared designers' (trying to make them look less credible). He has been called out on it in the past. See MixnMojo website.

    So with that kinda past, I hold a bit of skepticsm and cynicism.
  • Also should I question the fact that it was put up on "April 1st"? :rolleyes::confused:
  • On a side note if this isn't some kind of elaborate conspiracy laden April Fool's joke, it might draw TellTale out to make an actual statement. If people interviewing TT, ask them about this Trowe interview.
  • I have nothing but love for Paul Trowe right now. So maybe he was a little overexcitable and naughty in the past. Haven't we all been that way at one time or another? After I got a look at the alpha version of Replay's awesome Leisure Suit Larry Reloaded, all was forgiven. And if he can manage to bring about a new Roberta game? Why, he'll almost be ready for sainthood. But Baggins is still right to approach things with skepticism.

    I just feel good knowing that there are still developers out there who love the classics and care about making actual adventure games.
  • "So maybe he was a little overexcitable and naughty in the past. Haven't we all been that way at one time or another?"
    Tell that to most politicians (republican or otherwise) who speaks up or says anything not politically correct, ;). Heh heh. Bring out the barbecue, and call for a resignation!

    P.S. If there is a reason to call for a resignation, I don't care who or what party they they belong, treat all equally! None of that namby pamby, "but it's my guy, they can do better, we forgive them" stuff.

    BTW. I probably won't buy the new Larry... At least not right away, maybe when it ends up in 60-70% off bargain discount... The series just doesn't interest me... They never did.

    Actually I got most of the Larry games in my collection from old Sierra, buy 1 get one free deals, LOL. I bought a new game in some series, or some other collection, and had the choice to get a free product (and Larry collection box was one of the few I didn't have).
  • Paul's been going through an amazing effort to fix his image lately -- It's been appreciated.

    Seems like Paul is probably the original source of the similar comments made by Blackthorne? It's either that, or we have two different sources saying essentially the same thing... Josh Mandel's more "hinting" comments match with Paul's explanation of the situation. I think this is enough information to pretty much rule out a TT King's Quest game, unless they're all repeating each other.

    How long ago Activision decided to do something different is a more interesting question -- it seems like quite awhile ago.... which could mean there's a Jane Jensen, Mystery Game X connection (however unlikely). Telltale could be not commenting and leaving the forum up to assist with misdirection. Who knows.

    I think the Roberta stuff is surely noteworthy! That's the most anyone's gotten out of her in years, in terms of leaving the yacht, and making a new game. I think Paul's probably a bit optimistic sounding about it, but not making it up.
  • Adding:

    I agree with the separation of the Trowe stuff from the timeline.

    Considering his public demeanor last spring, it seems hard to determine what kind of interaction he actually had with Telltale -- they could have just been trying to get rid of him :D

    And it seems likely that Paul > Josh > Blackthorne is the probable sourcing for all of their comments -- which still leaves us with Paul, as a shaky source.

    I don't think even Paul would dare to make a statement like "Roberta will work on a new game" if it wasn't true, but who knows.
  • Assuming all this is true, this is...a little troubling.

    First of all, why would Telltale announce a King's Quest game if they weren't sure that it would actually happen? We know they've done quite a few undiscussed projects that never fell through (and which they're still not willing to reveal anything about), so pulling the plug on something that was already announced seems...unlike them.

    Also, Activision making a new game themselves is...scary. Can't wait for Call of King's Quest. :rolleyes:
  • Josh Mandel hinting? For completeness links to those references would be nice. I'll add the references to the list.

    Ya you may have a point with a circular fallacy (circular reasoning) going on. With everyone assuming they think they know what is going on.

    There are some similarities with the 2012 account and 2013 account but they don't seem to match up on all details. Some discrepancies possible embellishments perhaps even unintentional. Ya some do sound a bit like a game of echo. Changes to the story become more fantastic as each person retells it.
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Video: Breitbart News’ Brandon Darby Exposes Unsecured Border

Common Sense Post

Activist, tea party friend, and Breitbart contributor Brandon Darby relates his recent experiences on the southern border.  Brandon is no stranger to Florida as he has spent time with and spoken to many tea party groups in the state including Gainesville Tea Party.  In fact, Rod Gonzalez and I did a long telephone interview with Brandon on the Tom-Hayes Morrison Show last September.  Brandon was great:

Darby BorderBreitbart News’ Brandon Darby walks viewers from the Rio Grande River into a U.S. neighborhood, revealing just how unsecured the U.S./Mexico border really is. Darby walks viewers through the unfinished “Border Fence,” which had no gate or security of any kind. The location was west of Penitas, Texas.

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Hillary Signature Blue Button

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5/1/10: Around Downtown Augusta During the Power Music Summit

Augusta Common, entertainment, events, Farmers Market, James Brown Park, music, Music Conferences

After my panel at the Power Music Summit, I spent some time walking around downtown Augusta and snapping some pictures of various scenes and sights before meeting up with V-Tec and Mr. Hill for the photo shoot to accompany the interview I had done the day before.


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Remote Access

with George

Category: 1940s

The Best 10 Films of the 1940s (That I Have Seen)

Today, we continue the best of the decade feature. Two down, seven to go. This week, please accept my picks for the ten best/favorite/top/whatever films from the 1940s. Enjoy and feel free to comment with your own picks.

10. The Philadelphia Story

This past weekend, I had a chance to see The Descendants, which was excellent. When it came time to draw up this list, and I selected The Philadelphia Story as one of my nominees, I kept getting reminded of the craziness and chaos in The Descendants. Both movies perfectly capture the little misunderstandings that happen daily. It also helps (again, I’m talking about both films) if you have a talented all around cast. Runner-up: The Spiral Staircase.

9. Casablanca

Why so low? I actually think Casablanca is overrated. It doesn’t currently hold my highest star rating (****), but instead the second-best (***1/2). But I’m not saying it’s a bad movie… not at all. It’s classically gorgeous and beautifully emotional, but I feel how much you’ll like the film is based on how much you believe the one flashback scene served up near the beginning of the film.

8. Gaslight/Gaslight

No, that’s not the title of the film. I’m referring to two separate films. (Sorry, Prozac Paul!) The 1944 edition of Gaslight was my favorite film for years. And then I saw the 1940 version, and didn’t know what to think. Now, I just lump them together, because no one wants to see the same film on the list twice. (Note: if they’re available on Netflix, they’ll definitely be a double-feature in a film festival in April.)

Caption contest, anyone?

7. Double Indemnity

I’m not sure if I’ve told you this before, but Billy Wilder is one of my two favorite directors of all-time (we’ll get to the next one in a little while). While this isn’t my favorite film of his (it might actually just miss a Top 3 list), I still love it. It makes a near-perfect double-feature with Sunset Blvd., and I would definitely suggest checking out all of Wilder’s other work if you happen to like Double Indemnity.

6. Shadow of a Doubt

The reason making a favorite/best films of all-time list is so hard is this movie. Not necessarily only this movie, but movies like this one. Shadow of a Doubt is a film I’ve seen about six times, and it’s one of Hitchcock’s harder movies to stop watching in the middle (even if you know what’s going to happen, it’s addicting). Just like with DI, it’s not the best movie one of my favorite directors ever made, but I have an extraordinary attachment to it. Fun fact: bestness is in the eye of the beholder, because it is Hitchcock’s personal favorite.

5. The Bicycle Thief

I rewatched Never Let Me Go, one of my favorites from 2010, two weeks ago; and just as I was reminded of The Descendants by The Philadelphia Story, I was reminded of Never Let Me Go by The Bicycle Thief (just now, when I started writing this sentence). These films are, by far, the two most tragic I have ever seen. I’m a sucker for tragedy, but I really appreciate it when a movie is subtle, like the ending of these two. But let’s settle this one: is it The Bicycle Thief, A Bicycle Thief, or Bicycle Thieves?

4. Brief Encounter

This is just a beautiful movie. Plain and simple. Please look it up now. I’d tell you what it’s about, but you’d just call it sappy.

3. The Great Dictator

This is one of my favorite all-time Chaplins. I can’t pick my single favorite scene from it because I have no single favorite scene. This is surprising because, like most of Chaplin’s better work, The Great Dictator is a coherent that has plenty of memorable single moments.

There has been some criticism, though, of the film’s ending, and I’d like to defend it. (It’s been almost 72 years since it was released, so I’ll just assume everyone has already seen it.) In the end, the barber/tramp gets mistaken for Hynkle/Hitler, and is forced to make a speech. In this speech, Charles Chaplin presents his own views to the camera and to the world. It’s not funny and some would say it doesn’t fit in with the tone of the rest of the piece. But this is Hitler we’re not-so-subtly talking about. The whole movie skewers him anyway. Chaplin said what he thought had to be said and he was right (by me, at least) to include that.

2. The Best Years of Our Lives

1. Citizen Kane

It was a close one between The Best Years of Our Lives and Citizen Kane for #1, and I cannot promise that the reason I chose Kane wasn’t because I saw it last. But this is my list: flawed and imperfect. Some, including me, would say that there is no perfect film. If forced to choose a film to argue that it is, however, I would probably choose one of these. Neither is a particularly short or easy work to watch, but somehow the hours seems to melt away gladly. I don’t know if dramas are supposed to be fun, but when their quality is this high, I don’t know how they can’t be.

Citizen Kane (1941)

Citizen Kane is the definition of visually striking. The way it transitions between scenes is something I’ve never seen before. The visual tricks are stupefying.

The shadows and smoky atmosphere of the early newsroom scene are wonderful. Shadows are used in other scenes to emphasize other parts of the shot. But the reporter is always in the dark. This world is not about the people who write the news, it’s about the people who are the news.

Citizen Kane is the story of Charles Foster Kane (Orson Welles), who is sent away from his home at a very early age. He soon becomes a newspaper tycoon, and has more power than he knows what to do with. His story is told through various flashbacks.

This giant character starts off in his place. He’s just another character in another movie. But then he derails (oh, don’t worry, that’s a good thing). He’s bigger than the movie. He’s bigger than news. He’s bigger than his own giant palace (demonstrated clearly when he destroys part of it).

There are so many things to see in each scene. You can’t even check Twitter for two seconds to see who won what Emmy. The way the film tells the story through imagery is amazing. It shows time passing by showing a sled that has gathered snow. It shows how big and frightening Mr. Thatcher is to a young Kane by comparing him visually to a Christmas tree (I loved the mirrored sequence much later in the film, too). We see the Inquirer men reflected through the Chronicle window, and we see how the circulation of the papers differ. (The movie in general makes good use of windows and mirrors.) We see the campaign headquarters from the ground, where streamers are laying in piles of major disappointment. I would love to go on and on, which I will, when I do my “Required Viewing” on it.

The dialogue is often chaotic (again, in a good way), but the foreshadowing lines carry gravitas. There appears to be a lot of drama in the newspaper business. In the incredible breakfast time-lapse scene, we see that all Kane and his new wife talk about is the newspaper. During that two minute-long scene, we see Kane go from good-humored to bitter.

His looks evolve as he becomes more and more obsessed with power, and it’s not just regular aging. There’s something more there. He doesn’t become more evil with age, just grumpier. The younger Kane uses media to fight corruption and help the average person. He’s very humble. The older Kane jumps outside of the media business altogether, seeking power elsewhere.

I never cease to be amazed by the power and beauty of cinema. I had heard how wonderful Citizen Kane was. Words can’t really describe the awe I felt while watching it. It is truly unique. Before I saw this, I wasn’t able to pick just one best picture of all time. And now I am. You must see this movie.

  • “If I hadn’t been very rich, I might have been a good man.”
  • “Don’t tell me you’re sorry.”
  • The second Mrs. Kane is overwhelmed.
  • I would like to mention the giant palace once again.
  • Citizen Kane is being re-released now in a 70th Anniversary version.
  • If you see and enjoy Citizen Kane, you might also enjoy Gone with the Wind and The Social Network.
  • Next time: my review of Moneyball

Double Indemnity (1944)

The screen is dark. A man, that we can barely see, is covering himself with his jacket. The music is mysterious. It makes us curious.

Double Indemnity, starring Fred MacMurray as Neff (an insurance salesman) and Barbara Stanwyck as Phyllis Dietrichson (a mysterious client Neff takes a liking to), is a narrative set in Los Angeles, much like the 1950 film Sunset Boulevard. Both were made by the legend himself, Billy Wilder. The crazy back-and-forth between MacMurray and Stanwyck in their first scene together is aided by their chemistry (an idea, by the way, I don’t believe in while talking about basketball, but its existence here is irrefutable). Only a few scenes later, they’re kissing in his apartment.

Mrs. Dietrichson and Mr. Neff come up with a plot to kill Mr. Dietrichson and collect the insurance money. And then they follow through on it. The scene in which the Dietrichsons leave the house, not giving too much away, is very dark, just like the opening shot. After the deed is done, the getaway car doesn’t start for awhile. Neff panics. Dietrichson panics. I paniced along with them.

I really enjoyed these characters. Edward G. Robinson was right when he said, in the middle of the movie, that all these insurance claims have a story, a “drama.” This “accident” has an impact on everyone of them, but in different ways. Neff is portrayed incredibly well during the narration. His whole face is sweaty, he breathes heavily, and he’s shaking a little (I don’t think all of that was from the bullet). Phyllis is cool, but somehow passionate all the same, and I would never trust her entirely. If Neff had a choice, he shouldn’t have either.

The movie is genius. I can’t say more than that. The performances are so nuanced that there wasn’t a character I didn’t like. They were all deserving of my sympathy. The shots themselves are noir (French for black, if you didn’t know) and moody. And the humor has a bitter aftertaste that only Billy Wilder can pull off.

(Double Indemnity is available now on Netflix Instant. If you see and enjoy it, you might also want to check out Sunset Boulevard and Casablanca.)

Stray notes:

  • “Now get out of here before I throw my desk at you.” “I love you too.”
  • “We gotta have some of that pink wine that goes with it. The kind that bubbles.”
  • “What was his name?” “Jackson, probably still is.”


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Sunday morning

Walking in Cleveland Heights at 7am, the morning after a thunderstorm:
I saw 1 bunny rabbit, 1 chipmunk, and 1 squirrel, followed by 1 large tree limb on the ground. My route took me north on Meadowbrook (downhill) to Westminster, to Corydon, to Stratford, to Scarbourgh, where I stopped to look at the 1938 Historic Landmark House for sale, which you can see here: (http://2424stratfordrd.howardhanna.com/).  I heard 1 dog barking, and saw another one being walked further down Stratford. Car traffic increased considerably during the half-hour I spent in the neighborhood, for when I started, I crossed the streets almost without looking. On my way back, I waited for a red light to cross Lee Rd.

To see my full route: http://www.mapmywalk.com/routes/view/39824192

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2001 – When Gods bleed.

Posted on June 28, 2011 by

By Mina Rzouki

In a game dominated by predications and statistics, the rare anomaly offers a unique thrill to the audience. My favourite moment of the Copa America lies in a match reminiscent of the one between David and Goliath otherwise known as the 2001 quarter-final match between Honduras and Brazil.

The circumstances were truly exceptional.Argentina pulled out of the Copa America tournament days before it was due to take place due to threats received from terrorist groups and the security issues surrounding the competition. Honduras, the tiny nation who were thumped 8-2 by Brazil in 1994 were invited to the tournament in Argentina’s place. A humble footballing nation with little time to prepare, it was surprising they had even managed to reach the quarter-finals to face the Golden colours ofBrazil.

What was so particularly beautiful about the game was realising just how much of an impact the unknown can make in such a competition. No-one watched, understood or particularly paid attention to the Honduras method of play. An anonymity, they took their greatest weakness and turned it to their greatest strength, building  themselves a reputation as somewhat of a surprise package as they slayed the giants that lay ahead of them including Uruguay in the group stages.

This was a Honduras side who were ill-prepared, without their star players and who lost their playmaker Oscar Lagos to suspension due to his dabbling in illegal drugs. Yet their game was solid, especially effective and wonderfully well played. Defensively they erected a fortress that the selecao failed to penetrate despite the consistent pressure applied in midfield. Packed with creative talent and enjoying the lion’s share of possession, Brazil took the match and their strength for granted. Belittling the might of their opponents, they kept their minds focused on their upcoming World Cup qualifier against Paraguay when they ought to have been focusing on the task at hand.

No amount of creativity Brazil threw on made a difference and for a girl who worships defensive fortitude this was a brilliant example of creative offence coming up short against a solid back-line. Honduras soaked the pressure, held on and then slowly got into the rhythm of the game – managing to create a perfect balance.

An own goal put Honduras ahead as the ball rebounded off Juninho Belletti to roll in but the Selecao did not give up. Raising the intensity of the game and pilling on the pressure, they attacked in unison leaving their defence almost entirely exposed. Effectively noticing the flaws of the Brazilian game, Honduras exploited the empty space at the back and created several chances of their own whilst the heroics of their goalkeeper Noel Valladares kept them in the game. Tempers flared and players were sent off as the atmosphere grew more and more hostile. However, the day belonged to the minnows as they snatched a second and knocked the Samba stars out of the competition.

My father was livid, an organised man who hates surprises, this was not going to plan. As a Brit, I always root for the underdog and as an Italian football fan, Honduras’ organised game was particularly appealing to me and thus the rest of the family and I were cheering them on. We watched as a historic event unfolded and all I could remember was the loud and rapid yelling of the Spanish speaking commentator who was screaming every time Honduras touched the ball. I was studying Spanish at University and my entire family were crowded around the TV asking me to translate every word that was being said. I was speechless and unwomanly in the sense that multitasking was a foreign notion to me. So accustomed to tactical games played at a much slower pace, I had never witnessed a match played at such speed and I was mesmerised by the quick touches, the slick passing and the swift movements of these 22 lithe players on the ground.

What is especially memorable about this game, for me as a football writer, is the sense of panic that gripped Brazil after the defeat cueing hysterical panic and woeful forecasts for the future. Critics and fans alike were hailing it as the end of Brazilian football and their domination in world football. Papers run sensational headlines the next day including Lance, the sports daily running a front page headline that read “Are you serious?” President of the Honduras Football federation was left speechless as the world looked to him to comment on what was hailed as the biggest shock in the tournament’s 91 year history. Meanwhile a sullen Luiz Felipe Scolari sulkily remarked: “I, Big Phil, will go down in history as the Brazil coach who lost to Honduras. It’s horrible.”

Of course it wasn’t the end – nor was it even close. Brazil went on to win the World Cup the next year despite the struggles suffered in actually qualifying and have since continued to develop even further as the recession bypassed the South American nation and even improved it economically. More investments have been made in the domestic league, Brazilian clubs are able to hold on to their young talents for longer and defensively, they are producing some of the greatest defenders in modern day football.  The ‘crisis’ was soon averted and the media calamity seemed nothing more than mere theatrics as Scolari revelled in the trust of the fans to produce a real squad enamoured with the footballing ideals of their attack minded Coach.

However, on that day in 2001, unpredictability won in a manner that was not only fully deserved but fully appreciated by the many neutrals who watched and especially my family who now insist on watching the Copa America – in English! It may not have been the greatest match I have ever watched but it certainly was one of the most emotional and a fine introduction to a worthy tournament.

Mina is an Italian football writer and the deputy editor of Football Italiano. You can follow her on twitter @Minarzouki

Posted in: South America


text:
Thursday, 9 February 2017

From JezT - Venetian Crossbow (40 points)

Hi All

Just a few bases of Perry Miniatures Venetian Crossbow to keep the points ticking over - 8 figures so 40 points. Actually although small in points value this is a memorable paint job as they have been on my list to do for a couple of years and joining the challenge has helped me to complete them!

When I finally started they were very easy to do. I think the distinctive paint job red and white colours for Venice really helped - you are then on a strict painting schedule and no thinking required. Have based as a skirmish and T shooter unit as per Impetus rules. The final picture shows them with some earlier Venetian archers as wanted to match the colour scheme to fit in with them.

Cheers Jez

They look splendid, Jez! Skirmishers are my favorite sort of troop as recon/scout is my job. Ignore them at your peril! ;)
I was unaware that Venice used red and white, but most of my Italian War knowledge comes from Nicco Machaveli, and that is mainly the hows and what fors. They look sharp with the leatherwork and equipent though. I also like your terrain in the shot. I do craft my own scratch builds, but PDF saves so much money and time and looks nice when based proper.
I am glad you procrastinated with them so they could make an appearance in AHPC too! you have almost encirled the Snowlord now as well! ;)

From AaronH - 32 ECW Pike and Shotte - The Red Regiment(165 points)

This entry is another pike and shotte regiment for my small and really, really slowly growing ECW army. I've gotten one foot regiment done each year for the last three challenges, which means the next one will probably wait until next year. This is probably down to the fact that there's not much chance I'll be playing with this army any time soon.

This is the red regiment. They were going to be yellow, but I felt like painting red.

This one is at full strength, though it is all Warlord Games plastics. When I was plucking models from the prime pile I just didn't grab any of the metal Foundry models I bought as fillers.

As always with these models, painting them is something of a chore. There is a lot of detail and every time I think I'm done with them I find another color that needs to go on at least sixteen models.

For the most part I like to paint the trousers a different color, which I'm fine with as they wear out first. On the other hand when I see reinactors they are dressed top to bottom in their colors. Honestly I think they look like they are wearing pajamas. Battle Pajamas.

I am not a fan of the angled or horizontal pikes but I find that one angled pike on the two command stands doesn't get in the way and gives me those extra unit fillers I need.

This set comes with both a drum and fife option for the musician but I used the fife on the green regiment.

One of the disturbing things about my photography is that my camera sees better than I do and I find all sorts of small things I missed on the models. Just look at that glove. Or rather, don't. There's nothing to see here.

These are based four to a 40mm base. It gives me flexibility in how they look on the table; and it's how I started the army, but for future armies I think I'll be buying some of Big Red Bat's bases. I love the way these look and his new ones are cut in such a way that you can stick two of them together seamlessly to make a bigger unit.

The chap with the shortened weapon is due to my wife deciding that the only possible place to play with the doberman was next to my painting table.

These 32 models give me another full regiment of foot. Once I complete a command stand I have enough to play. A brigade of three foot and one horse regiments along with two guns. I don't think I'll have the heart to paint another of these this challenge, though some horse might make it in before the finish.

Huzzah! They look smashing in red, Aaron! don't worry I didn't view the glove I wasn't supposed to see...I also have an Oliphant that can attest to the destruction of canine play and exhuberance!
I was going to go 20mm for ECW/Protestant- Catholic War, but I am liking these Warlord figures and Foundry does make some excellent figures for plusing the regiments up too and providing leaders. Hopefully you will be able to get a game in with these fellows soon, my group is WH40k only so I know how hard it is to get in a historical game in. from pike tips to bases, very fine work!
Have that drummer pound out the advance!

From PeterD Hanoverian Pontooniers (30 poimts)

Another week in February, another small post from me.  This period is my heaviest work wise but the end of the tunnel is in sight.  Of course it would help if I didn't have 7 projects in various states of completion on the workbench, all of them started since the Challenge began.

The six guys who do all the work and the blowhard who watches them.
I have a group of 6 Hanoverian Pontooniers from the Seven Years Wars for the engineer  Drumpf to order around.  I gave the lace work of the light dragoons and highlanders a rest for a bit and worked on some support troops with less detail required.
It need to be a YUGE bridge boys, the best ever!

These figures are from the Perry AWI range and packaged as American Drag Rope Men, meaning that they are infantrymen and civilians drafted in to do the man handling of artillery pieces.  I am continuing to mine this excellent range of figures and morph it to fit my Seven Years War needs.  I partiulary like that these chaps have obviously been doing some seriously hard labour and are taking a well deserved rest.

There appear to have been no rank and file engineer troops like sappers and miners in the Anglo-Allied army I am modelling.  However, Hanover maintained a corps of Pontooniers which makes sense given the large rivers in the Electorate.  I figured that these could be used as a group of Engineers for my Sharp Practice games.  Also the ropes that these lads are carrying would fit with the job of build a pontoon bridge or various other engineering tasks.

I am loving these period Hanoverian illustrations.  Pontoonier flanked by Engineer and artillery trainman.

Uniform wise they wore the lovely blue coat that they shared with Hanoverian artillery along with a blue waistcoat and buff breeches.  This is represented in the centre figure from this period illustration.  The Perry figures come in various states of dress suited to heavy work.  Two are in waistcoats and tricorns and the rest in shirt sleeves, and all have discarded their gaiters.  Furthermore, three of the figures in shirtsleeves are wearing floppy hats which I have painted to represent straw hats.  I figure that I can use the four figures in shirt sleeves as civilian labourers as well.
I got your YUGE bridge right here!
What does this idiot want now? I am late for my yoga class and I really need some downward facing dog.

With the white shirts and buff breeches, painting got rather monochromatic so I used heavier shading on these figures.  I also figured it gave the impression of sweat and dust stained clothes from heavy lifting and shifting.

Drumpf is a pre-existing condition, so that's six foot figures for 30 points.

Nice group of labourers, Peter! I appreciate COBs(civilians-on-the-battlefield) because they are there in the real world. For miniature games, I find they add the Murphy Law to best laid plans as well as providing objectives and conditions for the troops. I appreciate the troops dressed down for the hard labor too. More British troops died sacking Washington in the 1812 war to heat injuries than actual combat. Ruck Marching in multiple layers of wool and linen apparently increases core body temperature! ;)
Now their coffee break is over, off to work for 'is Lordship they go!

From Michael P: Pulp Heroes and Heroines (30 points)

Five 28mm characters for pulp gaming.  The one on the right is by Reaper, the others are all Pulp Figures sculpted by Bob Murch.

Reaper's Brigitte: Naughty French Maid.  Code name Bijou, she will do inside work collecting HUMINT from senior Nazi leaders, especially those with a fondness for the flying helmet, the limp piece of celery, and the feather duster.   The sculpt is by Werner Klocke, and I certainly did not do it justice.  The only thing I am happy about is the hand painted tile floor.

Very cheeky!

Major Paul "Puncher" McPhail, Chief of Staff of Project Alice, a top-secret British counter-intelligence and dark ops organization tasked with monitoring and thwarting Nazi investigations into the occult.

Bob absolutely nailed British-style mess kit.  This is almost exactly what hangs in my closet (minus the monocle).  First bald figure I've painted, that was fun.

The Major's niece, Fiona Harmer, sometime of St. Hilda's College, Oxford, ace researcher and crack shot.

I tried to add some colour and texture to the hair to offset the drab clothing.

Sandy McGonnigle, Major McPahil's batman, gamekeeper and bodyguard.  I spent way too much time on this figure, but it was all fun.

Mimi LaRocque of the Resistance, a ginger with an attitude.  I love her outfit, which seems almost military, but I decided on a civilian paint scheme, to suggest a student, perhaps?  Who can resist a girl with a gun in a hat and tie?

Thank you for looking.  I hope that one of these three ladies might become the choice of the lovely Sarah.
Blessings to your brushes!

Sorry for the delay, Padre! this is one of my favorite thursday submissions and not just for Bridgette's <ahem> obvious charms... I'm certain the Nazi crew is very distracted by her work! I like the whole crew including Sandy's Tartan, cap and scarf. very nicework there. Mimi and Fiona are very well done too. I quite like Mimi and her ginger hair with that sharp jacket. The Major has a wonderful group working for him! I piped you for the fancy base that Bridgete has...yes I did see that!

A brief interlude...nada delay!

It is Thursday!
I wish I could rave about the Superbowl, or how grand my vacation was, but I missed them both due to illness. I think it was the Nurgle marines fault!
I've been Ko'd since Sunday. Today was my first day without body aches and just in time for some wonderful entries in store you all.
I'll be sure to get them up in a bit, after a brief nap, taking kids to school, drinking, coffee.... and no body aches!
I do have a couple of appointments, but nothing too pressing to delay Michael,  Peter, and Aaron for too long. Hopefully the rest of the Thursday gang will be along shortly!
If nothing else, I'll check out what the bug made me miss! ;)


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Vax vs. Unvax studies… FIGHT!

This doctor is asking that we do a vaccinated vs. unvaccinated study to determine if vaccines cause more or less “outcomes” (read: autism) than what is attributed to them. I never went to medical school, but I did go to epidemiology school with a lot of medical students. Maybe this doctor was too busy with other things when he was introduced to epidemiology, because it is very clear that he has no clue what he is asking for. (Or maybe he is just selectively remembering what is good for him and what isn’t?) See, in the world of epidemiology, there is a hierarchy of epidemiological studies. In ascending order of ability to show causality, the studies are these:

  • Case Study (describing one person with the condition, a case)
  • Case Series (series of cases)
  • Ecological Study (analysis of group statistics..for example, comparing rates of disease between two countries)
  • Cross-Sectional Study (assessing individuals at one time, such as a survey)
  • Case-Control Study (studying those with the condition vs. those without)
  • Cohort Study (following subjects over time to study the initiation and progression of a condition)

We did the case studies. We looked at children with autism and determined that there was no biologically plausible way for vaccines to cause autism. Furthermore, instances of unvaccinated children with autism kept coming up. There were even case studies of autism before many vaccines were around. So we moved one step up.

We did the case series. We looked at groups of children with autism and determined that some were vaccinated while others weren’t. Even within those who were vaccinated, we noticed that their symptoms preceded vaccination. In those who were unvaccinated, we noticed that their symptoms were similar to children with autism. And, like with the case studies, we found that vaccines have no biologically plausible way of causing autism. So we moved one step up.

We did an ecological study. We looked at autism rates in other countries and in this country. After adjusting for differences between factors in the different countries, we found that there is no difference between countries in the rates of autism. Furthermore, there are differences between those countries when it comes to vaccine availability. That is, it didn’t matter if the countries vaccinated more or less, we found no difference in autism rates. So we moved one step up.

We did surveys. (Heck, even the anti-vaxers wanted to do surveys.) And, after adjusting for all sorts of biases that surveys present, we found no difference between vaccinated and unvaccinated groups. (The anti-vaxers found a similar result, but that doesn’t stop them from wanting another round at it.) So we moved one step up.

We did case-control studies. We took children who had autism and children who had no autism, then we looked at their immunization records. It turned out that both groups had equal odds of being vaccinated. There was no difference between the two groups.

In short, everything we’ve done to date has failed to find a link between immunizations and autism. So you would think that the vaccine-autism link would be dead. Well, it isn’t. That doctor I told you about in the opening sentence wants a cohort study (aka Randomized Clinical Trial or Randomized Controlled Trial). Never mind the millions of dollars and thousands of man-hours lost doing such a study when all the previous evidence has shown no link. Never mind that we could do much better things with those resources. No. The anti-vaccine groups want to slay their dragon. They want to prove that vaccines did to them what they think vaccines did to them.

So what would it take to do such a study? Well, it would go like this:

Recruit participants at birth. Parents would be approached and told that their child would be participating in this study. Without their knowledge, their child would be assigned to one of two groups. One group is vaccinated while the other is given placebos. If you really want to give this study strength, you keep the group assignments secret from even the researchers.

Follow participants until a certain endpoint. This endpoint can be anything you want it to be: the diagnosis of autism, the age of ten — after which a diagnosis of autism is very rare, death, anything. Once all your participants reached the endpoint, then the study is done.

Analyze the data. You would then “unmask” the participants’ assignments and compare the vaccinated to the unvaccinated groups to see which of them reached those endpoints faster or in greater proportion. Which group has the most autistics?

However, can you see why this study is unethical and very likely to fail? First off, one half of the children — those assigned to the unvaccinated group — would be deliberately unprotected against some very nasty diseases. You tell me if you want your child to be unprotected against measles. If you’re an anti-vax parent, you probably don’t care. You probably think that your child will survive anything and come out stronger, despite all the evidence to the contrary. But what if you’re a pro-vaccine parent? Would you like your child to maybe not be vaccinated? And, if you’re anti-vaccine, would you like for your child to maybe be vaccinated?

Then there is the issue of bias. If you’re an anti-vaccine parent, and you think your child was vaccinated, you might make a bigger deal out of every little developmental delay. If your child doesn’t walk at 12 months, taking a few more weeks to get going, you might be more inclined to blame the vaccines. Or you might give your child an unproven therapy to try and “detox” them, and it might be that therapy that makes them ill.

On the other hand, if you’re a pro-vaccine parent, you might take your child to get a second round of vaccines if you think that your child ended up in the unvaccinated group. You want to make sure your child is protected, and, frankly, I can’t blame you for that. Also, being the responsible parent that you are, you might take your child to regular check-ups and discover autism (or any other “outcome”) much earlier than people who don’t take their children for check-ups.

And that’s just a few of the biases that could creep into this study.

The biggest problem with the study will be the deliberate lack of vaccination of half of the participants. No Institutional Review Board will allow you to do this because the liability is too great. If one kid in the control (unvaccinated) group get sick and dies from a vaccine-preventable disease, you will no longer be allowed to conduct research on human subjects, ever.

Of course, anti-vaccine activists will say that there are plenty of unvaccinated children, so finding children whose parents will deliberately leave them vulnerable to deadly pathogens wouldn’t be a problem. In that case, you’re not asking for a randomized clinical trial because you’re removing the “random” from it and you’re inserting a huge bias. If you see vaccines as an evil big enough to keep your children from being vaccinated, how likely are you to report that your child has autism, thus disproving your theory? In these cases, you’re asking for a case-control study, which has been done over and over again.

How much time, money, and God knows what other resources do you want us to keep on wasting in order to slay your dragon, to chase down your windmills, to find the bogeyman under your bed?

Then again, it’s not like ethics have kept the anti-vaccine forces from doing their thing.


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Category Archives: Drinks

Strawberry Lemonade/Spring

(Sorry, but I had to yell that at you. HAD TO.)

Today we have a deliciously grownup Strawberry Lemonade from Janessa, perfect for the impending bucket-loads of strawberries that will be hitting the markets.

And, a few links to recipes from the Bazaar Spices blog, written by yours truly:

Braised Collard Greens with Black Cardamom and Coconut Milk – I know you might not feel like braising these days, but trust me and just do it one last time before you start quickly blanching things and eating salads.

Smokey and Sweet Roasted Nuts – These are ADDICTIVELY good, and now that I’m on my own blog and not that of a professional establishment, I can be immature and giggle. Anyways, go make these nuts. (Tee hee).

And now, Strawberry Lemonade!

Strawberry Lemonade (My Way)

FOREVER ago, Kara asked me to come up with a unique-ish drink.  I did, took pictures, but forgot to write about it.  When cleaning up and organizing iPhoto a couple days ago, I ran into these pictures again.  I figured there is no harm in sharing it with you all now!

I love strawberries.  Fresh, juicy strawberries make me happy.  Unfortunately, when making this drink, we didn’t have any.  Frozen strawberries aren’t the same, but they worked fairly well.

Ok, so either thaw a handful of frozen strawberries and chop them, or slice the yummy fresh kind.  Add a little bit of sugar (probably 2 teaspoons) to soften the berries as well as provide a delicious bit of juice.

Strawberry mush

Next, measure 1.5 ounces of vodka using nifty shot glasses.

Fill a cup with ice, add some of the strawberry mixture, and the vodka, and top with lemonade.

Add lemonade

Ta-da!  Easy, and delicious!  I added a bit of basil to the top of my glass.  It was aromatic and mmmmm.

Topped with basil

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Ho ho ho and a bottle of rum

Merry Christmas, dear readers!

I hope your bellies are full, your presents unwrapped, and your naps taken.

Here’s a tasty drink to try this evening, if you happen to have a few ingredients on hand.

Rum hot toddy

For one drink:

  • 1 black tea bag
  • A few slices fresh ginger
  • 1 slice lemon
  • 1 slice lime, or 1/2 key lime
  • 1 shot rum
  • Whole nutmeg to grate on top

Brew your tea, muddling the ginger slices in the bottom of the mug. Leave enough room in your mug for the rum! Squeeze the juice from the lemon and lime into your tea, and add the slices to the mug if you like. Stir in the rum. Grate nutmeg on top, to taste. Enjoy. Repeat.

hot toddy

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from The Troika Table.

Tami, Janessa, and Kara

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It’s that time of year again: every day for the next 12 days, we’ll bring you something extra special, extra delicious, and extra tropical to help you get into the holiday spirit. Sort of a Christmas-in-July-in-reverse sort of thing.

On the 12th Day of Tropical, The Troikas gave to me Coconut Rum, Pineapple, and Ginger Beer.

This one is really easy, so don’t blink or you’ll definitely miss it.

The Cocyounut
For one drink:

  • 2 shots coconut rum (I like, maybe even love, Cruzan’s Coconut Rum)
  • 6 ice cubes
  • pineapple juice
  • ginger beer
  • Angostura bitters, optional
  • Dark rum (preferably Mt. Gay), optional

Pour the coconut rum into a tall glass. Add the ice cubes and stir to chill the rum. Pour pineapple juice to reach halfway up the glass. Top with ginger beer and lightly stir to combine. If desired, tip a few drops of Angostura bitters on top, followed by a tablespoon-full of dark rum. Drink right away. The little paper umbrella is optional, but highly recommended.

Old San Juan

See you tomorrow,

P.S. We know that The 12 Days of Christmas actually begin on December 25 and end on January 6, but by then we’ll hopefully be eating foods less full of butter and starch. Let the countdown to Christmas begin!

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On being legal

Hey there, readers!

The past weeks have been full of cooking and adventuring, but a distinct lack of blogging, so let’s get down to business:

September 1st came and went, and we at the Troika Table up and missed our second anniversary. Yep, this little ol’ blog is two years (and 29 days) old!

In blog years, two years and 29 days is basically drinking age (or at least it is in Europe), so I have a little cocktail for you.

half full

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about grapes and rosemary – it’s something about a grape’s sweet, juicy flesh and rosemary’s wintery woodiness. Wouldn’t that be nice to drink on a crisp fall evening? Wouldn’t a little ginger liqueur add a welcome, warming zip? I thought so. This drink is quite easy to pull together but does require you to plan ahead a few weeks: you’ve got to infuse your own grape vodka, after all. I used a mixture of seedless green and red grapes from our stand at the farmers’ market (Reid’s Orchard and Winery!) to infuse the last of the vodka left over from the second-annual Russian New Year’s party*. It was as easy as pie (or, more accurately, way easier than pie): Toss a pint’s worth of grapes into two cups of vodka, smush the grapes with a potato masher or fork, and infuse in a glass container for a few weeks, giving everything a stir and a few more smushes whenever you remember. After two weeks, the vodka will be a lovely shade of mauve and have a balanced, understated grape flavor. For the gingery bite, I added a touch of ginger liqueur that I made a while back (I followed this recipe exactly). Making your own ginger liqueur is fairly easy, but if infusing your vodka is as much DIY as you can handle, you can buy some ginger liqueur (Domaine de Canton is the only kind I know, but I’ve never actually tried it). You could also try adding a splash of ginger syrup, which would add the ginger zip and a bit of sweetness without adding more alcohol. To the vodka and liqueur, I added a few drops of bitters, but I admit that when I made a second one without bitters I couldn’t tell the difference.** Stir with a few ice cubes, top with club soda, tuck a short sprig of rosemary in the glass, and you have quite a drink. I really, really recommend that you add the rosemary sprig – its savory, woody smell offsets the sweetness of the drink perfectly, but you don’t actually taste the rosemary in the drink. Just don’t knock it ’til you try it, ok?

You’ll likely see a few more vodka-based cocktails around here in the future – my best friend Kelly and her fiancé (!!!) Gilbert have asked me to concoct three vodka-based cocktails for them to try, and they might choose one of them to serve at their wedding (!!!!!!!!) next September. I’m thinking this one would be nice, but I’ll let them decide.

Grape Vodka Fizz

For one drink:

  • 2 ounces grape vodka (recipe below)
  • 1/2 ounce ginger liqueur, homemade or otherwise
  • ice
  • club soda
  • 1 to 2-inch sprig of rosemary
  • a few dashes of bitters, if you happen to have them

Add 5 or 6 ice cubes to a short glass. Pour the grape vodka, ginger liqueur, and bitters (if using). Stir to combine and chill. Top with club soda, stir a few times, and add the rosemary sprig.

Grape Vodka

  • 1 pint (about 2 cups) grapes – I used a mix of seedless red Suffolk and seedless green Thompson grapes
  • 2 cups vodka (I used Skyy, another high(ish) quality like Stolichnaya or Russian Standard would do)

Combine grapes and vodka in a glass container or jar, smashing grapes to extract some juice. Cover the container and infuse in the refrigerator for up to two weeks for lots of grape flavor, or one week for a subtle grape flavor. Whenever you happen to remember (ideally every few days, but I only did it once in the two-week period), stir the vodka around and smash the grapes a bit more to extract more juice. Strain and store in your refrigerator.

from the top

If the description, recipe, and pictures aren’t enough to convince you to try the Grape Vodka Fizz, consider this anecdote:

Today at market, a certain someone who works for NPR (and shall remain nameless because I don’t want to be that blogger), was telling us how he or she likes to muddle our grapes in cocktails. I, naturally, chimed in that I infused vodka with our grapes and crafted a drink with the infused vodka, ginger liqueur, and a sprig of rosemary. To my delight, the certain someone reacted with an “Ooooh!” and a fellow customer inquired “What kind of ginger liqueur did you use?” to which I replied “Well, I made my own, but you could buy some.” The certain someone correctly interpreted my statement to mean “Well, made my own, because I’m awesome, but if you want to, you could buy some, although it’s less awesome.” Basically, this cocktail got a vote of confidence from this certain someone, so clearly you should try it, too.

Happy infusing!

*Btw, that iPhone that was stolen? Totally got it back. I see you, Instagram. I see you.

**An aside: Do people really notice the difference without bitters? (Am I supposed to ask that?) I know adding bitters is a thing and it sounds like you know what you’re doing, but really, can you actually tell the difference in a drink made sans bitters? I guess if your drink is club soda and bitters, then yes, you can tell, but if it’s club soda + other things that have lots of flavor + bitters, can you really taste the difference? Please know that in asking this I’m also teetering a thin line with Braeden, who will always espouse the use of bitters in his beloved rum drinks, or in other words, I’m probably questioning our relationship, sort of.

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Summer juice

We had a party a couple of weeks ago, and we served this agua fresca, and we liked it!  It’s quick and easy, it’s cool and refreshing, and it’s made from lemon juice and celery.  I’ve made it several times since the party, and it is just right to celebrate the first weekend of summer.

I found the recipe on Cocina al Natural, which has recently morphed into Cocina y Comparte (which means Cook and Share – the site still features recipes and videos by Sonia Ortiz, plus many more uploaded by contributors).

Following the tradition established by Kara’s Winter Juice and Spring Juice, we’re calling this Summer Juice (in Spanish, it is Agua de Apio, or Celery Water).  It’s the perfect thing for a warm day – don’t let the celery scare you… this is just right to cool your tongue if your menu trends toward spicy like ours did.

Summer Juice with Lemon and Celery

  • 4 lemons
  • 2 cups sliced celery (2-3 ribs)
  • 2 cups water
  • ¼ cup agave nectar
  • Sparkling water or club soda and ice

Juice the lemons, removing the zest first to save for another purpose if desired.  When you squeeze the lemons it is fine if some of the pulp gets mixed in, but pick out the seeds.  You should have about a cup of lemon juice.  Whiz the juice in the blender with the celery and 2 cups water until the celery is finely pureed, then pour through a fine sieve into a pitcher.  Save the ground up celery (see below).

Stir in the agave nectar until well-blended.  Pour over ice and add sparkling water or club soda (or simply dilute to taste with regular water if you don’t want bubbles – equal parts juice and water or use more juice if you want a stronger taste).

Fortify as desired.

Remember that ground up celery?  Here’s a nice little appetizer.  Squeeze the excess liquid out of the celery and chill it in a little bowl.  Take some flour tortillas, brush them on both sides with melted butter, and cut them into chip-sized pieces.  Bake on a parchment-lined sheet at 400 F until lightly browned and crisp, keeping an eye on them and turning after about five minutes.   Cool and store in a zip bag until time to serve.

Put the chips out on a plate alongside a little dish of cream cheese, the bowl of celery puree, and some kind of spicy pickled peppers – I highly recommend Candied Jalapeños.

Happy summer!

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No quarter

Hello, again. I didn’t mean for my next post to be another cocktail, and I even asked Braeden if he thought you all would mind if I posted two, two! recipes for cocktails in a row. He responded, “They’re people. They’ll like it.”

So, here we are!

Have you heard of ginger beer? If not, allow me to introduce you.

This drink, which Braeden calls No Quarter, showcases ginger beer quiiiiite nicely. It’s Braeden’s take on a Dark ‘n’ Stormy, of which there can be only one. We take some rum, juice of a freshly squeezed lime, a few dashes of bitters, and shake them with ice. Then, simply pour in a glass and top with ginger beer.

It’s. So. Good.

No Quarter

Notes: We highly recommend Mount Gay Rum, or “the rum that invented rum.” We used the Eclipse rum, which is a nice amber and my favorite of the Mount Gay rums.  For bitters we used Peychaud’s, but I suspect Angostura would also be nice (and if you don’t have bitters, by all means make this drink without. But then go buy bitters.) As for the ginger beer, we were only able to conveniently find Goya brand at a nearby supermarket. It’s very good, and a bit spicy – I didn’t love the spicy at first, but quickly grew to find it addicting. There are other brands of ginger beer out there which are a bit more mellow, such as Reed’s. If you do a little research or have a Jamaican or other Caribbean restaurant near you, you can easily find many different kinds of ginger beer. *UPDATE: So we tried Reed’s, and it wasn’t our favorite – too mellow, not quite as kicky as other ginger beers I’ve found in little DC markets. I suggest starting with Goya, then trying other ginger beers you happen to find.

For two drinks:

  • 2 – 3 ounces rum (see notes)
  • juice of one lime
  • 3 drops bitters
  • 12 ounces ginger beer (see notes)
  • ice

Combine rum, lime juice, and bitters with ice in a shaker; shake 10 seconds until chilled. (Or, you could stir together rum, lime juice, and bitters in a glass, then add ice later). Pour into two tall glasses filled with ice; top with ginger beer.

Cheers, to an excellent weekend.

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Spring juice

A haiku:

It’s actually spring

blossoms, berries, and herbs, yum

the sun shines hooray

Ahem, remember that drink I told you about in the depths of winter? Tonight I made a spring version, and I openly admit that it’s only slightly more like a springtime drink because it uses gin. Doesn’t gin seem like a drink meant for the spring? To me, it signals gin and tonics being sipped on the back stoop after a day of classes, a nice little cap to a stroll outside, the start of the weekend. Or, a de-stresser on a Thursday evening before you make dinner and get tackled by the puppy.

Spring juice

  • juice of one ruby red grapefruit
  • juice of one lime
  • agave nectar to taste
  • gin – I used Bombay dry –  to taste (start with, say, two shots? Then add more if you’d like)
  • ice
  • water or seltzer water, optional

Method 1: Whisk together juices, agave, and gin in a tall liquid measuring cup. Pour over a tall glass filled with ice, top with water or seltzer water if you’d like.

Or, method 2: Shake juices, agave, gin, and a few ice cubes together in a cocktail shaker for about 10 seconds. Strain over ice into a tall glass, top with water or seltzer water, if using.

For more gin and grapefruit inspirations, check this out.

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The cure to winter blues II

I don’t know if you all heard the news, but DC now has its own groundhog. That’s right, Punxsutawney, make way for Potomac Phil. Since Phil predicted that there would be six more weeks of winter, I thought everyone could use a little drink.

All this citrus in the stores has made me go a little citrus happy; I’ve made lemon curd, lemon pasta, eaten lots of oranges over the sink, and attempted a few orange daiquiris. But last night’s drink tops them all. It’s a spinoff of a fresh juice I found over at 101 Cookbooks for Lime, Grapefruit, and Ginger Juice – with a few little changes. Instead of using ginger in the juice, I infused vodka with ginger and mixed that in with fresh grapefruit and lime juice, then sweetened it a bit with agave nectar. Yep.

And so, in honor of six more weeks of winter, leaking pipes, and broken hot water heaters, I present to you my winter juice.

Winter Juice
makes one cocktail

Note: The measurements I’ve given for agave and vodka are, as usual, more guidelines than actual rules. Adjust to your own tastes, but also know that the citrus masks any taste of vodka, well, quite nicely.

  • juice of one grapefruit
  • juice of one lime
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons agave nectar
  • 2 to 3 ounces ginger infused vodka (recipe below)
  • seltzer water

Combine grapefruit and lime juice in a tall glass. Add vodka and agave to taste, stir everything around to combine, and top with seltzer water. Throw in a few ice cubes to finish it off, and watch your worries about no hot water and fears of scurvy melt away.

Ginger vodka

  • 1/2 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
  • 4 cups vodka

Place vodka and ginger in an airtight container (such as a quart sized Ball jar), give it a few shakes, and place in a cool, dark place (but not refrigerator) for at least two days, shaking jar every couple of days. I let my vodka infuse for four days, and I’m going to keep the ginger in the jar to keep it infusing. Take ginger out if you don’t want a strong flavor.

Tagged , , ,

A party, a spread, and a drink

And now for a history lesson:

Back in 45 BC, Julius Caesar implemented the Julian calendar, which is slightly different than the Gregorian calendar we all know and love today. Fast forward a few years (or so) to 1918, when the Soviet Union officially adopted the Gregorian calendar and the Orthodox church kept on celebrating its holidays by the old calendar, thereby making the New Year a holiday celebrated twice each year. Not a bad deal, right?

In honor of Starii Novii god, Old Russian New Year, we had a little gathering complete with infused vodkas, so many pickled things, herring, some Russian salads, spreads, and breads. I went to a Russian store out in Maryland to gather supplies and was pleased as punch to discover they even had Sovetskoye Shampanskoye, which was undoubtedly responsible for the slight hangover I had the next day. No matter, when throwing a Russian-themed party, champagne must be had, and Sovetskoye it must be! Anyways, if you’re ever in the DC metro area and want to get a peek at Mother Russia, go to this store – it’s almost exactly like every little corner store I walked into in Moscow. When I asked the woman which kind of pickled herring is samaya fcusnaya (most delicious), she replied “Devushka, oni VSE fcusniye!” (Girl, they’re ALL delicious!) Typical.

Today I will share a recipe for a cheese-carrot-garlic spread. I first sampled this spread when my host mother prepared it to celebrate her late husband’s birthday (which, coincidentally, also happened to fall on the day of the Russian Revolution. Yep, he was born on November 7, 1917. Cray. Zee.) It’s a mish-mash of finely grated white cheese, finely shredded carrots, and crushed garlic, all bound together with a touch of mayonnaise.  In Russia they use what is simply called “Russian cheese” – when I asked for cheese at the Russian store, she gave me Havarti, which I liked quite a lot in this spread.

Syrnyi Pashtet s Chesnokom i Morkovyu
Cheese garlic carrot spread
Adapted from The Art of Russian Cuisine by Anne Volokh

Note: This is one of those recipes that is hardly a recipe. You can add more or less of anything depending on your taste, just be sure to use enough mayonnaise to hold the spread together.

  • 1 pound Havarti cheese, or other mild, soft cheese
  • 1 – 2 medium sized carrots, peeled
  • 2-4 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 2-3 tablespoons mayonnaise

Finely grate or shred the cheese (or use a food processor). You want it to be grainy, not mushy. Do the same with the carrot. Mix together the grated cheese, carrot, and garlic in a bowl. Add as much mayonnaise as needed to bind the whole mess together. (I suppose if you really like mayonnaise, you could use more). If you want to be super fancy and slightly retro, you might even fashion a cheese ball out of it. Serve with crackers, bread, or toasts.

The cheese garlic spread is the orange-y one in the white bowl with a plastic fork. Classy.

But wait, there’s more!

I also infused two kinds of vodka: a lemon vodka and a black pepper vodka. Did you know that infusing vodka is really easy and tastes really good and is also kind of awesome? You heard it here first.

Note: These vodkas take two weeks to infuse, so plan ahead.

Limonnaia Vodka
Lemon vodka

Adapted from The Art of Russian Cuisine by Anne Volokh

  • 4 cups good quality vodka (I used Stolichnaya)
  • 1 lemon
  • sugar to taste

Wash the lemon well and scrub off any wax that may be on the rind. Slice lemon (thickness doesn’t matter) and remove seeds. Place vodka, sugar, and lemon into an airtight container (a quart sized Ball jar would work nicely here), shake it around a bit to somewhat dissolve the sugar, and let sit in the refrigerator* for two weeks. Shake the jar whenever you happen to think of it throughout those two weeks. After two weeks strain vodka through cheesecloth and store in airtight container.

Pepper vodka
Adapted from The Art of Russian Cuisine by Anne Volokh

  • 10 – 20 whole black peppercorns (depending on taste), slightly crushed
  • 4 cups vodka

Combine pepper and vodka in airtight container, give it shake, and let sit in refrigerator for two weeks. Shake the jar occasionally throughout those two weeks. After two weeks strain vodka through cheesecloth and store in airtight container.

Infused vodkas are all well and good, especially if you like to drink vodka straight. I highly recommend at least trying them straight, just so you know what they taste like. If you don’t like to drink vodka straight, then I have just the thing for you: A cocktail! I call it the Slippery Russian. I wanted to make a cocktail that combines Russian flavors but that wasn’t too sweet or too fruity. What I got was a very refreshing drink that kind of sneaks up on you, as the citrus does an excellent job of hiding the vodka taste. Cheers!

Slippery Russian
makes one cocktail

  • 1 shot lemon vodka
  • 1 shot pepper vodka
  • juice of 1 lemon (or half a lemon if you’d like to taste the vodka more)
  • 1 tablespoon of dill simple syrup (recipe below)
  • seltzer water
Combine all ingredients except seltzer water in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake for 10 seconds, strain into a glass, and top off with a splash or two of seltzer water.

 Dill simple syrup

Note: The next time I make this, I’ll let the dill infuse overnight. I could definitely smell the dill in the syrup but when it was all mixed in the drink the dill disappeared; I think I’d like to at least have a hint of dill. Also, if you don’t think you’ll use a cup of dill simple syrup within a week, I suggest only infusing half of the recipe. The non-infused simple syrup will last almost forever in the refrigerator, whereas the dill should be used within a week or so.

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup water
  • a few sprigs of dill

Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, transfer syrup to an airtight container, and place dill sprigs in syrup. Allow dill to infuse for at least two hours. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

And there you have it – the cure to your winter blues. As the Russians say, shto-to stalo kholodat’, ni pora li nam podat’? – It seems to be getting a little chilly out, shouldn’t we have a drink?

Happy Old New Year, everyone.

*Apparently, many vodka infusing recipes specifically say not to infuse vodka in the refrigerator. But, I really liked the outcome of my vodka, so no harm done I suppose. Next time I’ll do as recipes suggest and place the vodka in a dark, room temperature spot and see what happens.

Tagged , , , , , , ,

Piloncillo Kahlua

Hi, all.

I meant for this post to be about a recent Old Russian New Year’s/Housewarming party we had last weekend. (Also, aren’t you glad Wikipedia is up again? Dear oh dear.) But, alas, I’ve been distracted by something so delicious and easy and relatively (or at least comparatively) inexpensive that I have to tell you about it before you go gallivanting out in the cold this weekend and need a little somethin’ somethin’ to add to your coffee or hot chocolate.

I have made kahlua, and no ordinary kahlua at that. Yes, oh yes.

When I visited Janessa a few weeks ago, she gave me a sample of some homemade kahlua her sister-in-law’s husband had made. The thought had never occurred to me; make your own kahlua? So simple, so ingenious! And after the previously mentioned Old Russian New Year’s party (which, I promise, will be featured in a post soon because we made some really yummy things that everyone in the entire would should know about), we had a surplus of vodka that was just  begging to be used. I racked my brain (ish) and thought back to the homemade kahlua, which is where we find ourselves this chilly evening.

Homemade kahlua is as simple as coffee, a sweetener, a little vanilla extract, and vodka. That. Is. It.

I adapted my recipe from a lovely cupcake blog, and you can find the original recipe here.  Instead of using light brown sugar, I used the rest of a piloncillo cone I had laying around. Piloncillo is the Mexican version of brown sugar, but comes in solid cones or discs and has a deeper and more complex taste than your average brown sugar. I’d recommend finding it at a Mexican/Latino market, as it will probably be more inexpensive than in a supermarket (if a supermarket even carries it in the first place). We don’t have a drip coffee maker, just a French press, so I used that to brew my coffee. (I’m not at all a coffee connoisseur and couldn’t really tell you the difference in taste, but, well, it turned out very well.) The last change was completely by accident: I added more than twice as much vodka as I was supposed to. You see, I was only making half a recipe, but somehow misread the directions and thought that it called for 1.5 liters (which, not-so-coincidentally is how much the yield is, not how much vodka you add, oops), so naturally I said “Ok, simple math, .75 liters = a little over 3 cups of vodka, boom.) But, well, as you already know, that is over twice as much vodka as I should have added. The result? It’s good. My kahlua isn’t exactly like what you’d buy in the store, but it is good. You can drink it straight, over some ice. Or, added to hot chocolate. Or, you could mix it with milk and have some nice calcium with your cocktail.

In sum, make this now.

Homemade kahlua

Note: I didn’t weigh or measure how much piloncillo I used but rather sweetened the coffee to taste (making it a little sweeter to make up for the vodka). I ended up using about half of a cone, which I think might be about a cup to a cup and a half. You can really just use as much or little as you want, depending on how sweet (or not) you want your kahlua.

  • 4 cups brewed coffee (Make it stronger than you normally would)
  • piloncillo to taste
  • 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
  • 3 cups vodka (of a medium to good quality – I used Stolichnaya)
While coffee is still hot, stir in piloncillo to dissolve. I chopped the piloncillo a bit first to make it dissolve more quickly, but you can leave it solid and still be fine.
Let coffee and sugar mixture cool, then add vanilla extract and vodka. Stir to combine, and you are done. Store in an airtight container or pitcher. (I’m not sure how long it lasts, so I will report back if it goes bad ever).

p.s. I found another recipe for kahlua that has you steep whole coffee beans in vodka and dark rum, which sounds really very, very good. I’ll be trying that next.

Tagged , ,


text:
Kaulia’s invitation to Morgan, 1897.

Says His People are Anxious to Learn From the Veteran Senator What Annexation Would Mean to Them.

Senator Morgan has accepted the invitation of the native Hawaiians to address them in public meeting upon the political relations between Hawaii and the United States.

Among the signers of the invitation is James K. Kaulia, president of the Hawaiian Patriotic League and president of the Aloha Aina Society. Mr. Kaulia is bitterly opposed to annexation and he is at the head of the opposition among his own countrymen. It was Mr. Kaulia who was largely instrumental in getting a few Hawaiians to gather in an abortive mass meeting at the Union Square last month, and adopt the resolutions protesting against annexation which Mr. Kaulia afterwards at the head of a committee of fifteen presented to President Dole and his Cabinet.

Mr. Kaulia states that…

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text:
T-Mobile says HSDPA 7.2Mbps Upgrade is Complete

So if you are unfamiliar with T-Mobile’s plans for their data network, they came out with 3G really late in the game, but decided that they would play catch up as quickly as possible and hopefully pass the other carriers in terms of speed; going from 3.2Mbps, to 7.2Mbps, then finally to 21Mbps 3G by mid 2010.

Well, they have officially announced that they are moving along on schedule. They have just completed upgrading their entire network to 3.5G (aka HSDPA 7.2mbps) which would mean they just passed AT&T in terms of network speed (AT&T is still in the process of upgrading their entire network to 7.2Mbps). Now, granted T-Mobile has a slightly smaller network than AT&T but still it shows some initiative and shows that they are playing catch up nicely.

So 21Mbps HDPA+? Where for art thou?

Anyone notice any speed increases with their phones on T-Mobile yet?

  • tested it with mobilespeedtest.com and and it showed 500kbps. is this a good site for testing? let me know if there a better website. thanks

    • Dennis,

      Not really (I always get random readings from that site). What phone do you have? If you have Android goto the Market and search for Xtreme Labs. I think that is what it is called, its a speed test app and works pretty well.
      Let us know what you get.

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  • jerry

    This is very cool, and a big reason I am thinking of Nexus Oneing it sometime this week.

    I would be interested in reading an explanation of why HSDPA is not 4G, or what a 4G system will have over a 7.2 HSDPA, because there are just a few things between my wallet and a new phone, and one barrier is my fear that within 6 months there will be 4G phones out there and I’ll have a 2 year contract and a nice new huge ETF .

  • jimmy

    my results –

    Test Date: Jan 5, 2010 7:17:02 pm
    Connection Type: Utms

    Download: 865 kbps
    Upload: 228 kbps
    Ping: 128 ms

    A detailed image for this result can be found here:

  • Just downloaded said app and ran 2 speed tests. The first came back at 1 Mbps and the second came back as .43 Mbps.

  • Mr. O

    I did notice a speed increase, and also a coverage increase.

  • Patricio
    • Patricio,

      Well, AT&T we know hasn’t done anything but set up the software side nationwide (they have it running in test markets) and it would appear that T-Mobile has at least done the same (if not a bit further along). Either way, T-Mobile is chugging along and catching up pretty quickly.

      PS: The DSLReports guy doesn’t have that much knowledge. He’s speculating and waiting for T-Mobile to comment (even though he does make sense considering some have speed increases and some don’t).
      But more importantly, he says T-Mobile’s 3G is running on 1700 and 2200mhz which is just wrong so makes me wonder about the rest of his article (T-Mobile’s 3G runs on 1700mhz that’s it. They also own 2100mhz, not 2200mhz, but they have not used it yet. You can read more about this in this article: 3G Revelation

  • jessica

    i do notice the diff. im using wireless tether (damn comcast not working)and the pages are loading pretty fast…

    • Jessica,

      Do a speed test, download Xtremelabs from the Market and post the results. Im curious how many people are actually getting faster internet…

  • Engineer

    I would add, to be fair, speed for 3G is greatly dependant on your RF environment and your distance to the cell tower. If you have a weak signal, you won’t get an HSDPA codec, but rather be forced to R99 (384kbps max). To take advantage of the upgrade, you would have to be in an area with very good signal (full bars).
    Also, AWS spectrum includes both 1700 (uplink) and 2100 (downlink) which is what T-Mobile is using.

    • Engineer,

      Right, understandable about needing full signal. I’m curious though as to why my phone shows 3.5G when I don’t have full signal occasionally (Nokia N900).
      And no, T-Mobile is using ONLY 1700mhz for down and no 2100mhz. Read this for more info. I was also under the same impression as you for how we use one for up and one for down, but T-Mobile seems to not do that, yet. They seem to only have a downlink for 3G and no uplink (you can see this when doing a speed test actually).
      How we know that T-Mobile is not using 2100mhz (even though they do own it), is they currently have phones that ONLY have 1700 3G built in (i.e. the Samsung Behold, http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_t919_behold-2587.php, the Samsung Memoir, http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_t929_memoir-2663.php), no 2100mhz at all. So we can assume 1700mhz is what T-Mobile is using for 3G down and they are not using an uplink frequency at all at the moment (even though they probably will at some point).

      Are you an engineer for T-Mobile? Would love to continue this conversation as I came up with the theory myself and still am not sure about it entirely but the evidence points to it for sure and no one else can explain otherwise.

  • Engineer

    I did the xtremelabs test with two bars and got 550kbs down and 161kbs up.

  • Engineer

    You don’t have the right info and neither did that kid’s mom about the details of T-Mobile’s use of the AWS spectrum. The phone has a 1700 transmiter because that is the Uplink frequency from the phone to the tower. The Tower uses 2100 to the phone for downlink. These two frequencies are included in the AWS spectrum purchased by T-Mobile in the last FCC auction.
    As for the phones, if you got to Samsung for the specs directly, it will list it as 1700/2100. If only 1700 was used there would need to be a time division access and no one in the world is doing that.
    Sorry, you were miss informed.

    • Engineer,

      I actually spoke to Samsung and those phones use 1700 for download and they do NOT have 2100 in them. So give them a call 🙂

  • Engineer

    We have the same thing for GSM in the PCS Band. Take A Band for example. We call it 1900, but it is really 1850/1930 used in smaller 200kHz blocks with both Time and Frequency division. UMTS uses code division of a 5MHz uplink and and additional 5MHz in the downlink.
    Your Nokia phone has some non-standard icon change for your 3.5G which I guess represents the difference between R99 and HSDPA.

  • Engineer

    I hope that clears it up, but please note the signal strength when comparing speed tests.
    I love your site.

  • Engineer

    4G networks are actually, WiMAX or LTE (Long Term Evolution). The current 4G networks are only able to carry data. There is a big dispute over the future of voice traffic on 4G as VOIP or if another solution will develop. IMHO I would suggest LTE handsets are more than a year away and if one did come out tomorrow, there is not a current voice solution. This is why you can not talk and surf with WiMAX or LTE. AT&T and T-Mobile 3G are actually WCDMA which allows multiple access (data and voice) at the same time.

  • shatterv2

    Quadruple post ^^

    Speed testing now

    DL: 907kb/s

  • jessica

    i tried doing the speed text on my nexus.. the app ran kinda buggy. there were words on top of words and i couldnt read it

  • Unlockr,

    I work for T-Mobile’s tech support and the Samsung Behold, for an example that you gave, shows that it has 1700/2100 UMTS band support on the page that we look at for specs on all of our phones. I know you had mentioned other phones as well, but it seems that there is mixed info here. What other phones did you say only showed the 1700 band?

  • Engineer

    Open the PDF version and check again.

  • Unlockr,

    Yea, I was looking at the Behold I. I read your 3G Revelation post way back when I just never really looked into it too much. The Gravity 2 only shows “Band IV” but the Memoir shows both “Band I and Band IV.” I believe band iv is just 1700 right? The Highlight shows 1700/2100…BUT the fact remains that the Gravity 2 only shows one band and it does 3G, I play with them all the time at work…hmmmmmm

    • The_Sleeve,

      Did you see the link I posted? From Samsung’s page showing 2100 NOT in the Behold I? lol (I’ve worked with T-Mobile for a long time, I know not to trust what comes up on the screen 100% lol).
      But ya, regardless plenty of T-Mobile phones only have 1700, so someone help me explain this (prove me wrong, I’m totally ok with that. I just want an explanation for 1700 only one way or another lol)

      FYI, can we continue this convo over at 3G Revelation to keep it on track? 🙂

      You work on the inside, love to hear what you find…

  • Sorry about responding so late. Down loaded Xtreme labs speed test and ran a test. Got 538kbps. Does not seem like 7.2mbps to me.

  • remixfa

    correct me if i am wrong, engineer, but didnt nokia just finish the VoiP problem for LTE?

    Besides, all that i have read and understood so far is that the first LTE phones, which are slated for launch shortly if things go right, are going to be LTE for the data side and CDMA for the voice side, until they can wane off the legacy CDMA network sometime down the road. Pretty much the same thing they did with the analog network a few years ago.

    Here in Jacksonville,FL, there isnt a speed increase so far.. at least on the west side of town ;(

  • Engineer

    I saw an article like this about VOLGA on an lab LTE network in Europe. The technology is on its way, but may not be just around the corner. The connection reliability for VoIP seems to be the main challenge to meet consumer expectations. I suspect the first LTE devices will likely be data only until the transitions between networks becomes seamless. I don’t work in product development so it is purely my opinion.

  • Jeff

    Did do a speed test (extreme labs) and with 2 bars my Max DL was 384kbs, Would LOVE to see my phone shoot to 7+. I do live in Utah, and we were one of the last places to receive 3g (about 4 months ago) so possible that upgrade is not truly complete with T-Mob. 3bars test gave me 700kbs (698) and I am inside my apt, but next to the window so it runs good. 4bars (outside) resulted in only 398.3kbs (weird)… So seems to average 500kbs. Which is fine, just to make sure it was not my phone I went wifi and it ran at 4038.6 max (Comcast) Running MyTouch w/root Ahman Rah Recov w/1.6.3 Donut ROM released on 1/8/2010. Love the website man, thanks for helping me take the worry out of the root process. I work for Verizon Wireless (Cust Care) so if you need any inside scoop I got that. We just saw the new(er) Palm Pre and its sibling the Palm Pixie.

    • Jeff,

      Not too bad, but definitely not the speed were should expect if they were done with their network upgrade, so hmmm.
      Thanks! Glad to help!
      Nice, ya shoot me an email if you see anything interesting (don’t get in trouble though).
      Send Us a Tip

  • jon

    Speed tests done with both services both on 3G with 2 bars:

    With XtremeLabs Speedtest:
    Download: 1872.4 kbps
    Upload: 162.4 kbps

    With SpeedTest.net:
    Download: 1928 kbps
    Upload: 374 kbps

    alright T-MO!

    • Jon,

      NICE! Thats the first good one we’ve heard! Thats an upgraded 3G for sure 🙂

  • nick

    just did speed test from xtremelabs speedtest with 4 of 5 bars and 3g connection and download was 318.2kbps and upload 195.4kbps upload i wish mine was up to jons speed cause im in vegas a big tmobile city lol ooh well hopefully soon right

  • rydr

    I can tell you I have seen IPhones do speed tests up to 3000 kbps in 2 different places in Florida. 1 was in Fort Lauderdale with speeds ranging between 2100 kbps and 2600 kbps. About 50 miles north in WPB I witnessed 2500 kbps to 3000 kbps. These were both IPhone 3GS. Being a N1 owner on Tmo I could only get up to 980 kbps in WPB and 700 kbps in Fort Lauderdale.

    • Rydr,

      Never seen speeds that high in FL on any iPhone, except on WiFi.

  • Matt

    on mobilespeedtest.com on a 2mb file I can get 3meg down quite frequently on the 3G on WA. 21meg on cell phones I can even imagine.

  • Ok!
    I have a big interference from wireless telephonnes Dect.6.0(1920_1930 MHz) ! in BTS uplink frequencies!(Romania).
    FCC good work for US and Canada …

  • I would add, to be fair, speed for 3G is greatly dependant on your RF environment and your distance to the cell tower.

  • hayden keller

    I noticed the speed increase. A few days ago I was only getting 100kbs speed with 40-100kbs transfer rates. Now I get up to 3.2mb/s with 100-500kbs transfer speeds. Its amazing. Using this on my laptop just replaces a home broadband connection completely.

  • lamont

    x7500 advantage indianapolis ,indiana-downtown never had 3g ever only edge

    • Lamont,

      That will never change. That’s because the x7500 doesn’t have TMobile’s 3G frequencies in it.

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  • lezlee

    Nope. Just drops 3g a lot and h seems slower.


text:
…Strike a Match and Watch it Gleam…

16 12 2008

I stole this from Snooty Primadonna…and anyone else who would like to steal this for their blog is encouraged to! (And I’ve no idea why the spacing and format are all wonky. I tried and tried to fix it)
Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?
Hot chocolate. Although apple cider is good this time of year too.
Does Santa wrap presents or set them under the tree?
when I was a kid, he sat them on the sofas. (one sofa for me, one for my sister) at mom’s house. At dad’s, they are always wrapped–generally in the sunday funny papers, and quite often “trick” wrapped.
Colored lights on tree or white?

When do you put your decorations up?

The weekend after Thanksgiving.

What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)?

cheeseball probably

Favorite Holiday memory as a child:

I have a few…for some reason the first Christmas we spent at our log house stands out.

When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?

One Easter a cousin told me that the Bunny was fake. I asked my mom if it was the truth, and she confessed. “What about the tooth fairy?” she nodded. “And Santa too??” she nodded. “And what about Jesus?” she slapped me. (I’m just kidding, I don’t think she really slapped me)

Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?

We do gifts at one grandparent’s house on Christmas Eve.

How do you decorate your Christmas tree?

Carols playing, a scattering of curse words, and the past couple years–in shorts and a t shirt!

Snow! Love it or Dread it?

Love it! Since I only get to see it rarely. If I were someplace that got a lot of snow all the time, I may feel differently.

Can you ice skate?

I tried once or twice. I managed to balance, even move forward a bit, all while holding my arms straight out and doing the “helicopter” dance. My ankles ached for weeks afterward

Do you remember your favorite gift?

I recall a black bike with gold spokes. (Pimp my bike much?). And a pair of the very first Air Jordans, which were the envy of my third grade class. A gold herringbone necklace back when those were the thing. And a black and white picture of my honey at age two.

What’s the most important thing about the Holidays for you?

spending time with my loved ones.

What is your favorite Holiday Dessert?

the cookies!

What is your favorite tradition?

opening our stockings Christmas morning

Which do you prefer, Giving or Receiving?

both. I like to give when I find a perfect gift for someone. I like to receive when they find the perfect gift for me.

What is your favorite Christmas Song?

Mary Did you Know? is a recent favorite. Jingle Bells traditionally.

Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum?
eh, I can take em or leave em.

Ever recycled a Christmas present?

not that I can recall. Ive taken several back.

4 responses

17 12 2008

“the truth about Santa” answer has me cracking up! Outloud! I have to go explain myself to the hubby now. Thanks!!!!!

17 12 2008
The Vinyl Villager

Predo–you’re welcome. To an 8 year old, it all sounded equally far fetched to me.

17 12 2008
Big Hair Envy

I’m stealing this right now. Thanks!!

17 12 2008

Oh Yeah! You got quite a few giggles out of me…

Especially the *Jesus Slap*.

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