Thursday, April 27, 2006

CHOW: Hungry Mag

A few months ago, I was thinking - Why not put together a team-managed blog encompassing restaurant reviews as well as product profiles and short essays about interesting food experiences for the hardcore chowhound, all of it wittily and snarkily written?

Apparently, I wasn't the only one.

They've got that shit DOWN, yo. Check the noise from their introduction -
We are an online magazine covering all things tasty. We are not foodies. At least not in the elitist sense. We know the house salad at Olive Garden is just prepackaged circles of red onion, bits of frozen iceberg lettuce spit out from a commercial food shredder, tasteless black olives from a petri dish that have never even seen an olive branch, big fat garlicky salty croutons from the box, pepperoncinis cross bred to remove any sense of real spiciness so as not to offend “families”, all tossed with a sweet italian vinaigrette, and if you are lucky, the hapless waiter or waitress will offer a fresh crack of pepper from the spicemill.

That being said, here is our dirty secret: We love the house salad at Olive Garden!


Something about throwing all these commercialized and overfarmed ingredients together yields something tasty, something we think about occasionally when we haven’t been near an Olive Garden in years.

On the other hand, we do shop regularly at farmer's markets. We have spent hundreds of dollars on artisanal balsamic vinaigrette. We have been to the French Laundry, in fact, we once scheduled a whole vacation around reservations to the hallowed restaurant.

Yet, we know that people have guilty pleasures like the Olive Garden salad, or God forbid, the Big Mac. We do not hate those people, and in fact we are, at times, those people.


We don’t expect to have regular Coke tastings, or Olive Garden reviews, but there will be room for some fun. If it’s bad, it’s bad, and if someone genuinely likes it or thinks there may be merit, lets talk about it, not write it off due to snobbery and politics.


Above all though, we do intend to tell stories of the corner taquerias, rib shacks, and exceptional neighborhood joints. We will ignore celebrity for celebrity’s sake, dig deep into the history of food, look for artisanal, or frankly, folksy backwoods producers of the finest ingredients. We will look at all kinds of ethnic cuisine or even the best ways to prepare roadkill. We hope to do this with a smart, focused, and occasionally irreverent voice.
Much love to Secret Squirrel for the tip.

Wednesday, April 26, 2006

CHEKIT: Perplex City


From the BoingBoing post:
...the gist of Perplex City is that you buy packs of six cards for $5 a pack and enter a world of puzzle solving, interactive fiction, and real-world/fantasy crossover. (The makers of the game are happy to admit the inspiration came from Kit Williams' 1979 treasure hunt book, Masquerade, which provided clues to help readers locate a valuable "golden hare" hidden in the real world. The current edition of Masquerade includes the solution to the puzzle.)

Each Perplex City card has a puzzle on the front. Sometimes the puzzle will lead you to a faux corporate website or blog with additional hints. By entering your answer on the Perplexity website, you get points and can compare your ranking with other players.

Some of the cards have delightful gimmicks, like heat sensitive or ultraviolet inks that contain hidden clues. In addition to the obvious puzzle (I think there are 260 cards in the entire series, half of which have been released), each card contains elements of meta-puzzles of varying complexity.
Apparently, the makers of Perplex City have determined that I don’t NEED any spare time in my life. So if you see me, say, sometime in November, bleary-eyed, mumbling something about $200k and a cube that needs finding, you know why.

Tuesday, April 25, 2006

CHOW: I LOVE cilantro. Lots of other folks don't.


Cilantro is my second-favorite herb, after basil. I’d use it in everything if it was appropriate and if most of my friends didn’t hate it so much - it's a hatred so deep, they've refused to eat food cooked near anything that has cilantro in it. I thought they were just being jerks, but apparently they’re not alone.


Monday, April 24, 2006

CHEKIT: The Google Maps Guide to Ghostbusters


The flowers are still standing!

If you’re a fan of ectoplasm, total protonic reversals, 600-pound Twinkies and real smoked salmon from Nova Scotia, Canada, then this Google Maps mash-up is for you. (Much love to Scavedot - VEGAS, BABY!)

Friday, April 21, 2006

MUZIK: Tax Day Playlist


If you're still feeling the sting from getting a smaller-than-expected refund, or if (horror) you had to actually pony up some cash, check out CMJ's Tax Day playlist, which, I expect, could also be titled "CMJ's I Wanna Kick Something" playlist, or "CMJ's Get The Fuck Outta My Way" playlist. I mean, songs from Black Flag and Minor Threat, along with Circle Jerks' "World Up My Ass" aren't exactly bunny-and-ducky fare. Enjoy.

Thursday, April 20, 2006

MUZIK: Spring Mix 2006

So...I know I said this would be ready in March, but...you guys don't mind waiting, right?

I'm just about done. The following is a nearly-complete list of artists featured.

SPRING MIX 2006
featuring:


Alison Krauss via Dolly Parton
Appleseed Cast
Belle and Sebastian
Ben Folds
Bettye Swann
Billy Bragg & Wilco
Blossom Dearie
Blue States
Brendan Benson
Bright Eyes
Byron Lee and the Dragonnaires
Camera Obscura
Cat Power
CCC
Charles Wright & The 103rd St. Watts Rhythm Band
Crosstide
David Holmes
The Detroit Cobras
Devics
Dick Brave & The Backbeats via Run DMC
dj BC and The Beastles
DJ Dangermouse & Zero 7 Featuring Doom
Dokaka
The Dresden Dolls
Eef Barzelay
Elvis Costello & The Metropole Orkest
Elvis Presley
Esthero
The Faces
Feist
George Jones
Gnarls Barkley
Hall & Oates
Inara George
Inger Marie Gunderson via Everly Brothers
The Jackson Five
Jamie Lidell
Jay Dee aka J Dilla
Jean Grae
Johnny Cash
Jose Gonzales
Kings Of Leon
The Knife
Laura Veirs
LCD Soundsystem
Linda Lyndell
Lisa Loeb
The Long Winters
Louis Jordan & His Tympany Five
Lynden David Hall via The Beatles
Lyrics Born
Mia Doi Todd
Michael Penn
Midlake
Minus Five
Mos Def
Nina Simone via The Beatles
Over The Rhine
P.O.S.
Paul McCartney/Michael Jackson
Peggy Lee
Phil
Princess Superstar
The Raconteurs
Regina Spektor
Rogue Wave
The Rosebuds
Sam Roberts
Shelby Lynne
Shelley Short
Shuggie Otis
Sing-Sing
Stars via Smiths
Suzanne Vega
Swollen Members
Tapes 'n Tapes
Tears for Fears
They Might Be Giants
Thievery Corporation (feat. Gigi Rezende)
Thompson Twins
Torero
Wolfmother
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Yes
The Zombies

Much love to Sara Z (Brooklyn, bitches) and Jenny R and all the MP3 blogs that made this possible.

If you want some of this goodness, well - you know how to get a hold of me.

Wednesday, April 19, 2006

MUZIK: Yeah Yeah Yeahs


Blogging about the Yeah Yeah Yeahs at this point is, I realize, a little like writing a cooking column about SPAM in the 1940s. "I've discovered this tasty new spiced ham product that would delight you and your family in casseroles or as a main dish!" the column would say. "Dinner won't ever be the same after you've tried SPAM!" Meanwhile, every pantry in America is already stocked with cans of the stuff, ready to be served to kids already so sick of salty, gelatinous potted meat that they're eating their victory garden carrots first and hiding their meat-pucks in the dog's food bowl.

Actually - the metaphor doesn't hold - Not NEARLY enough Americans are digging the lunatic stylings of Karen O and the boys. And with oufits like these, I don't think YYY retreads are going to be making it to the muzak playlists of your local megachurch's foyer. Regardless - check out the new album. And in this Pitchfork interview, learn that it takes influences like Michael Jackson AND Sam Cooke AND Freddie Mercury to make one of the most interesting lead singers in rock today.

Monday, April 17, 2006

MUZIK: Gnarls Barkley


The upcoming Gnarls Barkley album, like everything else hyped to within an inch of its life, probably won't be as good as everyone says it will be. But you wouldn't know it listening to some of the tracks already making their way about the web, including "Crazy," which went #1 on the UK charts based on download sales alone. Every other music blog I hit seems to mention them at least once a week - and with good reason - web-released tracks "Just a Thought" and "Crazy" will ride a Tilt-A-Whirl inside your head until you manage to slip your synaptic carnies some malt liquor. Fans of DJ Dangermouse (of various collaborations, and, most famously, The Grey Album) and Cee-Lo (of Goodie Mob fame) should just about crap their pants if the album is half as good as the early singles. And if the quality of the first video from a new group correlates to the level of fame and awesomeness to follow, well - it's gonna get a little ridiculous real fast.

MUZIK: Cinnamon Girl

Today's post begins an all-MUZIK week here at Dispatches. Headphones and head-nods and surreptitious lip-syncing on the bus not included.

Enjoy.

Scott over at the 'Gum has 11 (ELEVEN) covers of Neil Young's "Cinnamon Girl," from Radiohead, Matthew Sweet and Hole, among others - which is, by my lights. six more than absolutely necessary. But you can decide for yourself.

Wednesday, April 12, 2006

CHOW [and BOOZE]: The Bourbon Sidecar.

Sorry I've been away. It's been a crazy couple of weeks.

To make up for it - here's a cow in a racing helmet in on a motorcycle.

From Eric Asimov's new blog in the NYT:
I hate to pigeonhole myself, but when it comes to cocktails I love the classics. I want a martini made with gin, not vodka. The same goes for a gimlet. In fact, I don’t really care for vodka at all, unless it’s straight, iced down and served with caviar, or Peking duck. (That’s flexibility, no?)

I prefer a Manhattan made with rye rather than bourbon, just as the original recipe calls for rye. Rye has a racy, dancing quality in the mouth, like Sichuan peppercorns, while I find that Bourbon tends to be a little sweet and flat, and mixes best with ice cubes.

I’m not doctrinaire or snobbish about these things. Years of experimentation simply confirm the wisdom of the originals, despite the well-intentioned creativity that leads to the lesser variations. And I’m not the contrary sort either, although certain members of my family might disagree with that assertion.

And here’s proof: the bourbon sidecar.

Being a cognac/Cointreau/lemon juice man myself, I've never used bourbon in a sidecar, much as I've never used the word doctrinaire in a sentence until just now - neither would have occured to me. But it's looks like it's something worth trying.

Thursday, April 06, 2006

CHEKIT: LEGO Worldbuilder 2


Last week I was at work late because we were on deadline. This week I was at work late because I want to trap and kill some lions with my Freezebot. Trust me - you'll understand.

Wednesday, April 05, 2006

CHEKIT: Jenny makes the case for Bloomington, Indiana.


This is called nature and most New Yorkers only see it if they schlep up to Central Park [or Prospect Park, which we all know is the better of the two].
Jenny (in addition to being cool and cute and (sigh) married) can smack verbs and nouns around sumthin' fierce. Check out her newest published stylings here - though I will say I doubt there's a decent bagel to be found in the whole of the state of Indiana.

Tuesday, April 04, 2006

POLITIK: The Hammer resigns


From the NYT:

In an interview Monday night, Richard Cullen, Mr. DeLay's principal criminal defense lawyer, said that his client had been pondering a withdrawal from the race for some time and that "it had nothing to do with any criminal investigation."

"The decision had absolutely nothing to do with the investigation," Mr. Cullen said. "It was a very personal decision and a political one."

Yes. Very personal. In the way rinsing half-eaten mashed potatoes off a food tray in a federal prison cafeteria kitchen feels very personal.

Monday, April 03, 2006

CHEKIT: Bow before George Saunders. Kneel before George Saunders.


From The New Yorker:
...I used to love music, back when it had melody and chords and lyrics. But now it has no melody and no chords, just thwack-thwacking, and they even seem to be cutting back on the thwack-thwacking, so now it’s sometimes just thwa, and, as far as lyrics, do you consider these lyrics?

Hump my hump,
My stumpy lumpy hump!

Hump my dump, you lumpy slumpy dump!
I’ll dump your hump,
and then just hump your dump,
You lumpy frumply clump.

I’m sorry. To me? Those are not lyrics. In my day, lyrics were used to express real emotion, like the emotion of being totally stoned and trying to talk this totally stoned chick into sleeping with you in the name of love, which lasted forever, if only you held on to your dreams.

George Saunders isn't just a pimp. He is a platform-shoed, befeathered-hat-wearing hermit living atop a mountain that pimps climb and ask of him how they, too, can achieve perfect pimpitude.

He's got a new book coming out. And in case you haven't already, read this one and this one, too.