Tuesday, June 30, 2009

(Mostly) Just Pictures

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Two Palms at The Parker in Palm Springs.

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Montage in the lobby.

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The Lounge: 1.

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The Lounge: 2.

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Salted almonds from the front desk.

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Estate room: 1.

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Estate room: 2.

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Poolside.

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Chess near The Lemonade Stand.

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At the pétanque courts.

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Seating area: 1.

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Seating area: 2.

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The fire pit.

Monday, June 29, 2009

Got Leftover Strawberries?

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Summertime heaps sweet red orbs of deliciousness upon us. Strawberries are nothing short of spectacular in so many dishes, from salads to dessert. They don't last long in my household, but I had some leftover from last week that were looking a little sad when I got home on Sunday night. And not sad as in they felt a little depressed from being left behind when I went out of town, but sad as in of a dull and somber color.

If you have strawberries that start to look a little less than fresh, you can cut out the really mushy parts and then macerate the remaining fruit in some sugar, balsamic vinegar and black pepper. The proportions for this should be about 1 pint strawberries to 4 tablespoons sugar, 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. I know the black pepper may sound a bit odd, but trust me on this one. I've even served this to kids and they liked it.

After a few hours in the fridge, take out the strawberries and add a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream. Top with a sprinkling of chopped mint or use some whole mint leaves for garnish, if you so desire. Then grab a spoon and dig in!

Sunday, June 28, 2009

The "About" Watermelon Salad

Did you guess that this watermelon was yellow? Because if you did, you would be right. It is very juicy and indeed sweeter than the traditional red variety that I am used to having.

It is perfect served up in slices as an afternoon snack, but there was so much leftover that I decided to use it in a melon-basil-mint salad like they did at Chez Panisse this week.

I call this the "About" Watermelon Salad because I didn't really measure anything out (sometimes I get a bit lazy when I cook and I just approximate, especially if it means I have to wash one less thing, but I like to think of it as being efficient).

I chopped up about 1/3 of the watermelon into medium-size chunks. Be sure to chop up a little more than you need because it is hard not eat a few pieces here and there. And by "here and there" I mean at least 2 a minute. Does that sound like a lot?

Then I got together the remaining stuff that I would need for the dressing: about 1/4cup simple syrup (equal parts sugar and water, dissolved), juice from about half a lemon, and about 1/8 tsp. amaretto. Oh, yeah, it was time to break out that big bottle of DiSaronno. How does the commercial go? "DiSaronno: As You Like It"? I can't remember. At any rate, it was fun to use out a bottle from the back of the cabinet that doesn't see much action.

Okay, sorry. Back to the matter at hand. You're going to chop up about 4-5 basil leaves and about the same amount of mint. You can vary according to your personal tastes, however. Then blend the simple syrup, lemon juice, amaretto, basil and mint together in a blender or food processor.

Pour on the dressing; you don't want the watermelon to go naked, after all.


Once properly dressed, place in a pretty serving dish and enjoy! You can serve as a side or dessert. I had it with a simple shrimp and scallops dish, and I thought it complemented it well.

I give this dish 1 star out of 5 (0 being inedible) for its ability to keep as a leftover, so I recommend making it when you will be consuming it shortly thereafter.

You can also serve it up with some feta or salted ricotta. Whatever you like! I actually like it a little bit better without the cheese, but I've said it before, and I'll say it again: You can never go wrong with cheese. Just note that it won't keep as well with the cheese, so be sure to only add it to what you are going to eat.

Hope you are having a great weekend!

Saturday, June 27, 2009

A Guessing Game

While I'm gone, I thought you might like to play a game. Remember this watermelon from the other day? I was told it might be either yellow or rainbow.

So, what color do you think it was? Yellow, rainbow or something else altogether?

Friday, June 26, 2009

A-B-C-D: Arizona, Bisbee, Caves, Douglas

I found myself in a little hillside town by the name of Bisbee. Bisbee is renowned for it's large supply of copper. The hillsides even seem to glint the metal. But maybe that's just because I wasn't wearing sunglasses. It's hard to take pictures and wear sunglasses at the same time. Or maybe I'm just not that cool, which is probably closest to the truth.


Bisbee has number of interesting doorways. This one features, oh yeah, bottle caps. I wonder who drank all that beer, and why wasn't I invited to the party?

Are we feeling the subway vibe? It doesn't smell the same, that's for sure. The faint odor of sweat and urine seem to be absent. Not that that's a bad thing.

Another doorway on Tack Ave. It is reminiscent of a French cafe, at least that's what I think of when I see a guy with a giant menu.

And then it's back to the car and on to Colossal Caves Mountain Park. These caves have a rich history, extending all the way back to 900 A.D. when the Hohokam Indians inhabited them. However, it wasn't until Franklin D. Roosevelt's Civilian Conservation Corps came in May 1934 that the caves were outfitted with trails, handrails and lighting for easier travel.


The wafting aroma of bat guana greets visitors for the first 50 or so yards into the cave, but the smell dissapates as you climb further down. Colossal Cave is considered dry, meaning that water no longer seeps into the walls.

However, there are still some stalactites and stalagmites found in the cave, though many were broken off as souvenirs during the cave's early years as a tourist attraction. If you need a way to remember the difference between stalactites and stalagmites, stalactites grow down from the top of a cave (the "t" in stalactites correlates with the "t" in "top"), and stalagmites grow from the ground up (the "g" in stalagmites refers to the "g" in "ground"). Make sense? Let me know if it doesn't. Really, please do, as I don't want to make it any more confusing than it already is. Got it? Okay then, we're just going to stop by the gift shop on our way out.

I was highly amused by the "Surprise Packages" found in a trunk. I mean, who wouldn't want "Retired Babies," "Tweet-Tweet, Chirp-Chirp,' or "I Like Empty Bottles, Age 15 Over," as a present? I really should have splurged for the "Empty Bottles" package, but maybe next time.

Heading out again, the colorful sign of The Gadsen Hotel welcomes me to Douglas. The Gadsen features 130 rooms, all air-conditioned. The room decor is pretty sparse, but it did have a TV and a mini-fridge perched on top of a table, although it lacked a carpet pad. Still, I loved that the room had so much character, even drawing midnight knocks on the door from giggling girls, perhaps people seeking to find one of the resident ghosts. Or maybe the ghosts themselves? Eh, eh?


Robin Brekhus, the Gadsen's manager, told me that Room 333 has had hauntings in it, as have many other places in the hotel. This particular room was also mentioned on the TV show "Sightings," so it is considered by many to be the most haunted room.

The interior of the lobby is absolutely gorgeous. Unfortunately, yours truly is not a sophisticated enough of a photographer to capture it's beauty, so you should really check out the website for the gorgeous pictures. They just don't make lobbies like this anymore.

And just so you know, Room 333 had 1Samuel 16-17 open upon check-in. I have no idea what that means.

And that's it for this series of "As the Road Turns." I'm heading out of town tomorrow, so I will have more pictures from the road. I promise to post those sooner than I got to these. So come back soon, ya hear?

Onward Bound

Onward bound, or more accurately, southeast bound, to Tombstone we go.

The first stop just outside of Tombstone is Boothill Cemetery. Entrance is free, but for $2, you will receive "A Descriptive List of the more than 250 Graves in Boothill." I, of course, had to satisfy my morbid curiosity and popped for the pamphlet.

In Row 7, there is "Killeen. Shot by Frank Leslie, 1880. Results of a disagreement over Killeen's wife. Leslie married the widow." The West has so many such tales of betrayal and vigilantism and gunfights and stuff. It would have been like living in a soap opera year-round.

It's fairly obvious that the headstones aren't original, but the inscriptions certainly are.

More dead people, but not just any dead people. The McLaurys and Clantons were killed in a gunfight at the O.K. Corral when they faced Wyatt Earp, Doc Holiday and Virgil and Morgan Earp on October 26, 1881.

This is probably the most famous tombstone in the cemetery. It is pictured on no less than 100 postcards. Actually, I have no idea about that, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was on more than that.

Supposedly, Moore died in a dispute with a man over a package while he was a Wells Fargo agent in Naco. The other guy died too. I'm not sure I want to know what was in the package.

Vigilantism was alive and well, back in the day. Big Nose Kate's Saloon proclaims it loud and clear, and in stained glass (okay, well, probably painted glass considering the state of the black hat at the bottom).

Nothing says "Old West" like big ol' cattle skull. I really should have gotten one for the grill on the front of my car. Because that would have been awesome.

Yay, mining! (Sorry, creativity fails me at this point). Actually, this mine, like most things in Tombstone, is now a tourist attraction.

But the old high school on the main road through Tombstone is for sale, in case you're feeling entrepreneurial and would like to start a business there.

The Vintage Rose Cottage hangs laundry out on the roof. Actually, I think that laundry has been out there for a quite a while, and probably never comes down, but it does lend a certain amount of charm, don't you think?

The streets of Tombstone are dirt, and there are all sorts of people milling about, including a not-insignificant number in costume. There are some definite characters, including Stephen Keith, who I saw at the bar of the Crystal Palace. You might remember him from this feature on The Colbert Report. For the record, I don't think that clip exaggerates his quirkiness at all.

But not everyone in costume has quite that demeanor. I was rendered speechless when a man walked by me in sheriff's regalia, simultaneously tipping his hat and saying "How do you do, ma'am." I was so taken aback by this polite gesture that I could barely get out the words "Very well, thank you," before he was out of earshot.

And they say that chivalry is dead, but "they" haven't been to Tombstone.

As I mentioned before, the O.K. Corral was the site of a pretty famous gunfight. It's touted as the "World's Most Famous" one by the operation that runs the daily reenactments, but I think that might be debatable. In any case, it's certainly the sight of an important moment in Western History. I didn't have time to stay for one of the reenactments, so I just bought some souvenirs.

The Longhorn Restaurant serves up a mean breakfast. And by mean, I mean with gun slinging and stuff. Nah, just kidding. The chicken fried steak is decent, and the portion is huge. More than enough for two people.

At the end of the day, there's not much more enjoyable than a stroll with friends. But a petticoat and umbrella make it seem so much more fashionable.

Thursday, June 25, 2009

This Just In

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The animals in my life are forming a club called the "Dirty Nose Club" (or "DNC," for short). Lucy is the newest member.

Care to join? I'm told you just need to apply a little bit of dirt to your nose to be considered for membership.

Music To My Ears

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Bob Dylan, John Mellencamp, Willie Nelson.

These guys are going to all be performing together this summer for only the second time in 24 years.

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And not only are these musicians coming together for what is bound to be an incredible show, they are also playing at minor league ballparks around the country, starting July 1, 2009. I fully appreciate and support that they are bringing in additional revenue to these small parks that are responsible for developing players that feed into MLB.

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The concerts are early and kids under 14 are free with an adult. So get your tickets now! I’ll be seeing them in August. I can’t wait. I may or may not be picking out my outfit as I type.
You can check out the tour dates and buy tickets here.

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I probably should bring ear plugs, lots of ‘em, for the people around me. Not so they can block out sound from the stage, but so they don’t have to hear me singing.

Because I can’t carry a tune to save my life. But there is always time for lessons. No time like the present, right?

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Mr. Personality

Yesterday I mentioned that I went to a feed store over the weekend to get feed for my horse. And then I realized that I hadn't even introduced this guy to you. I don't know where my manners are.

So without further ado, I present for you, The Reigning Knight, aka Knight aka Mr. Personality aka Very Large Beast (VLB). In case you are wondering what breed the VLB actually is, the answer is an American Saddlebred.

He celebrated his golden birthday this year on April 21st, so he isn't exactly a spring chicken.

But don't tell him that. He still thinks he's a young buck, and he has a personality to match. And Knight is convinced he's quite the ladies' man. Just don't tell him that he's a gelding and might be missing some, um, key parts for being a true ladies' man. I'm not sure he'd understand.

Kaknight, are you ready for a photo shoot? You look ready.

Okay, maybe not. I'll wait for you to finish scratching your itch.

Knight still doesn't appear convinced that he's ready to for pictures. But I think with sufficient motivation he might change his mind.

Yeah, your face is a little dirty, Kaknight, but that's okay. I don't think anyone will notice much.

Yup, he's ready.

Watch out, there's a VLB on the loose.

Faster than a speeding bullet? Probably not, but maybe a flying nun? Um, maybe not that either. But this is pretty much his top speed. He's not going to be challenging Rachel Alexandra in a hoof race anytime soon (Get it? Not a foot race, but a hoof race. Ha!). Though I'm sure he'd like to have her as his girlfriend. She's a pretty hot-to-trot filly.

Wait, where'd he go? Apparently he is moving much faster than I am taking pictures. Whoops.

Oh, there you are.

I was wondering where you went.

Are you ready for your watermelon rinds* now? At least wipe your nose before you eat. We wouldn't want anyone to think that you don't have any manners. But I'll would still kiss you on your soft nose, even with all that dirt and gunk. Just don't tell people, okay? They might not understand.

*Yes, I saved the watermelon rinds from
this watermelon to give to Knight. I could have put them in the compost bin, but it's much more fun to feed them to him. He's not spoiled at all. Not one bit. Okay, maybe just a little.