Here's a new book meme. Starting at the top left of your first bookcase, count off your books from left to right until you find the twenty-eighth book. Turn to page twenty-eight and copy the first full paragraph you find on that page. What book is it? Have you read it? Did you like it?

Why the number twenty-eight? i don't know; i had to pick a number and today is January 28th. Besides, if you don't have at least twenty-eight books in your home, the books you do own are probably not very interesting anyway.

Here's mine:

Now to invent something touching the more private career of Claggart, something involving Billy Budd, of which something the latter should be wholly ignorant, some romantic incident implying that Claggart's knowledge of the young bluejacket began at some period anterior to catching sight of him on board the sevety-four--all this, not so difficult to do, might avail in a way more or less interesting to account for whatever of enigma may appear to lurk in the case. But in fact there was nothing of the sort. And yet the cause necessarily to be assumed as the sole one assignable is in its very realism as much charged with that prime element of Radcliffian romance, the mysterious, as any that the ingenuity of the author of The Mysteries of Udolpho could devise. For what can more partake of the mysterious than an antipathy spontaneous and profound such as is evoked in certain exceptional mortals by the mere aspect of some other mortal, however harmless he may be, if not called forth by this very harmlessness itself?

Posted by: annika at 06:22 PM | Comments (8) | Add Comment
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1999 Trinity Oaks Zinfandel, $4.99 at Bel Air Market. This is good shit. Tastes like a ten dollar bottle of wine. Looks and smells good too. The 1999 label isn't as pretty as the one pictured here, but don't let that fool you. At that price, i could drink two bottles tonight, but i won't.

Posted by: annika at 08:38 PM | Comments (7) | Add Comment
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It is impossible to listen to Louis Armstrong's 1931 recording of Stardust without tearing up. Trust me on this.

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Please tell the talent to stop chewing while talking. It doesn't project casual coolness, it's just gross. It doesn't matter how attractive the speaker/chewer is. Mouth sounds are gross, especially when amplified by a 5.1 home theater system.

Also, everybody in the real O.C. is Republican. Even the kids. So have a clue, and stop inserting those snide liberal one-liners into the dialogue.

On the other hand: Peter Gallagher singing? Not bad. Surprisingly good, actually.

Posted by: annika at 08:27 PM | Comments (5) | Add Comment
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1 You have to stop watching that show!

Posted by: Scof at January 14, 2005 08:30 AM (+OiAc)

2 Peter Gallagher rocks my world!

Posted by: ginger at January 14, 2005 03:09 PM (aTgkr)

3 But you keep watching don't you? Mwa ha ha ha! T.H.E.

Posted by: the hollywood elitist at January 14, 2005 07:15 PM (cxC7g)

4 You are higher than a kite if you enjoyed Gallagher's singing. I like the guy but the singing - yow. Super bad. I thought Allie McBeal was going to show up. You are dead on about the mumbling talking, particularly with Seth and Ryan. I know a few millionaires who aren't Republican, but that's NorCal... maybe you're right.

Posted by: Jason Shellen at January 16, 2005 04:52 PM (aV1r0)

5 Oh come on, the singing was a riot. He was, actually, the dean-martin-esque guy singing "Memories are made of this" in the Hudsucker Proxy, all those many years ago. Ahh, how far he has come.

Posted by: gunge at January 16, 2005 06:37 PM (HI4G2)

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If today isn't a day for the comfort lunch, i don't know what is. Dark clouds, cold rain, wind, hangovers, and the unspoken subtext of impending grade announcements have quieted our little house of mirth here in the Big Valley. Times like this call for - no require - a grilled cheese and tomato soup lunch.

i still remember the afternoon my grandmother (on the German side, the midwestern side) disclosed to me to the secrets of her famous grilled cheese sandwich. She had a big house in the country, with chickens, ducks and bunnies in the back yard, and a big pyramid-shaped strawberry planter in the front.

(A short aside. My grandmother had a vegetable garden too. Besides the usual carrots, cabbage, potatoes, green onions, tomatoes and broccoli, she grew a thing called kohlrabi. It's a relative of the brussels sprout and cabbage family, with a fine German heritage. i must have been about six or seven when she cooked it for me and my brother during one of our weeklong rustic summer holidays (our parents would drop us off to get us out of their hair). i've never had or seen kohlrabi since, but the memory of it is bound tightly with my memories of Grandma and that garden. Now that's a comfort food.)

She also made the best italian salad dressing. But my grandmother's take on the classic grilled cheese was simple, which is as it should be. i've tinkered with it over the years, but the essentials are still there. Assemble these items:

• two slices of sharp cheddar or muenster cheese


• two slices of bread, wheat or white or my favorite: dill rye


• dash of fresh ground pepper


• dash of cayenne pepper


• margarine or butter


• about four thin slices of ham, or bacon

It's not about the ingredients, it's about technique.

First spread a thin coat of margarine over one side of each slice of bread. (Grandma always used real butter, of course.) Make sure to spread the margarine out to the edges of the crust. There should be no bare spots. You want the entire side of the bread covered because this will be the side of the bread that gets grilled.

Next lay the bread out, margarine side down, and cover each piece of bread with enough cheese that you can't see any bread underneath. If you're slicing the cheese, it should be medium thickness. Not too thick, but thick enough so some of it will melt out of the sandwich. the cheese will be doing two things here: enveloping the meat, and occasionally dripping onto the grill to create bits of fried cheesy crusty goodness.

Arrange whatever meat you're using on top of one piece of bread. The proper technique at this step is to create air pockets in the meat (if you're using thin sliced ham) for the cheese to melt into. i bunch up the ham into little flowerets to achieve this purpose. The ham should never be laid flat, because that just makes for a boring sandwich.

Now heat a nonstick pan until little drops of water splashed from your fingertips dance happily for a moment before evaporating. Keep the pan on medium heat. This recipe is not recommended for electric stovetops, because temperature control is the key to a perfect grilled cheese sandwich.

You might want to start the soup now. Campbell's tomato soup should be heated to a simmer, but never boiled. i like to add a half can of water only, although the instructions call for a whole can. Sometimes i'll mix in a dash of white pepper, and i garnish it with a sprinkle of dried oregano.

Back to the sandwich: sprinkle fresh ground pepper and cayenne pepper over the slice of bread with cheese on it, then carefully flip that slice over onto the slice with the ham. When the pan is ready, slap the sandwich down onto it making a "thwump" sound. It should immediately start to sizzle. The "thwump" and the sizzle are important; it's part of the whole comfort thing.

Do not leave the stove, while cooking. You need to peek under the sandwich and check its color constantly. A side is done when it's golden brown and speckled, never black. The pan should be hot enough to melt the cheese thoroughly, but not burn the bread. Too low, and you get a soggy sandwich. Too hot and it gets black on the outside before the cheese in the middle melts. Adjust the flame as needed.

Grilling the sandwich right is a slow and loving process. The perfect medium temperature is achieved with practice, when the globs of cheese reach down and begin frying on the pan at the exact moment that the first side is the perfect color, you have mastered the art of the grilled cheese.

After flipping, grill the other side until it's golden color matches the first side. Now for the fun part. Slide that baby onto a plate and, before eating, spread a thin coat of real horseradish (not cream sauce) over one side. Slice diagonally, park yourself on your favorite couch near your favorite coffee table, cuddling in your favorite comfort blanket, flip on the TV tuned to HGTV or some other favorite comfort program, and enjoy with soup.

Update: Here's a switch; i post a recipe, while the multi-talented Candace posts a poem!

Update 2: SWG brings us another grilled comfort food, for Elvis Day.

Posted by: annika at 10:06 AM | Comments (7) | Add Comment
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1 Sweet. I can't really think of a specific comfort food I pull out for official occasions, but I can think of a specific comfort food instance: 5th grade. Football game on a cold, wet, windy, miserable day. We got beat pretty good, and I got into a fight just after the final whistle(totally wasn't my fault!). The opposing coach ran out and body slammed me away from his kid(who I was fighting), and I rolled onto the wet ground(again, for about the 50th time that day). As I lay in the mud, I was completely cold, wet, muddied, grass-stained, miserable, defeated, adrenalized from the fight, and generally rattled from being body slammed by a full-grown adult-- to the point where the tears were freely flowing. First, my Mom charged off the sidelines and gave that Coach the what-for. This was notable, as this was not her usual behavior. Second, when we got home, by the time I got showered and into some dry clothes, she had cooked me a steak(such a treat!), which I enjoyed at the table in our toasy warm kitchen. That was a COMFORTING meal. She was my hero for that day.

Posted by: gcotharn at January 08, 2005 11:49 AM (+7VNs)

2 One more thing-- which is the fun thing about memory: If you've every paid attention to a football fight, you know its hard for either participant to really hurt the other guy, due to the equipment each is wearing. As I wrote the above, I thought about the brief fight after that 5th grade game. Whether its true or not, in my memory: I WAS KICKING THAT GUY'S ASS!

Posted by: gcotharn at January 08, 2005 11:53 AM (+7VNs)

3 Fuck, that's an entire cooking channel episode. My variations are slight. I love Orowheat's Rosemary and Garlic bread. There are real chunks of garlic in it. And, NOTHING, NOTHING, can be substituted for butter. Kohlrabi? Visit the vegtable section of almost any grocery store.

Posted by: Casca at January 08, 2005 12:43 PM (cdv3B)

4 MAN. I just finished dinner and was feeling completely sated 'till I read this. Now I really want a grilled cheese sandwich. THANKS A LOT! No, seriously, maybe that'll be lunch tomorrow. This recipe looks really good.

Posted by: lorie at January 08, 2005 06:02 PM (kH2V3)

5 Are you competing for best food blog?

Posted by: Ontario Emperor at January 08, 2005 10:16 PM (QcVcB)

6 That is just perfect! You've got me salivating for a grilled cheese sandwich and Campbells tomato soup in a big way. I have to try that sometime. That's the fanciest grilled cheese sandwich I've heard of.

Posted by: Desert Cat at January 08, 2005 11:31 PM (c8BHE)

7 Oh, even with my cold, I am hungry now...

Posted by: Hugo at January 09, 2005 06:04 PM (VqTF3)

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The exterior shot of the tunnel in Rio De Janeiro, where Sidney went to meet Tomazaki with the samurai sword, is actually the tunnel underneath Grand Avenue between the Los Angeles Music Center and the Los Angeles County Courthouse.

Bonus trivia: i think the mausoleum in Moscow, where Sidney's mother is buried, is actually the Westwood Cemetery, where Marilyn Monroe and Natalie Wood are buried.

Can you believe i only lived in LA for one year?

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The great bandleader and clarinetist Artie Shaw died last Thursday. i just read about it today and it reminded me of this old Poetry Wednesday post, where we discussed Artie Shaw in the comments section.

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Since both of my parents are big fans of traditional jazz, Derrick and i grew up hearing that music almost exclusively in the house. My listening tastes branched out when i got into high school, but now that i'm older, i find myself returning to the old standards more and more. i'm not an expert, but you might be surprised how many standards i can sing along to. And i probably have as many opinions on jazz as i do on popular music.

That's just my way of prefacing the following helpful hints for those visitors here who may have one or more jazz lovers on your gift giving list. Trust annika. i've built a pretty decent CD collection over the years and since the standards, by definition, never go out of style, i'd like to share some of my wisdom with you. Here are my recommendations from out of my own collection. i could never get tired of listening to any CD on this list.

Big Bands:

Kansas City, Original Motion Picture Soundtrack - i never saw the movie, but this disk is full of loud, hella fun big band horns. The one Kevin Mahogany vocal is a highlight.

Slide Hampton & The Jazz Masters, Dedicated To Diz - i saw this band in concert at San Francisco's Masonic Hall. There's a back and forth battle of the high note trumpeters on one song that knocked me out when i heard it live. It is my number one favorite CD of my entire collection.

The Best of Woody Herman & His Big Band, The Concord Years - This one features a trombone version of Round Midnight. Yes, trombone. But it's one of the best versions of that song i've heard.

Count Basie At Newport - Basie, live. What more do you need to know? The all-star appearances include Lester Young, Jo Jones, Roy Eldridge and one of my favorite vocalists, the late Joe Williams.

Small Combos:

John Coltrane, My Favorite Things - The title song is my favorite Coltrane tune.

The Best of Bill Evans Live on Verve - A great selection of very romantic and soft piano standards.

Johnny Griffin, The Little Giant - i heard 63rd Street Theme on the radio once and i was compelled to rush to the nearest music store for this CD. i was not sorry. Puts me in the mood of being in the big city on a cold wintry day, i don't know why.

Wynton Marsalis, Standard Time, Vol.3: The Resolution Of Romance - One of the first jazz CDs i ever bought. Very romantic stuff, and brings back some nice personal memories every time i listen to it.

Vocals:

Mack The Knife, Ella In Berlin - This classic jazz recording shows why Ella was and always will be the best, ever. She puts on a clinic.

Carmen McRae, Carmen Sings Monk - Another classic jazz CD. The only way i can remember the names to any of Monk's instrumentals is to think about Carmen singing the words.

Sammy Davis Jr., The Sounds Of 66 - Anyone who likes Sammy will absolutely love this live recording from the Sands Hotel's Copa Room.

Mel Tormé, The Great American Songbook: Live at Michael's Pub - i got a ton of Mel Tormé, but this is my favorite.

Compilations, etc:

Duke Ellington, Reminiscing in Tempo - This is a great intro to the music of America's best composer. Some of it's in mono, but one of the stereo songs is an eight minute version of Come Sunday by Mahalia Jackson that brings tears to my eyes.

Frank Sinatra Sings The Select Rodgers & Hart - Every song is a winner.

The Essential Dinah Washington - My mom and Dad wore out the grooves to their Dinah Washington records when i was a kid, so when i finally bought my own CD, it was this one.

All The Things You Are: The Jerome Kern Songbook - Lots of different artists here; mostly hits and a few misses. But Ella's version of All The Things You Are is so beautiful i have to recommend it for that alone.

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Although i make a damn good California style with artichoke hearts, sun dried tomatoes and goat cheese on Boboli, when dining out i'm firmly on the side of New York style in this controversy.

Chicago-style pizza vs. New York-style. What's the difference? And what about other styles - Neapolitan, Sicilian, Californian?

Every pizza style has a devoted following. If you want to start a heated discussion, just tell a fan of New York-style that you prefer deep dish.

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Kevin Kim tells of a gargoyle* at Washington D.C.'s National Cathedral, which is carved in the shape of Darth Vader's head. i was skeptical, but it seems to be true. Can anyone verify this? Have you seen it?

* Technically it's a grotesque; gargoyles being a type of grotesque that directs water through a spout, which Darth Vader does not. Kevin correctly refers to it as a grotesque, which deflects, rather than spouts water. Why do i call it a gargoyle, then? i happen to like diphthongs, that's all.

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i should do a Friends post. But really i'm waiting for Ginger and Candace to weigh in on tonight's historic end to the iconic TV sitcom. i'm torn between wanting to watch it and wanting to resist participating in a cultural phenomenon. i watched the Seinfeld final episode and i felt robbed afterwards. If i refuse to watch Friends tonight, it will be my curmudgeonly protest over all the hype surrounding this show, which "jumped the shark" years ago. But since the Lakers aren't on tonight, i'll probably tune in for a little bit, just so i'll be able to participate in the watercooler debriefing tomorrow at work. Maybe the cast will get drunk and make fools of themselves in the final minutes, like they did when Cheers ended.

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This idea is not only idiotic, it makes me a bit queasy in the tummy just thinking about it.

A Dutch artist has used a flap of her own skin to make a replica pistol to be shown at an Amsterdam art show. . . .

. . .

[S]he made the tiny replica pistol with a piece of skin . . . surgically removed from her abdomen. The puckered skin was stretched and sewn over a plastic and fiber pistol mold.

Meester said she had the flap of skin removed under local anaesthetic to allow her to make the pistol. The surgery left her with 16 stitches. She froze the skin, then defrosted it to make a replica weapon preserved in formaldehyde.

And here's the funniest quote i've seen in a long time:

If everyone made a pistol from their own skin, I think they would think twice about using a gun. I think there would be less violence in the world.

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It should be noted that on this day, in 1917, the greatest singer in history was born: Ella Fitzgerald.

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i made these, but they sure would look good on your sidebar, i think.

(If you do take one, please copy it and load it on your own server so Pixy doesn't get mad at me for using up his bandwidth. Also, a link back here would be appreciated, but not required.)

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i took this photograph last weekend outside the state capitol building. i thought it might be cool to Van Gogh-ize it with PhotoShop.

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i've been reading Blue Moon by Laurell K. Hamilton, which is one of her Anita Blake, vampire hunter books. It's like an adult version of Buffy. So far it's okay. i'm about a quarter through it.

The heroine is tough talking, always insists on the last word and kicks a lot of ass. The writing is technically proficient, but Ms. Hamilton does have a few annoying habits. For instance she always describes what every character is wearing in every scene.

In the case of her male characters, every single one of them has long hair. They all like to go around showing off their torsos, either in see through shirts or simply bare-chested. Hamilton always takes the time to describe what their stomach muscles are doing. i'm like, okay i get it already, they're in shape. The author seems fixated on a very specific type.

Also, the aforementioned protagonist is kind of a bitch. Someday i'd like to see a kick-ass girl heroine who's not also a ball buster. Can't a girl be nice and still be tough when she needs to be? If and when i finally write my sci-fi police woman book, that's how my lead character will be.

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1 ...at first glance I thought this entry was filed under the Rubric: Autism, not Artism. And I thought that was funny. I don't know why Autism is funny, I'm a bastard apparently... ...possible idea for the name of your female heroine: Miss Demeanor... ...anybody remember that cartoon from the 80's, COPS? These folks do: "all the male criminals have the Mullet, the wrap-around sunglasses, and the baggy Buttafucco pants. If they are female criminals they all wear Ratt or Def Leppard concert T-shirts and wear feathered hair and smoke Marlboro lights"... ...why is heroine spelled so similar to heroin?? and why is the word smack associated with both those words??... ...def leppard's drummer's got one arm!

Posted by: Scof at March 25, 2004 02:37 PM (XCqS+)

2 Did i ever tell you about the armless drummer i saw in London. Thalydimide baby. Decent drummer.

Posted by: annika at March 25, 2004 03:47 PM (zAOEU)

3 A very interesting female character is in the fantasy series Silverglass by J.K. Rivken(?). A mercenary named Corson.

Posted by: Ted at March 25, 2004 07:11 PM (ZjSa7)

4 The Anita Blake books start off well, but gradually degenerate into a supernatural S&M freakshow. Yech. For a kick-ass non-bitch heroine, see here.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at March 25, 2004 08:07 PM (kOqZ6)

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Do read Matt's comments on his viewing of The Passion. It's a personal angle i hadn't considered, but one i think is very true.

Somehow, despite knowledge of what Jesus did for me, I've never felt the sacrifice on an emotional level--certainly not to the degree that seems appropriate, given the magnitude of His suffering and its eternal implications for mankind. It's never been as real to me as something that I'd experienced personally. Tonight, though, it was different.

More: Here's another very thoughtful review by blog-friend Desert Cat. It's Glogger again, so scroll past the Safire related post to his March 2 entry entitled "The Passion."

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i've read a lot of eulogies for Sex and the City over the last week, but none written as beautifully as this one at Candied Ginger. Thank you girls!

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1 You're welcome. It was our pleasure to write it -- glad you enjoyed it so much!

Posted by: ginger at February 23, 2004 11:08 AM (WX5CY)

2 But not even Paris is that beautiful when you walk its ancient streets alone. So true. A touching final episode, but didn't you know Carrie would end up with Big?

Posted by: d-rod at February 23, 2004 11:45 AM (CSRmO)

3 Aw, I'm glad it was appreciated! We do try awfully hard over there.

Posted by: candace at February 23, 2004 05:15 PM (xLWSG)

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"Rise and shine, campers, and don't forget your booties 'cause it's cooooold out there today!"

Ha ha. i love the movie. Bill Murray is the best. i laugh and cry and think, every time i see it.

"A thousand people, freezing their butts off, waiting to worship a rat."

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1 One of my favorites!

Posted by: Ted at February 03, 2004 05:41 AM (blNMI)

2 Don't drive angry. DON'T drive angry! Great movie.

Posted by: Budly at February 03, 2004 12:31 PM (6/1Z7)

3 I would love to see Bill snag that Oscar, even if it's not for Ghostbusters

Posted by: Susie at February 04, 2004 01:08 PM (0+cMc)

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