I'm on a plane (I'm on a plane)
I'm on a plane (I'm on a plane)
Everybody look at me 'cause I'm flying on a plane (flying on a plane)
I'm on a plane (I'm on a plane)
I'm on a plane
Take a good hard look at the motherfucking plane (plane, yeah)
I'm on a plane motherfucker take a look at me
Straight flying on a plane across the deep blue sea
Busting five hundred knots, gliding through the rain
You can't stop me motherfucker cause I'm on a plane
Take a picture, trick (trick)
I'm on a plane, bitch (bitch)
We drinking Santana champ,
Cause it's so crisp (crisp)
I got my can of Coke
And my bag of snacks
I'm snortin' laughs, you in alley
Straight snortin' crack
I'm going to Italy, taking pictures and shit
Rome, Florence, and Venice you bet
But this ain't Olive Garden, this is real as it gets
I'm on a plane, motherfucker, don't you ever forget
I'm on a plane and
It's going fast and
I got a aeronautical themed
Pashmina afghan
I'm the king of the world
On a plane like Leo
If you're on the ground
Then you're sure not me-oh
Get the fuck up, this plane is REAL!
Fuck land, I'm on a plane, motherfucker (motherfucker)
Fuck trees, I climb altitude, motherfucker (motherfucker)
I'm in the cockpit with my boys, motherfucker (yeah)
This plane engine make noise, motherfucker
Hey ma, if you could see me now (see me now)
Arms spread wide on the starboard bow (starboard bow)
Gonna fly this plane to the moon somehow (moon somehow)
Like Kevin Garnett, anything is possible
Yeah, never thought I'd be on a plane
It's a big blue open sky (yeah)
Zeus
Look at me, oh (all hands on deck)
Never thought I'd see the day
When a big plane coming my way
Believe me when I say
I fucked a flight attendant-ay
I'm on a plane
I'm on a plane
Everybody look at me 'cause I'm flying on a plane (woah)
I'm on a plane
I'm on a plane
Take a good hard look at the mothafuckin' plane (sha-sha-shorty, shorty, yeah)
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Friday, February 27, 2009
Best in Chicago
In June, I will have lived in Chicago for 4 years. (One of my first memories in this city was watching the 2005 NBA Finals in my little studio while shooting hoops on a mini-hoop over my closet door).
Anyways, I think I've lived here long enough to share my picks for my favorites in the city.
Italian Beef
When I was helping Brittany look for an apartment in the 04-05 winter in Lakeview, I asked the white, 30-something guy showing us places where I could get a good italian beef. He had no idea what I was talking about and referred me to an italian restaurant.
My Favorite: Al's #1 Italian Beef
I know now to order "beef, hot, dipped." That's with gardiniera and dipped in juice. Al's is just rich in flavor, hot but not too spicy. Just big, bold italian beef flavor.
Portillo's is okay and I've had many a meal there, from dogs to burgers. I've also had Mr. Beef and it didn't impress me the way that Al's did.
Deep-Dish Pizza
My Favorite: Edwardo's Natural Pizza
So this one is in my neighborhood but didn't go there for a while because the organic name threw me off. I though it would be too frou-frou or more for vegetarians. Now I know the organic touch just means fresh ingredients and quality taste.
Gino's East is the first one that I had and fell in love. But now I realize it's overrated, overpriced and the cheese slides around and the crust is not what I want. Same goes for Pizzeria Uno and Giardiano's.
Lou Malnati's and Pizano's are good, but don't deliver that true DEEP dish experience. And Bacino's was my go-to choice for a while. Not a big name but provides a good standard pie. But it can't edge out Edwardo's.
For the record, I've also enjoyed thin crust at Piece and Brick's, but deep-dish is where it's at.
Other
Hot Doug's for hot dogs.
Windy City Metal Detectors if you lose your wedding ring in a soccer field.
Fodor's See It for travel guides (I prefer the design/layout of the city guides as opposed to the country guides.)
Anyways, I think I've lived here long enough to share my picks for my favorites in the city.
Italian Beef
When I was helping Brittany look for an apartment in the 04-05 winter in Lakeview, I asked the white, 30-something guy showing us places where I could get a good italian beef. He had no idea what I was talking about and referred me to an italian restaurant.
My Favorite: Al's #1 Italian Beef
I know now to order "beef, hot, dipped." That's with gardiniera and dipped in juice. Al's is just rich in flavor, hot but not too spicy. Just big, bold italian beef flavor.
Portillo's is okay and I've had many a meal there, from dogs to burgers. I've also had Mr. Beef and it didn't impress me the way that Al's did.
Deep-Dish Pizza
My Favorite: Edwardo's Natural Pizza
So this one is in my neighborhood but didn't go there for a while because the organic name threw me off. I though it would be too frou-frou or more for vegetarians. Now I know the organic touch just means fresh ingredients and quality taste.
Gino's East is the first one that I had and fell in love. But now I realize it's overrated, overpriced and the cheese slides around and the crust is not what I want. Same goes for Pizzeria Uno and Giardiano's.
Lou Malnati's and Pizano's are good, but don't deliver that true DEEP dish experience. And Bacino's was my go-to choice for a while. Not a big name but provides a good standard pie. But it can't edge out Edwardo's.
For the record, I've also enjoyed thin crust at Piece and Brick's, but deep-dish is where it's at.
Other
Hot Doug's for hot dogs.
Windy City Metal Detectors if you lose your wedding ring in a soccer field.
Fodor's See It for travel guides (I prefer the design/layout of the city guides as opposed to the country guides.)
Off to Italia tommorrow
Two weeks in Tuscany. Okay, not all of it's in Tuscany, but it just rolls of the tongue. Anyways, I've got a bunch of special posts that will be automatically posted over the next two weeks, one for every weekday, including a sure classic one tomorrow, so stay tuned to Hoagie Central.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
My Subway Sandwich
At the end of the B.S. Report with the The Soup guy, (not to be confused with today's The USA Today) Simmons read an email about how now that he has a Subway sponsorship, he should try and get a sandwich named after him.
So that leads to the obvious question: If I could get a Subway sandwich named after me, what would I want on it?
This is not as simple as listing all the ingredients I like. It needs to be a cohesive unit that is not overpowering. Also, it needs to be substantially different from all current menu options, otherwise what's the point. Plus, it has to use only standard ingredients.
This is the Dave Fymbo:
It starts with a foot-long Italian Herb & Cheese. But I'm not just going to put a thick layer of meat on the bottom and top it with cheese. I'm alternating a thin layer of meat with it's cheese pairing to form layers of deliciousness.
The base layer is Black Forest Ham. It lays a foundation for the sandwich, both structurally and with flavor. The ham is paired with pepper jack cheese because the ham can handle the spice.
The middle layer is Salami. It goes so well with the ham and builds upon the character with Italian goodness. The cheese pairing here is provolone, so as not to mask the richness of the salami.
The top layer is Bacon paired with cheddar. It is the crescendo on this piece of art. The cheddar and the bacon doing a little dance of love on top of this 12-inch sub.
Now that is a sandwich. Of course how you top it is up to the individual. Personally, I'd take it with lettuce, onions, and mayo and some chipotle southwest sauce if I'm in the mood. And I wouldn't allow tomatoes. If you want tomatoes, I'd tell you to order a different sandwich.
So that leads to the obvious question: If I could get a Subway sandwich named after me, what would I want on it?
This is not as simple as listing all the ingredients I like. It needs to be a cohesive unit that is not overpowering. Also, it needs to be substantially different from all current menu options, otherwise what's the point. Plus, it has to use only standard ingredients.
This is the Dave Fymbo:
It starts with a foot-long Italian Herb & Cheese. But I'm not just going to put a thick layer of meat on the bottom and top it with cheese. I'm alternating a thin layer of meat with it's cheese pairing to form layers of deliciousness.
The base layer is Black Forest Ham. It lays a foundation for the sandwich, both structurally and with flavor. The ham is paired with pepper jack cheese because the ham can handle the spice.
The middle layer is Salami. It goes so well with the ham and builds upon the character with Italian goodness. The cheese pairing here is provolone, so as not to mask the richness of the salami.
The top layer is Bacon paired with cheddar. It is the crescendo on this piece of art. The cheddar and the bacon doing a little dance of love on top of this 12-inch sub.
Now that is a sandwich. Of course how you top it is up to the individual. Personally, I'd take it with lettuce, onions, and mayo and some chipotle southwest sauce if I'm in the mood. And I wouldn't allow tomatoes. If you want tomatoes, I'd tell you to order a different sandwich.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
actual sports analysis: Jim Calhoun and that pesky reporter
What went down: At a post-game press conference, a freelance journalist asked UConn men's basketball coach Jim Calhoun how he felt about being the highest-paid employee of the state of Connecticut. UConn is a public university and Calhoun makes 1.6 million a year, while the state is running a billion dollar deficit. When questioned, Calhoun responded strongly:
"Quite frankly, we bring $12 million into this university. Nothing to do with state funds. We make $12 million dollars a year for this university. Get some facts, and come back and see me. Get some facts, and come back and see me! Don't throw out salaries or other things; get some facts, and come back and see me. We took over $12 million for the University of Connecticut, which is state run. Next question."
Conventional wisdom: Mike & Mike defended Calhoun, and sort of went along with his defense. Saying that yes coaches make a lot of money, but they bring in a lot of money, and that's the way things are. Greenburg also brought up that a winning coach brings in a lot more in Alumni donations, that his job is to win games not turn a profit, and that the money they bring in goes to strengthen UConn as a university, and how do you measure the value of a good public school.
Late breaking facts: As reported on Deadspin, turns out UConn brought in $7,332,214 last year, but had $6,009,728 in expenses, for a net profit $1,324,486, which is less than Calhoun's total salary.
My take: It would seem that because Calhoun tried to justify his salary with the money that the basketball program brings in, that everyone else is content to play the argument out like that. That M&M think because he's netting $10 million for UConn he's right, and then when Deadspin finds out that he's not turning a profit, that Calhoun was wrong.
But I think that Calhoun's salary has nothing to do with how profitable the program is. He's not the CEO of a company and he's not getting bonuses for the company's bottom line. His job is to win games and if anything, he should get bonuses for the team's record--not sure if he actually does or not.
Ultimately, this is my main point: Calhoun gets paid the market value. He's one of the best coaches in history and he commands a large salary. He had to work his way up to this point, getting promoted and so on. If UConn doesn't pay him 1.6, I'm sure some other college would. Whether the program brings in 10 million or 1 dollar isn't relevant to the fact that 1.6 million is his market price.
Say a CTU Agent makes $100,000. Someone asks him if that's a bit high for a federal employee, and he says that we stop terrorists that would cause $10 billion in damage a year. Then we crunch the numbers and look at all their expenses: satellite feeds, magic drive readers that can read chips that no one's ever seen before, opening up new sockets, going on COM...and we find that they actually only net $50,000 in profit. So should that agent take a pay cut?
Of course not, Jack Bauer gets paid because he has specialized skills and you don't have any other choice but to pay him 100 grand!
"Quite frankly, we bring $12 million into this university. Nothing to do with state funds. We make $12 million dollars a year for this university. Get some facts, and come back and see me. Get some facts, and come back and see me! Don't throw out salaries or other things; get some facts, and come back and see me. We took over $12 million for the University of Connecticut, which is state run. Next question."
Conventional wisdom: Mike & Mike defended Calhoun, and sort of went along with his defense. Saying that yes coaches make a lot of money, but they bring in a lot of money, and that's the way things are. Greenburg also brought up that a winning coach brings in a lot more in Alumni donations, that his job is to win games not turn a profit, and that the money they bring in goes to strengthen UConn as a university, and how do you measure the value of a good public school.
Late breaking facts: As reported on Deadspin, turns out UConn brought in $7,332,214 last year, but had $6,009,728 in expenses, for a net profit $1,324,486, which is less than Calhoun's total salary.
My take: It would seem that because Calhoun tried to justify his salary with the money that the basketball program brings in, that everyone else is content to play the argument out like that. That M&M think because he's netting $10 million for UConn he's right, and then when Deadspin finds out that he's not turning a profit, that Calhoun was wrong.
But I think that Calhoun's salary has nothing to do with how profitable the program is. He's not the CEO of a company and he's not getting bonuses for the company's bottom line. His job is to win games and if anything, he should get bonuses for the team's record--not sure if he actually does or not.
Ultimately, this is my main point: Calhoun gets paid the market value. He's one of the best coaches in history and he commands a large salary. He had to work his way up to this point, getting promoted and so on. If UConn doesn't pay him 1.6, I'm sure some other college would. Whether the program brings in 10 million or 1 dollar isn't relevant to the fact that 1.6 million is his market price.
Say a CTU Agent makes $100,000. Someone asks him if that's a bit high for a federal employee, and he says that we stop terrorists that would cause $10 billion in damage a year. Then we crunch the numbers and look at all their expenses: satellite feeds, magic drive readers that can read chips that no one's ever seen before, opening up new sockets, going on COM...and we find that they actually only net $50,000 in profit. So should that agent take a pay cut?
Of course not, Jack Bauer gets paid because he has specialized skills and you don't have any other choice but to pay him 100 grand!
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Sonic's Jr. Candy Sundae is deceiving
We like Sonic. They have good stuff. We saw they had a new menu item: a Jr. Candy Sundae for a dollar. They even have a picture on the menu:
So we ordered it. Here's what they gave us, with a dollar for size reference and a reminder of what we paid for this.
For more ads vs reality, follow this link.
Friday, February 20, 2009
How Well I Know Brittany
1. She's sitting in front of the TV, what is on the screen?
Oprah, Travel Channel, Medium, 30 Rock
Good enough, although not much Oprah or Travel Channel going on. +1Oprah, Travel Channel, Medium, 30 Rock
2. You're out to eat; what kind of dressing does she get on her salad?
Thousand Island, sometimes Ranch
3. What's one food she doesn't like? (meat is not an acceptable answer)
South Beach bars, Jalapenos. Most gardenburgers.
4. You go out to eat and have a drink. What does she order?
Coke or Diet Coke, depending on her mood.
5. Where did she go to high school?
OTHS Home of the Panthers
6. What size shoe does she wear?
9
7. If she was to collect anything, what would it be?
Crystals
8. What is her favorite type of sandwich?
Grilled cheese, although she eats more peanut butter sandwiches.
9. What would she eat every day if she could?
Ice cream.
10. What is her favorite cereal?
Golden Grahams.
11. What would she never wear?
I heart Sarah Palin t-shirt.
12. Who did she vote for in the latest Presidential election?
Obama
13. Who is her best friend?
ME!
14. What is something you do that she wishes you wouldn't do?
Fart, skip brushing my teeth.
15. What is her favorite color?
Green.
16. What is her favorite city?
London.
17. What's her favorite store to shop at?
She doesn't like shopping, so I'd have to say new age stores like Stargazers.
18. What's her favorite holiday?
Christmas
19. Mountains or beach?
Mountains
20. Favorite ice cream flavor?
This is a tough one, but overall I'd say Haagen-Dazs Sticky Toffee Pudding.
- - -
So I got 18/20, although whose feet grow more in their 20's?
How Well Brittany Knows Me
Brittany found these questions and showed me her answers. I'll grade her in bold.
1. He's sitting in front of the TV, what is on the screen?
24, Pardon the Interruption, Mike and Mike, Top Chef, Sports Center
All good answers. Well, not really PTI or SportsCenter, but full credit. +1
2. You're out to eat; what kind of dressing does he get on his salad?
I can't think of a time Dave ever ordered a salad.
We would have accepted ranch or honey mustard. She knows I love the salad bar at Ruby Tuesday.
3. What's one food he doesn't like?
Fruits and vegetables. Although he can stand the occasional apple or Clementine.
The best answer would have been tomatoes. But still correct. +1
4. You go out to eat and have a drink. What does he order?
A diet coke! Or if he's trying to look cool and like he's "one of the guys," he'll order some silly microbrew beer.
We also would have accepted water. +1
5. Where did he go to high school?
Richwoods High School. Go Knights!
+1
6. What size shoe does he wear?
This might be my downfall. 13?
That would be a 12.
7. If he was to collect anything, what would it be?
He bought those NFL helmet heads. Maybe he would collect various barbecue paraphernalia?
+1 for NFL helmets.
8. What is his favorite type of sandwich
Oh come on, this is hoagie central we're talking about! It's hard to say just one sandwich. But I'll give you the core elements of a good sandwich:
--mayo and or mustard if it's a typical sandwich. if it's barbecue, it needs a good sauce that is somehow magically hot and sweet at the same time.
--really good bread. he likes sourdough.
--a hearty meat. nothing light like deli chicken or beef. it would probably be roast beef or barbecue beef or burnt ends (kansas city barbecue specialty)
She nailed this one so she gets a bonus point. +2
9. What would he eat every day if he could?
Poppers! Just kidding. He would probably make this long argument about how after a while, eating the same thing everyday would kill all of its flavor and appeal. Then when I hassle him about it, he would cave and say barbecue.
Again, nailed it. +1
10. What is his favorite cereal?
Oh wow I have no idea. He just bought Life but I know that's not his favorite. I'm gonna go with Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Final Answer.
+1
11. What would he never wear?
Purple Pants. Oh wait.
No points. At least she admits they were purple.
12. What is his favorite sports team?
Kansas City CHIEFS. Go Chiefies! Chiefs and Chopper!
Could they make this any easier? +1
13. Who did he vote for in the latest Presidential election?
Obama
Seriously. +1
14. Who is his best friend?
Mmmmmm. Don't know. Me!
Come on. +1
15. What is something you do that he wishes you wouldn't do?
I like to start a drink and then leave it around the apartment and never finish it.
It's like they're not even trying. +1
16. What is his heritage?
Danish, Swedish, German. Put that together with Irish, English, French, African American, and our children will officially be mutts.
+1 for thoroughness.
Total: 14/16. Pretty good.
1. He's sitting in front of the TV, what is on the screen?
24, Pardon the Interruption, Mike and Mike, Top Chef, Sports Center
All good answers. Well, not really PTI or SportsCenter, but full credit. +1
2. You're out to eat; what kind of dressing does he get on his salad?
I can't think of a time Dave ever ordered a salad.
We would have accepted ranch or honey mustard. She knows I love the salad bar at Ruby Tuesday.
3. What's one food he doesn't like?
Fruits and vegetables. Although he can stand the occasional apple or Clementine.
The best answer would have been tomatoes. But still correct. +1
4. You go out to eat and have a drink. What does he order?
A diet coke! Or if he's trying to look cool and like he's "one of the guys," he'll order some silly microbrew beer.
We also would have accepted water. +1
5. Where did he go to high school?
Richwoods High School. Go Knights!
+1
6. What size shoe does he wear?
This might be my downfall. 13?
That would be a 12.
7. If he was to collect anything, what would it be?
He bought those NFL helmet heads. Maybe he would collect various barbecue paraphernalia?
+1 for NFL helmets.
8. What is his favorite type of sandwich
Oh come on, this is hoagie central we're talking about! It's hard to say just one sandwich. But I'll give you the core elements of a good sandwich:
--mayo and or mustard if it's a typical sandwich. if it's barbecue, it needs a good sauce that is somehow magically hot and sweet at the same time.
--really good bread. he likes sourdough.
--a hearty meat. nothing light like deli chicken or beef. it would probably be roast beef or barbecue beef or burnt ends (kansas city barbecue specialty)
She nailed this one so she gets a bonus point. +2
9. What would he eat every day if he could?
Poppers! Just kidding. He would probably make this long argument about how after a while, eating the same thing everyday would kill all of its flavor and appeal. Then when I hassle him about it, he would cave and say barbecue.
Again, nailed it. +1
10. What is his favorite cereal?
Oh wow I have no idea. He just bought Life but I know that's not his favorite. I'm gonna go with Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Final Answer.
+1
11. What would he never wear?
Purple Pants. Oh wait.
No points. At least she admits they were purple.
12. What is his favorite sports team?
Kansas City CHIEFS. Go Chiefies! Chiefs and Chopper!
Could they make this any easier? +1
13. Who did he vote for in the latest Presidential election?
Obama
Seriously. +1
14. Who is his best friend?
Mmmmmm. Don't know. Me!
Come on. +1
15. What is something you do that he wishes you wouldn't do?
I like to start a drink and then leave it around the apartment and never finish it.
It's like they're not even trying. +1
16. What is his heritage?
Danish, Swedish, German. Put that together with Irish, English, French, African American, and our children will officially be mutts.
+1 for thoroughness.
Total: 14/16. Pretty good.
Denver Broncos update
While I might over-represent the Chiefs from time to time, I think it's important to make sure that all teams get fair coverage on Hoagie Central.
Lets check in with the Denver Broncos.
The last time we heard from former Bronco Travis Henry...
So what's the latest breaking news for him...
That's a shame. At least the Broncos have found a good replacement. In November, Denver signed Tatum Bell who was last seen stealing luggage.
Detroit running back Rudi Johnson said Wednesday that the player who was waived to make room for him on the Lions' roster — Tatum Bell — took his luggage from team headquarters.
Lets check in with the Denver Broncos.
The last time we heard from former Bronco Travis Henry...
So what's the latest breaking news for him...
That's a shame. At least the Broncos have found a good replacement. In November, Denver signed Tatum Bell who was last seen stealing luggage.
Detroit running back Rudi Johnson said Wednesday that the player who was waived to make room for him on the Lions' roster — Tatum Bell — took his luggage from team headquarters.
"All this happened when he got released," Johnson said. "He came in to get some stuff out of his locker and that's when he scooped up the bags."
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Chiefs and Colbert
I knew there must be more celebrity Chiefs fan out there. Here's a screen capture from when Steven was pleading with Scott Pioli not to draft Mark Sanchez.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Kansas City BBQ Recap: The Sequel
Just got back from 24 hours in Kansas City. Still managed to get in 3 barbecue visits. Although no pictures this time. Just lean and mean. Like a good piece of brisket.
First up: 1:30 pm Friday: Gates in Overland Park
It's lunchtime so I wanted to pace myself. Went with the classic Beef on Bun that comes with fries. It's sort of a cross between sliced and shredded. It comes with a little bit of sauce, but mostly dry.
In store they have three sauces for dipping, Classic, Sweet n Mild, Hot n Spicy. I got a cup of all three for the fries.
The fries are thick cut and sort of unremarkable but pretty damn good too. But the beef on bun? This is what it's supposed to taste like. Just simple and amazing. I ate the sandwich in 5 minutes as Brittany couldn't believe I ate it that quickly. I know I should savor the good things in life, but I couldn't help it. The meat was tender, smoky, and had a good amount of heat. It doesn't try to burn your mouth off, but it lets you know this isn't on the kid's menu at Applebee's. This is real barbecue. And this was a better sandwich than what I got at Arrowhead in October 2007.
Beef on Bun: A+
Fries A
Overall: A+
Friday night carryout Jack Stack
Last time I was here, I got the pork and beef burnt ends with fries and beans and went on record that the pork burnt ends were the best barbecue I've ever had.
So learning from my past experience, I ordered 8 oz. of the pork burnt ends with a side of beans. And wouldn't you know, the burnt ends weren't as good this time. I don't know what to make of it. It was about 16 months apart, and I suppose it depends on the meat available, but it was the same location, same carryout method, and it didn't live up to my expectations.
Perhaps it was because I didn't have the overly-chewy beef burnt ends to act as a comparison. The beans were still good, but I was a little disappointed.
Pork Burnt Ends: B+
Beans: A
Overall: A-
Saturday lunch: Smokehouse BBQ
I had planned on going to Arthur Bryant's, but some of Brit's family in-town wanted to take us here, and who was I to say no.
This place had all the authentic atmosphere of Applebee's (I know, two references) but it's all about the food.
I ordered a beef burnt end sandwich on bun that came with fries, and I added a side of beans. These burnt ends came chopped, and crispy. And delicious. Part of me didn't expect the food to be that great based on the atmosphere, but it was surprisingly good.
The beans were nice and meaty and the fries weren't bad either.
Burnt End Sandwich: A
Beans: A
Fries: B
Overall A-
- - -
For The Record:
Gates, eat-in, Overland Park (2/13/09): A+
Jack Stack, carryout, Overland Park (10/6/07): A
Gates, stadium, Arrowhead (10/7/07): A
Oklahoma Joe's, eat-in, Overland Park (10/6/07): A-
Corky's, eat-in, Memphis (5/24/08): A-
Carsons, eat-in, Chicago (2/7/09): A-
Jack Stack, carryout, Overland Park (2/13/09): A-
Smokehouse BBQ, eat-in, Overland Park (2/14/09): A-
Rum Boogie Cafe, eat-in, Memphis (5/25/08): B+
Neely's, eat-in, Memphis (5/25/08): B
Blues City Cafe, eat-in, Memphis (5/24/08): C
First up: 1:30 pm Friday: Gates in Overland Park
It's lunchtime so I wanted to pace myself. Went with the classic Beef on Bun that comes with fries. It's sort of a cross between sliced and shredded. It comes with a little bit of sauce, but mostly dry.
In store they have three sauces for dipping, Classic, Sweet n Mild, Hot n Spicy. I got a cup of all three for the fries.
The fries are thick cut and sort of unremarkable but pretty damn good too. But the beef on bun? This is what it's supposed to taste like. Just simple and amazing. I ate the sandwich in 5 minutes as Brittany couldn't believe I ate it that quickly. I know I should savor the good things in life, but I couldn't help it. The meat was tender, smoky, and had a good amount of heat. It doesn't try to burn your mouth off, but it lets you know this isn't on the kid's menu at Applebee's. This is real barbecue. And this was a better sandwich than what I got at Arrowhead in October 2007.
Beef on Bun: A+
Fries A
Overall: A+
Friday night carryout Jack Stack
Last time I was here, I got the pork and beef burnt ends with fries and beans and went on record that the pork burnt ends were the best barbecue I've ever had.
So learning from my past experience, I ordered 8 oz. of the pork burnt ends with a side of beans. And wouldn't you know, the burnt ends weren't as good this time. I don't know what to make of it. It was about 16 months apart, and I suppose it depends on the meat available, but it was the same location, same carryout method, and it didn't live up to my expectations.
Perhaps it was because I didn't have the overly-chewy beef burnt ends to act as a comparison. The beans were still good, but I was a little disappointed.
Pork Burnt Ends: B+
Beans: A
Overall: A-
Saturday lunch: Smokehouse BBQ
I had planned on going to Arthur Bryant's, but some of Brit's family in-town wanted to take us here, and who was I to say no.
This place had all the authentic atmosphere of Applebee's (I know, two references) but it's all about the food.
I ordered a beef burnt end sandwich on bun that came with fries, and I added a side of beans. These burnt ends came chopped, and crispy. And delicious. Part of me didn't expect the food to be that great based on the atmosphere, but it was surprisingly good.
The beans were nice and meaty and the fries weren't bad either.
Burnt End Sandwich: A
Beans: A
Fries: B
Overall A-
- - -
For The Record:
Gates, eat-in, Overland Park (2/13/09): A+
Jack Stack, carryout, Overland Park (10/6/07): A
Gates, stadium, Arrowhead (10/7/07): A
Oklahoma Joe's, eat-in, Overland Park (10/6/07): A-
Corky's, eat-in, Memphis (5/24/08): A-
Carsons, eat-in, Chicago (2/7/09): A-
Jack Stack, carryout, Overland Park (2/13/09): A-
Smokehouse BBQ, eat-in, Overland Park (2/14/09): A-
Rum Boogie Cafe, eat-in, Memphis (5/25/08): B+
Neely's, eat-in, Memphis (5/25/08): B
Blues City Cafe, eat-in, Memphis (5/24/08): C
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Chicago BBQ Review: Carson's
My BBQ Recaps are some of my favorite posts. Just scrolling through those pictures makes me almost able to smell the slow-cooked pork.
This is part 1 of a 5 or 6 part series of Chicago reviews.
First up: Carson's on Wells. Their website is ribs.com. That's gotta say something.
I didn't have my camera with me, so these pictures are just random online shots.
It has the feel of a downtown Chicago steakhouse. Which it is.
The signs boast that it is the place for ribs. So I ordered a half slab. It came with cole slaw and choice of potato. I did my homework on yelp and knew to order the au gratin.
The cole slaw came first, as if it was my salad. Strange service. The cole slaw was hyped up and I thought it was good, certainly better than the atrocities served in Memphis. But I'm not sure why so many people raved about it.
The au gratin potatoes came in a oven-safe crock, which meant the ribs came on an island on that plate. Also, they offered me a rib bib. I thought that was in poor taste.
This is not me.
The ribs came with a jar of sauce on the side. They weren't dry-rubbed, but they weren't dripping with sauce either. They had been basted with sauce so they were sticky to the touch, but without any excess sauce.
The big question. How did they taste?
Good. Fine. However you say it. There was nothing wrong with them. But they didn't blow me away. Fairly unmemorable.
For a place that claims to be the place for ribs and has the url ribs.com, I expected something amazing. They were cooked fine, and had a good flavor, but is that the bar? I think not. Ribs should be transcendent. I equated this with the slab I had from Rum Boogie Cafe in Memphis.
Ribs: B+
Slaw: A
Au Gratin Potatoes: A+
Overall: A-
A fine meal, but it's not a great sign when the sides outshine the ribs.
This is part 1 of a 5 or 6 part series of Chicago reviews.
First up: Carson's on Wells. Their website is ribs.com. That's gotta say something.
I didn't have my camera with me, so these pictures are just random online shots.
It has the feel of a downtown Chicago steakhouse. Which it is.
The signs boast that it is the place for ribs. So I ordered a half slab. It came with cole slaw and choice of potato. I did my homework on yelp and knew to order the au gratin.
The cole slaw came first, as if it was my salad. Strange service. The cole slaw was hyped up and I thought it was good, certainly better than the atrocities served in Memphis. But I'm not sure why so many people raved about it.
The au gratin potatoes came in a oven-safe crock, which meant the ribs came on an island on that plate. Also, they offered me a rib bib. I thought that was in poor taste.
This is not me. The ribs came with a jar of sauce on the side. They weren't dry-rubbed, but they weren't dripping with sauce either. They had been basted with sauce so they were sticky to the touch, but without any excess sauce.
The big question. How did they taste?
Good. Fine. However you say it. There was nothing wrong with them. But they didn't blow me away. Fairly unmemorable.
For a place that claims to be the place for ribs and has the url ribs.com, I expected something amazing. They were cooked fine, and had a good flavor, but is that the bar? I think not. Ribs should be transcendent. I equated this with the slab I had from Rum Boogie Cafe in Memphis.
Ribs: B+
Slaw: A
Au Gratin Potatoes: A+
Overall: A-
A fine meal, but it's not a great sign when the sides outshine the ribs.
the 4 songs that made my morning
#1: "Decompression / Debiliatation" by The Impossibles
#2: "A Happy Song" by Bracket
#3: "Sunshine" by Jonathan Edwards (Anchorman version)
#4: "Oh Messy Life" by Cap'n Jazz
#2: "A Happy Song" by Bracket
#3: "Sunshine" by Jonathan Edwards (Anchorman version)
#4: "Oh Messy Life" by Cap'n Jazz
Monday, February 09, 2009
NFL Interconference Rivalries
So Dave Dameshek shared with Bill Simmons his idea for interconference rivalry games in the NFL, similar to what works so well in the college game. So of course, I had to go ahead and figure out the matchups. It works out better than you might expect.
Tier 1: In-city rivals
Raiders - 49ers
Jets - Giants
Tier 2: In-state rivals
Chiefs - Rams
Texans - Cowboys
Steelers - Eagles
Dolphins - Bucs
Ravens - Redskins
Tier 3: Regional/Connected Rivals
Chargers - Cardinals (5 hours apart, both places really hot)
Browns - Lions (3 hours apart, Lake Erie, vying for most depressing city)
Broncos - Seahawks (only teams out west, and former division rivals)
Titans - Falcons (4 hours apart)
Jaguars - Panthers (southeast and expansion teams in same year)
Colts - Bears (3 hours apart and Super Bowl XLI)
Tier 4: Unrivals
Patriots - Vikings (both mascots are historical figures?)
Bills - Saints (Buffalo wings vs gumbo/muffaletas?)
Bengals - Packers (small, sleepy midwest towns?)
Okay, so 6 teams get screwed. But 26 teams get really good games.
Of course it would never happen, because it creates a severe imbalance. If I was an Eagles fan I wouldn't be too happy about playing the Steelers every year while the Cowboys get to play the Texans every year. But hey, they do it in baseball.
At the very least, it could be the 3rd preseason game every year, the one that teams play full out for. It still wouldn't be that exciting but it's better than nothing. (For the record, I know the Chiefs and Rams already meet every year in the preseason for the Governor's Cup, and it's at least semi-interesting.
P.S. You could match the Texans with the Saints, in the Reggie Bush Bowl, as they are regionally close. That would open up the Cowboys to play the Pats, in the America's Team bowl. Then you could move the Bills to the Packers (battle across the Great Lakes, wings vs cheese) and have the Vikings play the Bengals in the (who gives a shit?bowl, purple vs orange).
Tier 1: In-city rivals
Raiders - 49ers
Jets - Giants
Tier 2: In-state rivals
Chiefs - Rams
Texans - Cowboys
Steelers - Eagles
Dolphins - Bucs
Ravens - Redskins
Tier 3: Regional/Connected Rivals
Chargers - Cardinals (5 hours apart, both places really hot)
Browns - Lions (3 hours apart, Lake Erie, vying for most depressing city)
Broncos - Seahawks (only teams out west, and former division rivals)
Titans - Falcons (4 hours apart)
Jaguars - Panthers (southeast and expansion teams in same year)
Colts - Bears (3 hours apart and Super Bowl XLI)
Tier 4: Unrivals
Patriots - Vikings (both mascots are historical figures?)
Bills - Saints (Buffalo wings vs gumbo/muffaletas?)
Bengals - Packers (small, sleepy midwest towns?)
Okay, so 6 teams get screwed. But 26 teams get really good games.
Of course it would never happen, because it creates a severe imbalance. If I was an Eagles fan I wouldn't be too happy about playing the Steelers every year while the Cowboys get to play the Texans every year. But hey, they do it in baseball.
At the very least, it could be the 3rd preseason game every year, the one that teams play full out for. It still wouldn't be that exciting but it's better than nothing. (For the record, I know the Chiefs and Rams already meet every year in the preseason for the Governor's Cup, and it's at least semi-interesting.
P.S. You could match the Texans with the Saints, in the Reggie Bush Bowl, as they are regionally close. That would open up the Cowboys to play the Pats, in the America's Team bowl. Then you could move the Bills to the Packers (battle across the Great Lakes, wings vs cheese) and have the Vikings play the Bengals in the (who gives a shit?bowl, purple vs orange).
Friday, February 06, 2009
180 songs in rock band 2
I just unlocked all the free songs available. That's 84 from the Rock Band 2 disc, 55 exported from the Rock Band 1 disc, 20 free bonus downloaded songs for Rock Band 2, and 21 tracks downloaded from the online music store.
To do it, I had to drum a song that was 4/5 difficulty on the hard setting.
So they claim to have 500 songs available, but at 2 dollars a pop for extra downloaded songs, I think I'm about done.
P.S. For Kirat, now I have a Linkin Park song, "One Step Closer."
To do it, I had to drum a song that was 4/5 difficulty on the hard setting.
So they claim to have 500 songs available, but at 2 dollars a pop for extra downloaded songs, I think I'm about done.
P.S. For Kirat, now I have a Linkin Park song, "One Step Closer."
haley to the chiefs
Pioli.
Haley.
Obama.
2009 is looking good. It finally feels like a new era in KC Football. That doesn't mean that success will be imminent, but I feel like they're starting on the right track.
As soon as I heard the news last night, via Arrowhead Pride before ESPN had it up, I started a new Madden Franchise. Simmed the 08 season and fired Herm in the offseason and hired Haley. Madden 09 has a good system where you can offer positions to available coaches and coaches at other teams. But if someone is already on an NFL team, it seems you need to offer them a promotion to come to yours. It makes sense.
Anyways, in the simulation, using the updated end of 08 rosters (ie Thigpen was QB and was a 79 rating, instead of the 73 rating he was when the game shipped) the Chiefs went 2-14 beating the Broncos and Dolphins. Pretty close.
Although the Lions went 3-13, the Steelers went 8-8 and the Colts beat the Bears in Super Bowl XLIII. So I guess the Chiefs did what they could with what they had, and the Lions underachieved by 3 games.
So now my Madden 09 Chiefs have the #1 pick and a new coach. Let's see what happens.
For the record, even though everyone is reporting the Haley hire, including KC papers, as of 9:45 a.m. central kcchiefs.com hasn't acknowledged it at all.
Oh yeah, and even though I don't think the Chiefs will make their Super Bowl run until the 2010 season, you can get 100 to 1 action on them right now.
If I were a betting man, I might put some money on the Patriots, Packers and Vikings.
Haley.
Obama.
2009 is looking good. It finally feels like a new era in KC Football. That doesn't mean that success will be imminent, but I feel like they're starting on the right track.
As soon as I heard the news last night, via Arrowhead Pride before ESPN had it up, I started a new Madden Franchise. Simmed the 08 season and fired Herm in the offseason and hired Haley. Madden 09 has a good system where you can offer positions to available coaches and coaches at other teams. But if someone is already on an NFL team, it seems you need to offer them a promotion to come to yours. It makes sense.
Anyways, in the simulation, using the updated end of 08 rosters (ie Thigpen was QB and was a 79 rating, instead of the 73 rating he was when the game shipped) the Chiefs went 2-14 beating the Broncos and Dolphins. Pretty close.
Although the Lions went 3-13, the Steelers went 8-8 and the Colts beat the Bears in Super Bowl XLIII. So I guess the Chiefs did what they could with what they had, and the Lions underachieved by 3 games.
So now my Madden 09 Chiefs have the #1 pick and a new coach. Let's see what happens.
For the record, even though everyone is reporting the Haley hire, including KC papers, as of 9:45 a.m. central kcchiefs.com hasn't acknowledged it at all.
Oh yeah, and even though I don't think the Chiefs will make their Super Bowl run until the 2010 season, you can get 100 to 1 action on them right now.
If I were a betting man, I might put some money on the Patriots, Packers and Vikings.
Thursday, February 05, 2009
celeb chiefs fans
So when it's Super Bowl time, celebrity NFL fans come out of the woodwork. Jon Hamm for the Cardinals, Seth Meyers for the Steelers.
So who are the fans of the Kansas City Chiefs who are just dying for them to make it to the Super Bowl (XLV in Dallas--put it on the board!)
This list starts with Paul Rudd. He was raised in Overland Park, Kansas City, went to high school there, and even went to KU. He narrated the Chiefs episodes of Hard Knocks on HBO in 2007.
Here's a good Paul Rudd clip:
Next up, Jason Sudeikis from SNL. He also grew up in Overland Park, attending two Kansas City high schools. I don't know for a fact that he's a Chiefs fan, but he played basketball in high school and was in the improv troupe ComedySports. Ergo, he likes sports and would have been 14 at the beginning of the Derrick Thomas-era playoff run.
Eddie Griffin grew up in Kansas City and was voted class clown three years running at a KC high school...
"Eddie then worked as a choreographer for a dance crew that performed half-time shows for the Kansas City Chiefs. One night at a Denny's in Kansas City, a couple people told him he needed to come to their comedy club and perform. He was originally supposed to be on stage for 3 minutes, but instead performed off-the-cuff for 45 minutes successfully."
So I'm going to assume he's a fan of the Chiefs too.
And Don Cheadle was born in KC, but didn't grow up there. So he probably doesn't count.
And that's it. Now how can I get Paul Rudd to come over and watch a game with me?
So who are the fans of the Kansas City Chiefs who are just dying for them to make it to the Super Bowl (XLV in Dallas--put it on the board!)
This list starts with Paul Rudd. He was raised in Overland Park, Kansas City, went to high school there, and even went to KU. He narrated the Chiefs episodes of Hard Knocks on HBO in 2007.
Here's a good Paul Rudd clip:
Next up, Jason Sudeikis from SNL. He also grew up in Overland Park, attending two Kansas City high schools. I don't know for a fact that he's a Chiefs fan, but he played basketball in high school and was in the improv troupe ComedySports. Ergo, he likes sports and would have been 14 at the beginning of the Derrick Thomas-era playoff run.
Eddie Griffin grew up in Kansas City and was voted class clown three years running at a KC high school...
"Eddie then worked as a choreographer for a dance crew that performed half-time shows for the Kansas City Chiefs. One night at a Denny's in Kansas City, a couple people told him he needed to come to their comedy club and perform. He was originally supposed to be on stage for 3 minutes, but instead performed off-the-cuff for 45 minutes successfully."
So I'm going to assume he's a fan of the Chiefs too.
And Don Cheadle was born in KC, but didn't grow up there. So he probably doesn't count.
And that's it. Now how can I get Paul Rudd to come over and watch a game with me?
Monday, February 02, 2009
sweet deal
Sounds too good to be true. Better check the fine print.
How about that. In every Denny's in the US, except for one in Baker, CA. What kind of jackass is running that Denny's that won't participate, forcing them to call it out on the homepage?
As always, Hoagie Central takes you deeper.
Reviewers have noted they have a sign on the front door that says "cocktails served here" and this particular Denny's has been described as the "WORST DENNY'S I HAVE EVER BEEN TOO."
Stay classy 350 Baker Blvd., Baker, CA.
Sunday, February 01, 2009
Super Bowl XLIII Picks Recap
And this year's Nostradamus is...
Burnsy, the hostess with the mostess!
Here are the totals, with total points tiebreaker difference where needed.
Niraj 15
Dave 13 (off by 6)
Katie 13 (off by 13)
Brittany 12 (off by 3)
Mac 12 (off by 16)
Anna 10 (off by 6)
Steve 10 (off by 15)
Spencer 10 (off by 16)
Savan 10 (off by 24)
Eric 8 (off by 5)
Matt 8 (didn't submit)
Susan 7 (off by 2)
Mark 7 (off by 5)
Megan 7 (off by 8)
No one had Holmes for MVP and most people correctly picked the Cards to cover the spread. I had inside information on the MC Hammer/Cash4Gold ad, but Katie got both of those points as well. And neither team ever went for it on 4th down.
Burnsy was so busy hosting that he didn't even get to answer the coin toss question. And he didn't get some of the questions that most people got: Steelers first to score, no on "Dancing in the Dark" and he didn't get either commercial question correct. I'm glad that he won; he deserved it for hosting such a great party. Also, he's won 2 out of the 4 picks sheets that we've done.
Previous Winners:
XLII Winner: Kirat
XLI Winner: Brittany
XL Winner: Niraj
Burnsy, the hostess with the mostess!Here are the totals, with total points tiebreaker difference where needed.
Niraj 15
Dave 13 (off by 6)
Katie 13 (off by 13)
Brittany 12 (off by 3)
Mac 12 (off by 16)
Anna 10 (off by 6)
Steve 10 (off by 15)
Spencer 10 (off by 16)
Savan 10 (off by 24)
Eric 8 (off by 5)
Matt 8 (didn't submit)
Susan 7 (off by 2)
Mark 7 (off by 5)
Megan 7 (off by 8)
No one had Holmes for MVP and most people correctly picked the Cards to cover the spread. I had inside information on the MC Hammer/Cash4Gold ad, but Katie got both of those points as well. And neither team ever went for it on 4th down.
Burnsy was so busy hosting that he didn't even get to answer the coin toss question. And he didn't get some of the questions that most people got: Steelers first to score, no on "Dancing in the Dark" and he didn't get either commercial question correct. I'm glad that he won; he deserved it for hosting such a great party. Also, he's won 2 out of the 4 picks sheets that we've done.
Previous Winners:
XLII Winner: Kirat
XLI Winner: Brittany
XL Winner: Niraj
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