Russell Crowe reported once said "I can make sh$t sound good" when asked why he deserves to make more than his peers. Judging from his previous directorial debut, I am glad he made some good money with his "sound" because his directorship was more like turning scripts into sh$t.
But my point here is to figure out how to make my crappy speakers sound good. My recipe is a cup of coffee, followed by a bottle of beer, then a couple of glasses of brandy. Works like a charm.
But my point here is to figure out how to make my crappy speakers sound good. My recipe is a cup of coffee, followed by a bottle of beer, then a couple of glasses of brandy. Works like a charm.
On vacay in the southwestern states, and after almost a week of red wine every evening -my wife’s favorite- treated myself to a pocket sized flask of Knob Creek small batch. The tough part will be to make 375ml last 4 days.
The Southwest is a fantastic place to visit. Monument Valley is a favorite place of mine. Enjoy
Starbucks Caffe Verona K-cup. It's pricey, but best K-cup I've had yet. It made me think about how Starbucks is so good at what they do. Even how they're handling their current problem is well done.
Last summer, after having spent 3 wonderful weeks in Greece, and returned with a bottle of Mavrodaphne, carefully hidden in our travelling bag to pass airport inspection, one week later the same wine appeared in our local Lidl supermarket...
Mavrodaphne, or Morbror Affe (Uncle Affe) as we called it when we were young, was a popular drink for intoxicating oneself back in the 60's and 60's. Vodka was too expensive and beer was ... made you go to the loo too often. Mavrodaphne was sweet, easy to drink and a bottle in the evening was enough to kill some brain cells and have some fun whilst doing that.
I have a secret coffee recipe. I don't know why this works, but it satisfies every flavor hurdle. It literally enhances the flavor of coffee, whether it was Arabica, coarse/fine ground, hot/cold brewed...
Ready?
I brew the night before and microwave my cup of 'cold pour'.
I swear... this coffee tastes better to me. Label me a heretic. Pond scum.
It tastes better.
And it saves me time! It's as though I've violated a Newtonian law...
I am now creating energy.
Line 39 Petite Syrah, 2014 - a surprisingly nice little Southern California- less than $15 US, IIRC
Presently resting in cheapie hotel next to LV airport awaiting return from an 11 day trip that included 3 B&Bs and lodge in the southwestern states:
St George, Utah - funny state that for liquor laws, among other things
Valley of Fire , Zion National Park,
Great little B&B - Slot Canyon Inn, Escalante UT. Bumpiest washboard road I’ve ever been on for about 45min to Devil’s Garden - pretty interesting hoodoos.
Then into the Grand Escalante Staircase - you’re thinking, gee what’s the fuss about? - then you crest that one sweeping right turn on UT12, and holey MoFo, it’s like another planet, except for the paved roads.
Fairly short hike to Lower Calf Creek - gorgeous 126ft falls, even in very dry season.
Bryce Utah - do they love themselves the cowboy thing - Bryce Canyon - for those not familiar - I’ll just say, Google it.
Page, Arizona; that Glen Canyon dam and bridge are quite something, and we got to take a tour by a Navajo operated firm that gave acces to a very small group to visit one of literally dozens of small slot confines on the family’s 30,000 acre cattle ranch, which also includes a vertiginous 1000ft overlook to Horseshoe Bend.
But the focus of the trip was one of my bucket list items - the Grand Canyon. Stayed in a lodge in the village on South Rim. On our day of arrival there was snow and a bit of a chilly breeze at the Desert View Watchtower, and the nex morning (yesterday) shorts and t-shirt weather for the 45 minute helicopter ride, and 4hr hike on the Rim Trail from Village to Hermit’s Rest. Yes, we did only 20km that day, but at average elevation of 6800ft an out of shape old fart like me appreciated the shuttle ride back home.
Could I possibly pick a single favorite? Maybe for something totally unexpected- Bryce Canyon - on a short 2 hr hike, you wouldn’t think every corner would reveal that much difference , but you’d be wrong. Thank goodness for smart phones with decent enough cameras for Facebook updates and emailing family- over 450 stills and a nice video of cresting the South Rim of Grand Canyon all on one phone.
Edit- PS, and for the piece de resistance; Vegas- which I consider to be simultaneously the epitome and nadir of the ‘mericun capitalistic dream. Where else could you find within literally breathing distance of each other Buddhist Monk garbed wannabes and leather fetish bikini cladded strippers hawking their wares on the Strip? And people bring their toddlers and up to grade school aged kids for a stroll through this?
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