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Summer weekends in Ypsi have been so great, it makes my Mondays-Thursdays drag a bit, but we won't focus on those days.



Seth leaves for Germany for another year in less than a week, so he (and his parents new puppy Kirby) came out one last time. Not only was I able to beat him in chess for the first time ever, but we also made a great dinner. We ran to the farmers market and food co-op, stopped by the Shadow Art Fair at the Corner Brewery and then started cooking.


I put together a fresh mushroom and Gruyere tart. It was rich and creamy with peppers and thyme. Seth manned the brussel sprouts and garlic scapes. I had never had scapes before, and I have to say I was thoroughly impressed. Too bad they only come out for a few weeks a year.












Luckily I was able to come across a solid bottle of Bordeaux to go along with dinner. I was really surprised to find this for under $15. 2005 has a reputation for being the best recent year for Bordeaux and for good reason. This mostly Merlot blend from Chateau Bertinerie was a well balanced, medium bodied red that went very well with food. For a while I was getting into big, fruit forward reds from California that smacked you in the face with tannins, but more and more I am enjoying old world, particularly French wines that are more earthy, subtle, and meant to be drank with a meal. This one met the criteria nicely.










This past weekend was the Michigan Brewer's Guild Beerfest at Riverside Park, which is about a block and a half from our house and where I walk my dog every day. Myself, Dan, Allison, and Quillen were able to volunteer at it for a few hours in exchange for free admission and beer. Quite a good deal.

Here we are, gearing up to give 5,000 people their cups and drink tokens. (Yes, they gave us beer before and during our shift.)



There were about 50 breweries from around the state, and a record number of people came.


I had a great time. And it's surreal to me that something this awesome happens less than a quarter mile from where I live. Here's hoping that the coming weekends are just as fun.

Werk

More and more I am feeling productive, comfortable, and confident in my new job. It's finally getting to a point where I have enough to do to keep myself busy, and I have learned enough about how the homeless systems in Ann Arbor/Ypsi work that I am beginning to grasp what this all looks like.

I guess that was a really wordy way of saying, I like my job and I am coming into my own here. I don't know if social work is what I want to do for the rest of my life, but it's pretty ok for right now. And for Michigan in 2009, having a job, let alone one you don't hate, is a pretty good feeling.

That's not to say that there are not challenges. I'm already having a hard time not getting too attached and invested in a few clients. It's difficult to learn that sometimes, no matter how much you want to help someone, there are no options. And it's even harder to learn that sometimes even if you are able help someone, they will do something to throw their progress back.

There are times that I would love to blog more about my work, because I think a lot of what happens is really interesting. But I don't really think it's appropriate to write about people and clients I work with on a public space.

As much as I miss Bulgaria, I'm so glad I'm not teaching anymore.

javsjavsjavs

Last night I went to go see Javelins at The Elbow Room in Ypsi. I had not seen them since January of '07 and I have to say, they kicked so much ass. I had always kinda liked them, but I am now a full fledged fan(alliteration.) Julian's bass playing really surprised me and Matt R is one of the few people I know who can pull off the drummer/singer combo.

I have to make a seperate paragraph about Matt H.'s guitar playing. Seriously. That dude. He is like a melding of my two favorite guitar players of all time into one person. He takes the poppy inctricate melodies of Johnny Marr (Smiths) and combines it with this HUGE and lucious sound that reminds me a lot of Kevin Shields (My Bloody Valentine). He has to be my favorite guitar player on the local/regional level, and he competes for my favorite current axe man out there.

Check them out, it will be worth it.

Want

Next week something amazing will happen.

Long ago, in a time known as The Nineties there was a show. This show played on a music television station called MusicTeleVision. This show was awesome. And on Tuesday it will finally be released to DVD.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you.














































The state starred so many great actors and writers that I'm not going to bother going through the whole list. But they went on to make Wet Hot American Summer, Stella, The Ten, Reno 911, and the new Michael and Michael Have Issues.

This is easily my favorite comedy show, even topping Curb Your Enthusiasm, Arrested Development, and What's Happenin' I have never actually bought an entire television series on DVD before, but I just might start.

Goodbye Mailbox.

Holidaze

Right now I'm coming down from a metaphorical high that lasted three solid days. Some friends came from out of town for the 4th of July and we had a kick ass time. For more on the weekend, check out the wife's new blog here.

On Saturday night, at about nine Seth and I decided that some cooking was in order. Liz's uncle had recently caught some fish for us on Lake Michigan, and so we made mahi mahi served on risotto with asparagus and topped with a burre blanc.




With it we drank a California Pinot Nior. It was bright and fruit forward with a big aroma of strawberries and raspberries. It was an interesting break for the Pinots I've been having, which have become more often then not, red Bourgogne. In general I find them more subtle and better to have with food.

Speaking of Bourgogne, back during memorial day weekend Seth brough over a great bottle and I made a balsamic roasted tofu-veggie stack complete with (bottom up) red bell pepper, eggplant, marinated tofu, baby bella mushrooms, zuchinni, and swiss chard.

This summer has been treating me very well. It's been incredible having so many friends near by, and ones from out of town that are willing to meet up. It's a huge contrast from last summer when Liz and I were alone in a town of people we could barely communicate with, and had to travel an average of six hours to see newly made friends. When I first came back home I was stunned at just how easy it was to maintain relationships here, and on some level I felt that ease made it less meaningful. But as time goes by I must say I get so much out of my friends here, even if I only have to walk two minutes to see them.

I have been meeting more and more people in Ypsilanti and I have to say, I am falling more in love with this town the longer I stay here. It's the only place I know of that has lots of cool stuff to do and is still affordable to live downtown in. For all the naysayers who think Michigan has nothing to offer, give Ypsi a try.

I've also come back from my reading hiatus and recently finished Under the Banner of Heaven and started Lolita yesterday. I think reading is like exercising. Your brain feels better when it's in shape, it just takes a bit of effort sometimes.

Tonight we are heading to Jackson for dinner with my family and Seth. Mom, Dad, and Aaron just got back from Germany, and Seth is about to go back. I think we are having creamed spinach salmon and probably some Riesling. I just hope I don't get too jealous when they are talking about Mallorca and Frieburg.

no hmo

Even though I'm a pretty political person I do my best to keep this blog about other things. I mean really, if you want to read about politics on the internet you surely don't need to come here to do it. But I just can't let this rest.

Health care in this Country is abominable. It is unfair, unjust, and dehumanizing. Capitalism at it's worst. It takes a person when they are incredible vulnerable and tries to squeeze ats much money out of them as possible. It looks at sick person as says "Helping you is worth X amount of dollars to us."

My insurance at work kicks in today, which is why I have this on my mind. And without going in to details I have had to make a decision between being covered and being able to pay bills and I have not felt so helpless in a long time. I'm not sure I made the right choice.

But my point is, I should not have to make that choice. No one should. And to those who say they oppose a public insurance plan because they "don't want a Washington bureaucrat in between them and their doctor." I have to say it can't be worse than having an overpaid pharmaceutical and insurance CEO's standing there. If you trust the government to run our military, why don't you trust them to pay for doctors appointments?

I was talking to a friend of mine in Botswana, and after seeing how easily and cheaply people there can get medicine she has also become very passionate about this issue. To her, if Botswana can give their citizens affordable health care, why can't the U.S.A? I can't say I disagree.

I am hopeful for change. I just hope our leaders have the audacity to do.

Cake

My coworker's birthday was a little while ago and I offered to make a cake. I figured it would be fairly easy. Obviously, I have never made a cake before.

I pulled out Juilia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking and decided on Gâteau à l'orange. Or orange sponge cake.

Eggs: Separated
Oranges: Juiced and Grated
Pan: Buttered and Flowered




For some reason I forgot we have and electric beater. It would have made this whole process a lot easier.

Not bad.
There are other things going on in my life besides cooking.

I've been riding my bike a lot, pretty much every day to work, which is about a 20 min ride each way. It's really refreshing at the end of work and I can definitely tell that I am getting more in shape because of it. Liz and I have rearranged our apartment and are working on some new home made craft/decorations. I'm feeling more and more settled in Ypsi. We have kicked around the idea of buying a house, but I don't know how serious we are about it. It would be a huge commitment for us, but if there was ever a time to do it, it's this year.

I'll be updating again soon, I have more food to write about.

A Standby

Liz got accepted into grad-school yesterday so we celebrated with one of her favorite meals and one of my most often used from Mark Bittman's "How to Cook Everything Vegetarian."

Pesto "Cheeseburger"

I actually serve this more like a steak than a cheeseburger topped with a balsamic tomato sauce. It's got walnuts, basil, fresh breadcrumbs, eggs, and parmesan making is a hearty and tasty dish. All that I added to the meal was some parmesean focaccia from the Depot Town Sourdough Bakery.

I've been on a real Rhone kick lately and I was pleased with this mostly Granache red from Chatau Pesquie. (And in a new decanter from Seth!)

It was nice and earthy with big luscious tannins. The decent amount of Syrah added a nice jammy mouthfeel with notes of pepper, dark cherry, tobacco, and a bit of black liquorish. It was a good food wine, but stood on it's own quite well.

In other news, I've been setting up some shows now to get myself back into playing Liz and I are playing on both June 6th in Ypsi and June 19th in Jackson. I've also been playing with the band Fields of Industry who have been one of my favorites for a while now. I am really exited to be playing music again.

Until next time.

Last Night's Dinner

Ok, so since James said it wouldn't be pretentious to make this a food and wine blog, here we go.

Last night I made an herbed risotto with a balsamic roasted eggplant/tomato topping.


I am getting more into risotto. It's so creamy and makes a great base or side to so many things like vegetables, fish, or poultry. I know the traditional gourmet herb is saffron, but let's be honest, I can't afford it. Here I used parsley, garlic, thyme, and anise. I also used anise in the eggplant and tomato topping. I've found anise works really well with eggplant. They both have really strong flavors but seem to cut each other when cooked together. And I garnished it with some basil from our new basil plant. It was a great entree.

The Wine was a Vidal Blanc from Sand Hill Crane Vineyards which is in Michigan, only about a half hour away. I was originally looking for a Sauvignon Blanc, but I was happy to see that this Michigan vineyard decided to use a lesser known and more suitible grape to the region rather than bank on a name that people recognize. I results were decent. I was expecting it to resemble Sauvignon Blanc, but tasted and went down much more like a Chardonnay. Smooth and almost buttery, not the crisp feel I expected. Definite American oak, and floral notes with a bit of vanilla. Overall the creamyness went well with the risotto. It was a fine table wine, but nothing too exiting going on.

I'm going to try and do this about once a week. Let me know if it gets annoying.

Let's give this one more try.

I am a terrible blogger.

So I got a new job a couple weeks ago. I'm now a "community integration coordinator" for homeless people in washtenaw county. It's going pretty well.

I really want to get back into music. It's been too long since I have played a show, and I'm really missing it. Lukcily I am starting to play with Fields of Industry who have been one of my favorite bands in the state for a long time. But I'm also trying to set up Segernomics again, maybe rename it, reorganize it, and reinvent it a bit, but I want to go back to acoustic. I think it's where I do my best stuff.

Would it be totally pretentious of me to turn this is into a food and wine blog? Because I have definitely thought about it. I think that would be pretentious.

btw, this is public now, so you can stick it in your rss/google reader if you feel so inclined.

The Man in the Diner

The other day I had an hour to kill before work. Being hungry, cold, and almost broke I went into the Fleetwood diner for refuge. It was there that I met this man.

His name is T. Casey Brennen and he is an accomplished comic book writer who's work includes some of the Vamirella comics. Bill Clinton named Janurary 1990 "T. Casey Brennen Month" for his anti-smoking campaigns (although he was smoking when I met him.)

He is homeless in Ann Arbor.

Oh yeah, and he made a statement claiming he was kidnapped and forced to assassinate JFK. He was #8 on the suspect list.

Аз Пътувам със Автобус!

So last week my grandma had surgery on her back. Her Parkinson's has been getting worse and she fell hard enough to break it. I'm not sure exactly what breaking your back entails, but it sounds horrible. She has not been recovering well and so I am driving down to Florida with my family on Saturday. It could very well be the last time I see her.
It's not going to be a fun Christmas.

In other news. I ride the Ypsilanti bus almost every day, and almost always something interesting happens. I thought the public transportation in Bulgaria was insane, and it was, but some of the stuff I have seen gives it a run for it's money.

1. College age girl talking on cellphone at station:
"I don't eat hamburger meat unless I have a hamburger, and I only eat hamburgers if I have a George Forman grill because I don't like greasy food... And I only like chicken if it's fried... And I don't like fresh vegetables except corn on the cob." I can't even count the contradictory statements here. I mean does she really eat corn on the cob fresh? Like straight off stalk?

2. A grown man an woman were having a quite argument behind me, when out of nowhere the man grabs her, hits her, and push/throws her over the seat. She gets up, says she will press charges and leaves. He leaves too. I assume to call his lawyer, or his babymomma.

3. I thought that only in Bulgaria did people carry around ridiculous shit in plastic bags, but no. There is usually at least one person who takes up the isle with a few giant garbage bags full of god knows what. And the crazy part is that they always get off the bus, jump on their bikes with the bags and take off. This is a feat I cannot figure out how to manage, but somehow they make it work.

4. At the complete opposite end of the socioeconomic spectrum: There was a man sitting across from me, wearing a really expensive looking coat and hat, with his iphone in one hand and in the other, a giant wad of cash. I mean really. Come on