Another Original Work Posted

Last month, I've told you about sharing some of my original writings with you here (see this post). I've just added another one to the list called "Remaining Innocence".

Sometime I wonder whether I should tell people ahead of time what the story is about because I intentionally make them vague. However, I think it's better to leave it to your intrepretation and get out of your way. However, if you have any questions about any of the stories I write, just leave it on the comment for the story's page and I'll answer them.

This story is a bit darker and closer to the sensuality of what I normally write. I still kept it clean so don't worry. I hope you like it. Let me know what you think.

Happy Digital Christmas

This video is awesome (thanks to my friend, Liz). I found a few social media things referenced in this video that I actually use:

Google
GMail
Instant Messaging
Twitter
Foursquare
Facebook
Amazon
YouTube

What about you?



Hope you enjoyed the video. Happy Holidays!

I Have the Best Kids - Relatively Speaking

This year has been a bit difficult for me. Work has been demanding and so has my personal life. I was having a hard time getting in to the Christmas spirit due to the ever-growing list of things I need to do plus the challenge of not having enough funds to buy presents. I was getting depressed and feeling a bit like a failure as a mother.


Last night, my kids did such an awesome job cleaning up the house, finishing the Christmas decorations and just taking major items off my home to-do list. I’m one of those people who are not in to big presents. Of course, I appreciate anything I get but my love language tends to be more on acts of love than anything.

I am so grateful and proud that my children know me well enough to have picked the best early Christmas present EVER for me. It’s exactly what I needed to finally get in to the holiday mood. So, thanks Luc and Xira. You guys are awesome!

Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way – you can tell Mommy exactly what you need, how many parties are you planning in the house, and how much food am I required to cook? Come on, I’ll be okay with it.

Nineteen-Forty-Four Loko

The oncoming death of Four Loko got you jittery? Not into ludicrous abominations like alcoholic whipped cream? Fear not, friends. The great minds at The Whiskey Monologues have a solution for you: Introducing the Nineteen-Fourty-Four Loko. It’s got caffeine, alcohol, and sugar, and you make it yourself! It doesn’t come in nasty flavors or brightly colored cans, it only comes in Awesome.

Nineteen-Fourty-Four Loko
2 parts black coffee
1 part whiskey
1 tablespoon of sugar

Mix in a glass and drink. Repeat as necessary, maybe until arrival at Blackout City, and congratulate yourself on not getting diabetes.

This comes from the Whiskey Monologues site. Just click on the title above to get to the original site.

Get Ready for the Weekend Wednesday 120110

Driving Tours of America Edition

Technically, this not a Weekend Wednesday post because it doesn't really give suggestions for things to do in Los Angeles for the upcoming weekend. However, I'm sharing great ideas for possible DRIVING TOUR vacations you might want to take next year. I know it's a bit early for summer vacation with the Christmas holiday just around the corner. But, I've always been a supporter of "planning ahead" so...

These ideas are actually complied by Debra Ronca for "How Stuff Works" and here original article is here. I'll just highlight her top 10 list here (which I agree with, by the way) and highly recommend you access the original link above.

In descending order:

• The Hawaii Belt - Big Island, Hawaii
• Overseas Highway - Florida Keys
• Finger Lakes Region - New York
• Pacific Coast Highway - California
• Going-to-the-Sun Road - Montana
• Skyline Drive - Virginia
• Seward Highway - Alaska
• San Juan Skyway - Colorado
• Brandywine Valley - Pennsylvania and Delaware
• Patchwork Parkway - Utah

Ronca, Debra. "Top 10 Most Beautiful Drives in the United States" 03 November 2009. HowStuffWorks.com. 28 November 2010

I Do Care, Just In Case You're Wondering

In our lives, there are so many times that we give up so much. So much we sacrifice. So much we let go. Yet despite the sadness, we also know the certainty that what we’ve lost, what we’ve given up are exactly the same things that are needed to lay the foundation for the future.

Our lives are never about us. It’s always about the people that will live on after us, the ones that will come long after we’ve left. Even though we are fleeting part of this world, that in a short while we won’t even be remembered, we know that we have played the part we were meant to play in this life. Our names are not written in books, our faces will be wiped even from our loved ones memories sooner than we want them to. Yet, we bravely do the things that are hard. They hurt so much that we buckle beneath the force of that pain.

The only thing I hope for is that I’ve told the people I care about how much I love them. I don’t care if they know all the sacrifices I’ve made or they remember me at all. I just hope that all the time I spent with them, one spark in all the minutes – I made it clear that I cared.

Negroni

You don't know what Campari is? Well, here is something to get you started on the way to becoming friends with it.

Fancy and time consuming - serve in a chilled cocktail glass (or martini glass)

1 1/2 ounces London dry gin

3/4 ounce Campari

3/4 ounce Italian vermouth

Shake well with cracked ice then carefully strain in to the glass. Garnish with a twist of orange peel.

Casual and quick (when I’m alone and need that drink badly, like today)

Fill a lowball glass tumbler with ice

Add a slice of orange

Top with equal parts of Campari, sweet vermouth and gin

Get Ready for the Weekend Wednesday 111710

Harry Potter Edition #1

Sorry guys and gals. Since Harry Potter is opening with a midnight showing tomorrow, that’s all I can really think about. If you’re a fan of the books and movies, here are some things that will help you fully celebrate the beginning of the end this weekend.

Watch the Official Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 Trailer 2 in HD




Visit Whimsic Alley - a magical store devoted to all things Harry Potter. They are hosting a midnight release party on Thursday, November 18^th with HP-themed games and events.



Whimsic Alley
5464 Wilshire Blvd,
Los Angeles, CA 90036
3 blocks west of La Brea Blvd.)
+1 (310) 453-2370
Click the photo to go to Whimsic Alley's web site

Go on the Warner Bros. VIP Studio Tour where the Museum is featuring exhibits from the Harry Potter films.

3400 Riverside Drive
Burbank, CA 91522
Tours depart continuously Monday through Friday, 8:20 AM to 4:00 PM
Tickets are $48.00 per person
Click here for more info

Sharing Some Original Work

As some of you may know, I frequently write fictional short stories or poems all over the inter webs. I decided to park some of those stories here so you can get a chance to sample my work.

I've posted my first sample here. You can also find a list of them as I add more on the sidebar to the right, under the heading "Original Fiction". My work is usually dark and sometimes filthy. I'll leave the filth off of here but I don't think I can get the dark out.

Hope you enjoy it and let me know what you think. Critiques are also welcome - so if you have suggestions for improvements or other comments, leave them on the story page. Thanks.

Can I Geek Out for a Moment?

Can I Geek Out for a Moment?
Originally uploaded by DrSilver

I've been wanting to post this and brag for a couple of days but I've been sick over the weekend so just got the chance to hang it today. Joe Hill, one of my favorite authors, is now following me on Twitter and is kind enough to send me a book for donating to his Movember challenge. For a book geek like me, this is the equivalent of having some big athlete call me on the phone for my birthday. Hee hee.

Okay, girly geek time over. Returning to regularly scheduled programming
now. Thanks for indulging me.

Get Ready for the Weekend Wednesday 110310

I know it's been a while since I've posted a Weekend Wednesday (last one was in February) but here's a suggestion for this Sunday. It's a little bit different but it's more true to the kind of freaky things I like.

Mental Head Circus

It's a bit hard to explain but the following words are usually used to describe this show: vaudeville circus, devious cabaret, dance, humor and bawdy allure. Need I say more?

In case you want more info, check out Terry Beeman's site (he's the show's creator). Sorry, this event is 21 and over only so you can't bring the kiddies.

Mental Head Circus

at King King

6555 Hollywood Blvd

Hollywood, CA 90028

Doors open at 6PM and show starts at 7PM

General Admission (Standing Room) $20.00 

Kir Royale

Apéritif served in a champagne flute

• 1 part creme de cassis (a sweet red blackcurrant flavored liqueur)
• 4 parts Champagne or Cremant de Bourgogne

Pour cassis in the flute then gently pour the champagne on top.

Just like with any kind of cooking, you need to use the best ingredients to get the best taste. I suggest using Massenez Creme de Cassis de Dijon and Veuve Ambal Cremant de Bourgogne. The recommended sparkling wine is about $15 and the cassis is about twice as much (but you'll use less of it).

Happy drinking!

P.S. I'm not a wine snob or anything. I'm just a drunk who usually imbibe Grey Goose Tonic, Blue Moon or Lindemans Framboise. Just want to educate others who want to pass for non-alcoholics around sober people.

This is Ridiculous!

Okay - I'm revising the order of my 2010 Summer Reading List. I can't seem to get psyched-up about Stephen King's new book. And, he's my favorite author!

I could be just jonesing for other things right now. I've read 19 books since I've finished The Passage when I should've been reading Under the Dome. With that said, maybe I need a new tactic. So, in an attempt to make better progress, here's the new order:

The Magicians by Lev Grossman (done)
The Passage by Justin Cronin (update: finished on 7/15/10)
Insatiable by Meg Cabot (update: finished on 9/2/10)
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson (update: finished on 9/8/10)
The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson (update: finished on 9/14/10)
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson (update: finished on 9/21/10)
The Serpent's Tale by Ariana Franklin (update: finished on 10/7/10)
The Last Legion by Valerio Massimo Manfredi (giving up - maybe for fall)
Under the Dome by Stephen King (giving up - maybe for fall)

Summer 2010 Reading List (Maybe Even Fall)

Summer 2010 Reading List (Maybe Even Fall)
Originally uploaded by DrSilver

I'm a bit ambitious with my reading list this summer. Considering how busy I am, I doubt if I can really tackle all of these by the end of August. Realistically, I think I can finish by October-November. We'll see.

Here's the list (in order of when I will read them):

The Magicians by Lev Grossman (done)
The Passage by Justin Cronin (update: finished on 7/15/10)
Under the Dome by Stephen King (update: in progress on 7/17)
Insatiable by Meg Cabot
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson
The Serpent's Tale by Ariana Franklin
The Last Legion by Valerio Massimo Manfredi

Wish me luck!

Introspection #1

Life will never make sense to any us if we try to look at the whole picture. We were never intended to see the whole thing until the very end of life, when it wouldn’t be of any use to us. For some, they don’t even get that privilege and expire without the knowledge of what’s it all about. No matter how far back we stand from the picture or try to imagine what’s in the future, we don’t have the power to really see the full picture. We will always have a partial perspective. Always.


What’s left is for us to really look at the details of what we can see and just focus on that limited perspective. Whatever it is that’s there, enjoy and revel in your limitations. Be content on seeing the details and the knowledge that it somehow fits the whole, even if you don’t know what that whole is. Laugh, cry, smell, taste, feel, hear, shiver, swelter, moan, groan, sigh… know that there will never be anything that can compare to this flicker in time. It is a unique, incomparable moment that belongs only to your whole life.

Get Ready for the Weekend Wednesday - 021710

Happy Hour Edition

Here's a nice roundup of places you can hit Thursday, Friday and Saturday this weekend for cheap drinks, cheap food, and great times. Make sure to bring friends!

9th Hour Happy Hour on Thursday

Hit this one on Thursday afternoon. This week might be a short work-week but the amount of work you're expected to crank out is ridiculous. Need something to get you through til Friday? Here's your chance.

"9th Hour Happy Hour" is available at all Katsuya locations every weekday from 5PM to 7PM. They have a special $9 menu that includes small bites of sushi, rolls and tempura plus great cocktails like the watermelon cucumber refresher.

702 Americana Way, Glendale
818-244-5900

Oinkster on Friday

Traffic is terrible on Friday's so it's probably better to keep your commute close to work for Friday's happy hour. Even though it's pay-day on Friday, it's always a good idea to save money.

Eagle Rock's (and perhaps L.A.'s) favorite burger joint has the most delightful of specials: the happy hour! On weekdays from 3 p.m.-6 p.m., burgers and fries can be had for $3.99, chili fries for $2, and an entire pound of their famous Belgian fries for $5. Pints of beer go for $2-3, while pitchers are $7-10. With all the money you save, you can go ahead and splurge on an ube milkshake.

http://www.oinkster.com/


Saturday Social Hour

Yes, I did say Saturday so you still got one spot to hit for the weekend.

Social Hollywood expands happy hour into the weekends with Social Hour, Thurs.-Sat. 7 pm-9 pm. Enjoy drink specials like a flight of “mini-tinis” for $12, $5 beer, and $7 wines by the glass. Nibble on bites from Michel Richard’s lounge menu.

6525 W. Sunset Blvd., 90028
323-462-5222

Don't drink-and-drive and enjoy.

Cupcakes and Coffee

Red velvet cupcakes and french-pressed coffee to be exact, but who wants to give away everything right with the title? I’ve been asked by several people for the recipe I used for my Christmas Red Velvet Cupcakes so I thought I’d write about it here. Well, while considering how I should proceed with the article, I decided to indulge on the remaining petite delicacies along with a well-deserved afternoon coffee delight.

Indulgence indeed but oh, it was heavenly. That’s when I realized (with the help of my Twitter friends) that most people are starting this decade with a resolve to be healthier. The guilt of butter (lots of it in the cupcake) and unfiltered coffee descended on me like Eve’s shame after eating fruit from the forbidden tree. Okay, it was a flitting guilt but it still made me pause (for about seven seconds).

It is a well-known fact among those who like to cook and like to eat that fat is a flavor carrier. So it becomes a challenge for those of us who thoroughly enjoy the culinary arts to cut fat out of our diets to sacrifice health for delight. I would rather die starving than give up the full sensory experience (a bit of an exaggeration).

The red velvet cupcake recipe I used can be found at the Cupcakes blog spot. After making the first batch of cupcakes and using a straight-up whipped cream frosting recipe (heavy whipping cream, sugar and vanilla extract), I was left a bit unsatisfied. So for the second batch, I added a ½ cup more butter and two ounces of water plus I used a whipped cream cream cheese frosting (adding one package of cream cheese to the mix). Adding a considerable amount of fat and, not to mention calories to the concoction have transformed it from a good cupcake recipe to a to-die-for piece of heaven.

I feel the same way about my coffee. A common rhetorical question I hear people ask is “why is my french-pressed coffee better than your drip?” That’s because traditional drip coffee uses a filter that absorbs most of the natural-occuring oils from the coffee grounds and, thus, alters the flavor of my favorite drink. Come on, what did you think that paper thing you put in your coffeemaker was filtering out? Duh. So beware of that enticing, sludgy, gritty potion you’re drinking – especially if you’re trying to decrease your cholesterol. However, if you want to continue indulging, please learn how to make french-pressed coffee properly so you can really enjoy your slow death.

So, what am I saying? I would be the last person to encourage people to forego the flavor carriers (have you seen me?). There are certain foods that need to be enjoyed and not merely ingested. If you’re indulging in these, then make sure you’re getting the full experience. There are a lot of other ways you can balance your fats by other healtier means and there’s a plethora of articles you can read about that. Me? I’m not the one who can properly advise you on this because I’m just like majority of the human race. You know in my dreams, the forbidden tree is actually a café and they serve red velvet cupcakes and sinful coffee. I atone for my sins through absolution and an occassional sprinkling of water but there’s no way I will NOT take a bite. Guess I’m hopeless.