Driven Outside

random crap from my inner three-year-old

Archive for category Review

wine tasting

Aug 19

Posted by matttalley in Foodie, Review | No Comments

We spent last night testing the three reds and one rose (the white, a fresh little German Riesling from the Mosel River Valley, is already picked and ordered) for our wedding reception. In hindsight, the night before I was to fly out on a business trip might not have been the evening to take on such an endeavor, though I didn’t realize it until I was running for my gate at 6:00 this morning hoping to catch the one available flight after hitting the snooze button no less than six times…

The rosé is Portuguese and the white is German. We wanted a local red that would work with the chicken pasta and stuffed mushrooms that we are serving. After much swirling, sniffing, drinking, and repeat, we settled on the Wood Bridge 2007 Two Vines.  It is a Merlot and Cab Sav blend aged in oak that will go well with the food and desert for those guests that don’t like beer or white wine.  Good booze is a key element to any successful party and while people forget bad music, the drunken aunt, weird venue, and ugly bridesmaid dresses, no one EVER forgets bad food or booze at weddings! Serve lil’ smokies with a side of mac and cheese on paper plates and PBR at your nuptial do and you & your partner will forever be saddled with the shame of being poor hosts. There will be whispers behind you back, you will be used as an example of what NOT to do when friends gather and your can forget brisk attendance at any birthday or anniversary party you will ever have.

post written on and uploaded from my iPhone

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Stranger and weekly indie-paper love

Jul 12

Posted by matttalley in Review | 2 Comments

I love me some of The Stranger.  While I will always open it directly to the Savage Love column, I happened upon a new column in the July 8-14 issue that made me roll with laughter – The Incredible Hulk.  The premier rant was “Hulk Not Racist But…” It was a diatribe about German’s inability to queue.  A topic that I ranted about the whole time we lived in Deutschland.   Laurel heard my opinion so many times that she developed Spidy-Sense and would stop me even as I opened my mouth to launch into my well-rehearsed, and well-thought out if I must say, argument about the genetic inability of a German to stand in an orderly line and take their proper turn.  Holy CRAP!! it used to piss me off: getting on the subway train, at the movies, at Starbucks, in stores, while BUYING GROCERIES!!!  Man, I am all worked up just thinking about it!

Needless to say, I hope to be turning there after finishing Dan Savage’s musings each week.  The New Column section in The Stranger seems to be more of a test piece and they come and go.  I will be sending fan mail asking that this one stays.

I have been into indi weeklies since the day I lived in Little Rock, AR when the weekly there, The Night Flyer, was my lone source of of local left leaning news and local color. My appreciation only grew after moving to Orange County and reading the OC Weekly every Saturday morning at Wahoo’s while choing on a Maui Bowl.  The OC Weekly ranted about the Sheriff, Mike Corona, for years complaining about his corruption, mob ties, kickbacks, etc…   Then one day it all proved true and the rest of the news establishment jumped on the bandwagon.   The paper has rightfully won a number of Pulitzers for their hard work and is where I also found Savage Love for the first time.  Laurel and I would read the reader letters with equal mix of fascination, horror, disgust, and glee – good old fashion American fun!

hulkVgermans

Note: This post was written completely on my iPhone, with  the WordPress App, while I was in the air somewhere above Idaho.  I heart my iPhone!

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Trader Joe’s got it right

May 13

Posted by matttalley in Beer, Review | 1 Comment

We spend way too much cash every time we darken the door at Trader Joe’s.  They have some really good stuff, most of it I didn’t know that I wanted or needed it until I saw it on the shelf and then I lust after it.

We were there Saturday night and I noticed a display for TJ’s branded “Bavarian Style Hefeweizen” and while I am real skeptical of some store-brand products, especially beer, I decided to give it a try if no no other reason than to make fun of it.  I was pleasantly surprised to find that not only was the beer drinkable and super tasty, it was also unfiltered and had lots of lovely yeast in the bottle.  My initial reaction was that the beer had a clean taste of banana and wheat, with a little clove spice.  It poured a dark amber color, was murky, and formed a creamy off-white head with a limited amount of foam lacing.  I might go so far as to say that it is one of my top 10 of American Wheat beers – especially for the price.  I know, who woulda thunk it??

Although TJ’s is owned by a German grocery store chain, ALDI, and one would think that they would import the good stuff from the Spaten Brewery, the beer is actually  brewed by the Gordon Beirsch Brewery in San Jose, CA., which is a brewery started by a guy who went to beer college (yes, it actually exists and is rigorous in its depth of craft and science) in Weihenstephan Germany.  I have a feeling that we will be serving this beer to company all summer long.  Again, both surprised and impressed by Trader Joe’s.


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Comics for Cycling Geeks

Apr 28

Posted by matttalley in Cycling, Review, nerdy | No Comments

There is a special place in my heart for the daily comic strip.  I have a tool that feeds my three favorites to me in an e-mail each day so that I start my morning off with a little laughter.  One of my favorites, Yehuda Moon, is for bike geeks, but has been on hiatus for a couple of months. Rick Smith, the cartoonist behind the strip took some time off to recharge his batteries and I have missed my daily dose.

Yehuda is an old-school Luddite cyclist that commutes everywhere – in all types of weather, rides a heavy-weight steel framed steed, sports a wool sweater and cycling cap pulled low, is a militant cycling advocate, and owns a bike shop with a guy named Joe who loves carbon bikes, technology, and speed.  Joe serves Hardy to Yehuda’s Laurel.  I see a little of myself in Joe and a lot of me in Yehuda.  He pulls shenanigans that the evil inside me sing with glee – painting cycling lanes on main street in the middle of the night, relieving @sshat drivers of their keys, giving bike thieves a u-lock beat down, etc…

2008-03-11yehuda-red-light

On May 2nd, new panels will be available, but this week there have been a couple spin-off funnies available if you check at the main site.

2010-04-242010-04-262010-04-27

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New Clutch for the Scooby

Apr 27

Posted by matttalley in Review, subaru | No Comments

Last week I had to have my clutch replaced on the Subaru at 24K.  I took it in to a yet-to–be-named dealership after it started slipping on the way home from work and was told that the clutch was gone and that they “might” cover it under warranty.  The typical OEM replacement cost is 1200-1500 bucks!  The first service guy I dealt with – not my usual representative – stated that “normally” the clutch is only covered by the 12month/12,000 mile portion of the warranty, that “abuse” lessens clutch life, and that he would have to get back to me with an estimate.  By abuse he meant launch starts and power shifting. The only racing I do is to Starbucks on the way to work, so the premature failure and his accusing demeanor pissed me off.

I went home and dug into my warranty and looked in the Subaru Forums online for similar premature failures.   Apparently, this short clutch life is an issue with the WRX that is well known and documented on the inter-webs. Additionally, my warranty categorically states that the clutch is a 3year/36K covered item.  I called the service rep the next morning to check on status and he continued with the “maybe” covered line so I faxed him a copy of my warranty on letterhead from the attorney we used for something last year with the section covering the clutch highlighted and 20+ pages of forum posts about the very same issue.  The service guy that I have dealt with for the one recall (minor tube replacement on the turbo) and all my oil changes called me right back, said he would be my point of contact from now on and told me that the car would be ready by noon and that ALL work would be 100% covered.  When I showed to pick up the car the first guy wouldn’t look at me and left the counter as soon as he could.  I get trying to save your company money, but being shady to do so is a sh!tty thing to do.

All that said, the dealership has been terrific every other time I have been there, so I am not ready to throw them under the bus just yet.  Currently, I have issue with that one employee and don’t think I should spew web-hate for the entire business because of one ass-monkey.  Also, even though the WRX is hard on clutches, it is not enough to make me want to get rid of mine or talk smack about it, but enough of an issue that I won’t let neophytes/relatives drive it. I still love and am thoroughly impressed with the car and the Subaru brand.

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A Great Wisconsin Beer – Who Whoulda Thunk It??

Apr 19

Posted by matttalley in Beer, Foodie, Review | 2 Comments

While at the grocery store this weekend, I found a bottle of Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company Sunset Wheat.  It had an odd label and it is brewed in Wisconsin of all places so I wasn’t expecting much – no slight meant against Wisconsin, it is just that one doesn’t say the  name and automatically thing ‘great beer.’  I have a co-worker from the Badger State and bought the beer solely so that I could have a sip, pronounce it crap, and make fun of him/his home state in a long witty e-mail diatribe.   I poured it into a chilled pint glass Sunday evening, sniffed, swirled, sniffed again, took a precautionary taste, and then said dirty words!  I hate it when I plan to be funny and am shot down in flames.  This beer was actually good – really good.  The color is perfect for a summer beer and there are hints of citrus and cherry on the tongue.  It formed a respectable head in the glass, it was crisp and subtly dry in the mouth and the aftertaste was light and refreshing.  Shock Top Wheat WISHES it was this good!

The Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company was founded and is still based in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin.  It began beer production in 1867 and their beer is colloquially known as Leinies. The Sunset Wheat was introduced in 2006 and the next year they introduced Summer Shandy (wheat beer mixed with lemonade – also called an Alster Wasser or Radler in DE) as a seasonal brew – perfect on a hot summer day when you have to either go back to work of have plans that evening.  Leinenkugel also produces Leinenkugel’s Auburn Ale, Creamy Dark, Hefeweissen, Honey Weiss, their Original Pale Lager, and a 1888 recipe seasonal Bock.  Not a fan of the lager beer, but I am raring to try the Hefe, Shandy, and Honey Weiβ.

I am both very impressed by my find and somewhat sad:  I found a great beer that I will drink all summer long, BUT I don’t get to make snide, yet work appropriate remarks to the resident Cheesehead…   I will comfort my loss with multiple doses of Sunset Wheat and reapply as necessary.

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The “Bavarian Herodotus”

Apr 18

Posted by matttalley in Beer, Foodie, Review | No Comments

I sat down last night with a ½ liter glass of Schneider Brewery’s Aventinus Dopplebock – there was TV and snacks involved as well.  I can’t say enough good things about this beer.  It goes amazingly well with dinner (veg or carnivore style), it is a fine brew to enjoy after a stressful day, and is nice on a warn summer day curled up in the hammock mit mein frau und kleine welpe.

I actually found this premium brew the first time at 99Bottles in Federal way.  I have had regular weight Schneider Weiss on a number of occasions and our local pub serves it in a Schneider-branded Weissenglas, but somehow the Dopplebock escaped my attention while living in the cold Prussian north.  It is named for Johannes Aventinus (1477 –1534) who was a Bavarian historian and philologist. He wrote Annals of Bavaria, a valuable record of the early history of Germany and was/is called the “Bavarian Herodotus,”

Schneider is advertised as “Bavaria’s oldest wheat beer brewery” though what that truly means is not 100% clear – oldest family owned, oldest in one place, oldest just brewing wheat, oldest with a charter, ect…?  They do strictly follow the Reinheitsgebot – german beer purity law – and the current owner/brewer, Georg Schneider VI, is a direct father to son descendent of Georg Schneider I, who acquired the rights to boil wheat beer from King Ludwig II. in 1872.

The beer itself is a murky brown with a ruby tint.  It pours smoothly and finishes with a fine thick foam head.  The taste is amazing: velvet smooth with hints of clove, banana, bread, cinnamon, vanilla, milk chocolate & cherry aromas present. Those Bavarian yeasts make my heart beat so…  It is like a proper dunkelweizen crossed with a beer float.

One pint is great! and it would be easy to have a second with the right buddy and I might be talked into a third, but with the high alcohol content I would need help home after #3.  Normally a beer with 8.2 abv doesn’t really spin my wheels, but you truly can’t taste the booze unless you are careless and let your glass get too warm.  I give this brew my heartiest recommendation.

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Leavenworth Whistling Pig Review

Apr 16

Posted by matttalley in Beer, Foodie, Review | No Comments

My Weiβ bier love affair leads me down odds paths now and again.  I look for new beers that may be worthy to consume, even better if they are somewhat local, to sample.  I picked up a Fish Brewing Leavenworth Whistling Pig Hefeweissen Alpine-style Wheat Ale at our local grocer and it looked promising:  Locally brewed, cool label (karabiner, bikers, mountains, climber, etc…) there was some sediment in the bottom, and the liquid in the bottle was the right amount of cloudy.

At dinner last night, my lovely personal beer-wench brought me a proper Weiβen glass and I poured a 12oz. sample.  At first I thought “Yeah…” as it had a really nice cloudy golden unfiltered appearance, and looked as if it was going to form a nice thick foamy head.  Nope, the head was thin and there were no real aromas that wafted from the glass.  The beer was pretty weak in taste as well: slightly doughy, almost NO fruit phenols and somewhat malty, like the brewer had decided to add a little IPA to the barrel. I was disappointed. It is an OK American Wheat, but definitely not “Alpine-style” or Bavarian.  I was hopeful seeing the unfiltered appearance, but was left wanting by the actual product.  Overall, not great, not terrible, definitely drinkable compared to a Bud Light, but not something that we will be stocking in the beer fridge downstairs.  I am going to try out their Dunkleweiβ this weekend and hope to have a better experience.

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New Running Partner

Apr 15

Posted by matttalley in Review, Running, Tech | No Comments

The Nike+ App came with my iPhone and I just started playing with it last week.  So far, it has been fairly accurate (after I calibrated the sensor on a local running track) and I have used it on road runs and on a recent trail/hill climb outing and so far the difference between the accelerometer and the GPS distance in minimal.  The Nike+ uses so little battery compared to the GPS function that I have tuned the location server off on the phone to conserve battery for important things like phone calls and work e-mail.

I love to run and I find that if I have a partner I get faster and faster until I finally plateau around the 7 minute mile mark for 5+ mile runs.  I think that I have the potential to be faster, but since I suffer from Multiple Activity Disorder, I don’t commit the time to train appropriately and I have never invested in a coach to help.  My lovely bride hates to run, so I do not have a live-in training companion and so far have not found a neighbor with a similar schedule that is a runner.  Nike+ is filling a gap.  It is giving me some positive feedback, documents distance and pace, and I can virtually race with people across the country on the inter-webs.  I have a couple of buddies in Missouri, Colorado, Germany, California, and Arkansas that run and am hoping to get them set up with Nike+ as well so that we can run as a “group” from time to time.

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World’s Greatest Employee!

Apr 4

Posted by matttalley in Coffee, Manners, Review, Work | No Comments

Someday, when I am “Tha Man” I want a shop full of employees EXACTLY like this woman:

work harder

She poured me some great coffee the other day, was smart, happy, flirted the right amount, pronounced words correctly when discussing 1950 Parisian fashion/lingerie (odd topic I know, another customer was some sort of antique clothes dealer), dealt with a shithead customer – not once losing her smile.  The tattoo should have told me all I needed to know.  If this woman applies for work in your office/shop/business/pub/store/whatever, hire her and give her more than she asks for.

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C&P Coffee is where they will find me

Apr 3

Posted by matttalley in Beer, Coffee, Foodie, Review | No Comments

C&P on California Ave. is now my coffee shop. I have never had one before, just this or that shop that I would stop into IF I happened by.  Well, the courting is over and while some may rave about Tea for Two and Hotwire, I now have a one true coffee home.  When a certain Ex decides to put that hit out on me, I have a feeling that an overly muscular and black-suited gent with a thick accent will find me hunched over a book, in the faded high-backed chair, coffee in hand and ¾ eaten cookie on the table.

Not only does C&P serve great coffee, they are also purveyors of fine wine and good beer.  There is live music 3+ nights a week, Mexican Coke bottles sit snugly in their fridge, the Wi-Fi is free, their croissants are both flaky and buttery, and our badass dog is always welcome.  In the summer, one can sit outside on the large patio area that is raised above the sidewalk and has views of the Olympic Range and Puget Sound.  Who can say ‘NO’ to setting outside on a calm sunny PacNW day, enjoying a great cup of coffee and a chocolate chip cookie?  There is a sign on the door saying that C&P is a place reserved for “Service Animals Only” and apparently the fact that our puppy makes my wife so happy and is so damn cute, means he provides a service, so….

We stopped in today after a walk at the beach was aborted by a downpour and Peter (who is the “P” and his wife Cam is the “C” in the business name) poured us a great cup of Joe, BS’ed a bit, and hooked us up with a wonderful bread. He had an extra loaf because “…the local bakery guy has a thing for my wife…”

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Mexican Coke is just better.

Mar 31

Posted by matttalley in Foodie, Review | No Comments

My grandfather once said that only Philistines drink from an aluminum can.  He said this while trying to find the best location to mount a bottle opener on the dash of his new truck.  He REALLY liked RC Cola and Grape Nehi.  In support of his thesis, I have realized that great beer doesn’t come in cans and there is no finer soft drink than Coke sipped from a frosty cold bottle. Though not all coke, even when it comes in a glass bottle, is made equal. Most of what is found here in the US is made with high fructose corn syrup, but every now and they at a out of the way mom & pop shop one can find Coke in a bottle imported from Mexico that is made with pure cane sugar. There IS a difference! If you don’t believe me have your girlfriend/boyfriend/mom/life-partner/buddy or whoever set up a little blind taste test: you will be able to tell immediately which is sweetened with corn and which is sweetened with good old fashioned tooth-rotting sugar.

I am not the only one who has caught on to this: There are numerous websites devoted to finding the import and mapping locations where it can be had. There is a hugely popular Facebook page, and there have been articles run by the AP and the NY Times. Even Coca Cola in Atlanta is aware to the growing consumer base. Though according to a couple of reports, Coke in Atlanta gives it’s bottling partners a lot of leeway with the sweetener and they maintain that most people can’t tell the difference anyway. Wrong…

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22nd Annual Seattle Old Bike Swap

Mar 30

Posted by matttalley in Cycling, Review | No Comments

I will attend most any type of gathering with “bike” in the tittle.  Throw in “old”, “classic”, or “retro” and I will be there to see the doors open.  When my wife brought home a flyer for the 22nd Annual Seattle Old Bike Swap, with a drawing of a Penny-Farthing right at the top, it was decided then and there that Palm Sunday would go on with out me at our local center of worship since the meet was scheduled for 7:00AM till noon on that particular feast day.

I got there a little after 07:00 to quickly have my hopes for finding hi-wheel brethren and secret troves of Bone Shaker accouterments dashed.  There were a couple of 19th and early 20th century 2-wheelers, but the swap was mostly dedicated Schwinn Stingrays from the ’60s and ’70’s as well as classic BMX bikes from the ’80’s.  If only I would have kept that PK RIPPER with the Mag wheels and the tiny Uni seat…  Now, I wouldn’t say “NO” to a 1967 green Stingray 3-speed with a chrome spring bat holder if I just happened to be presented with one, but they just aren’t the thing that make my chest thump with longing and desire.

Anyhow, while there was some decent stuff here and there, most of the show was taken up by bike junk vendors and used-car salesman-esq “amateur” bike dealers who wanted a way too much for their wares.  I found a 1982 Raleigh Super Course Carlton frame (both the brand and bike model dear to my heart) that had a goodwill sticker still attached.   I thought about building it up with some spare parts as a Coffee Shop/Errand bike.  The incredibly obese vendor laying claim to it quoted me $250 for the pleasure of taking it home.  As it was MAYBE worth $40, I slowly put it back in the bed of his rusted El Camino and backed away form the obviously deranged former ward of the state.

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The Fixie is Officially dead… Long live derailleurs!

Mar 29

Posted by matttalley in Commuting, Cycling, Review, Toys | No Comments

The fixed gear craze, like disco before it, is now dead – see link below.  I will observe a moment of silence at 7:00 PM this evening with beer in hand – pouring one out for all the hipster hommies who will need a new trend to follow.  I will then forever remove the 16t track cog from my flip-flop hub and place it lovingly on a lonesome nail in my garage.  Maybe my son won’t make a “ninja star” out of it and it will be there waiting, much like polyester and bell bottoms, for the day when it is once again socially acceptable.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/700C-Men-s-Mongoose-Cachet-Fixed-Speed-Bike/13398142

I will continue to spin my Single-Speed to and from the grocery store/coffee shop and will occasionally ride my one-geared beauty to work.  She has made me a better, stronger cyclist and I DO love to ride that bike.  I can’t and won’t give her up just because of the semi-share pedigree with the now passe wanna-be track bikes sold by the likes of Bentonville.

My multispeed, derailleur equipped, steeds are at this very moment spinning their wheels with glee.  No more dismissive looks and snide velo comments from the day-glow orange rimmed and narrow barred bikes locked up at East Street.  Yes, it is now their turn to snicker as my bike chain goes click, click, click – moving down the rear cassette, propelling my 9-speed racer ever faster away from soon to be re-purposed and repainted frames and into the reclaimed future of cycling.

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My iPhone is the SH!T

Mar 19

Posted by matttalley in Gear, Review, Tech, Toys | No Comments

If iPhone lovin’ is wrong, I don’t wanna be right!  I was SLOW to jump on the iPhone bus for all sorts of what, at the time, were goods reasons:  It was expensive, promised upgrades were just around the corner, and the data plan was an additional monthly expense that it pained me to even think about dolling out.  I am already hemorrhaging funds every month $40 at a time for phones, security systems, insurance, internet, cable, trash collection, etc…  I just didn’t need another expense.

My lovely wife got the iPhone bug after playing with her best friend’s for a weekend and badgered me about it for a while, but I stayed strong and resisted – even in the face of threats concerning sleeping on the couch.  Well, my employer recently signed a deal with AT&T that gave DEEP discounts which meant I could convert and pay the same amount, so I made the leap.  I am now in love, not the old tired version of love reserved for a cat, no, no this is new hot freaky girlfriend lust!  It is like my hand was incomplete until just now.  I feel like Schmeigel with that pesky golden band….  my precious…

In addition to the normal bells and whistles on the unit, I have loaded Peak.AR, NPR, a unit converter, Distant Suns, and Stanza e-book reader Apps to the home screen.  This thing is now a proper tool to help me navigated the complexities of always-on 21st century Engi-nerd professional life and is almost as handy as a three-armed man in a titty bar.  While I have researched what I have installed thus far thoroughly and I am not App crazy and I am not looking to install every semi-cool/useful App that I come across.  If I will only use it once a month, then it can stay at the App store.  I am currently deciding between iTrails and RunKeeper Pro for a running/cycling companion.

The only real issue I am currently experiencing is iPhone envy.  Laurel looks at me with daggers in her eyes when I pull it out of my pocket.  I am going to have to concede defeat and see that she gets one of her own if I want to keep peace in Casa D’ Talley.  So, in the end I get to spend the money I was trying so hard to save…

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Seattle Bike Show 2010

Mar 15

Posted by matttalley in Cycling, Gear, Review | No Comments

Since I have this bicycle fetish, I rode my Single Speed to the 2010 Seattle Bike Show on Saturday and got to take a look at some great new bikes as well as some killer classic race bikes.  The show was on the small side – held in one of the cruise ship terminals, but there was maybe 500 Sq. feet of space on the mezzanine for a show of CLASSIC Jack Taylor and various other old track and racing bikes.  It made my heart pitter-patter.  Some of the steel steeds had derailleurs that only a machinist could dream up, there were oil headlights and canvas bags strapped on here and there, but my favorite jewel of a find on the classic bikes was what appeared to be the first cycling computer – a stopwatch strapped to the handle bar of a velodrome bike – VERY cool.  My Penny Farthing is SO getting one of these.  I have already started the CAD work on it and will try to sweet talk/bribe our machinist at work to hook me up.

Some of the new bikes were outstanding as well.  There was less of an aura of “the fixie” than I have seen at other shows, and more bikes geared toward commuting in the PacNW and work bikes.  I saw a couple of ideas that I am going to incorporate into my own shop and cycle fleet: single digit break levers for the Single Speed, a wall clock for the shop made from an old chainring, the aforementioned “cycling computer”, a crate and light for Laurels bike, etc…  There were also some unique wooden bikes.  They were gorgeous! and the engineering that went into them was impressive, but I am not ready to swap my steel or aluminum frames out just yet.

I do have to give someone a plug:  I am apparently an idiot and left my camera on all night and I only noticed that the batteries were completely drained as I took my camera out of my bag to get a shot of an enormous 60+ tooth chainring.  I made a mad scramble for some AAs and struck out with the venue coordinator, the concierge, and at random booths.  I finally happened upon the Kenmore Camera photo booth.  I spoke with Dave Guinn and asked to buy any AAs that he had, even in a camera.  He didn’t have any models that used AA had he hadn’t brought any with him, but this guy picks up a display model and hands it to me to use, like I had known him for years.  I put my SM card in and was set to take pictures at the show (I will link a few below).  I left my battery-less camera with him – not that he asked me too, but I thought it would be a gesture of good faith, and walked around for a couple of hours snapping away.  With that kind of attitude, you can bet that I will be doing all my medium format and 35mm portrait film shopping with them and when it is time to upgrade my equipment; I will stop there first.  Again, Dave at Kenmore Camera really saved my day.

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Archer on FX

Mar 15

Posted by matttalley in Review | No Comments

So…  I have cartoon issues.  I will still sit in front of the idiot-box and sped hours watching old Warner Bros. ‘toons, Dick Dastardly, Tom & Jerry, Tex Avery shorts, or Scooby Doo.  I also enjoy the new Batman from time to time and will stay up way too late from time to time watching Adult Swim.  I have found another animated feature worthy of my attention: Archer.  I laughed so hard last night that I got the hiccups.

The premise is that Sterling Archer is a suave super-spy working for a second rate NGO/spy agency where his mother happens to run the show.  Characters range from a Pam Greer/Pam Anderson/Jessica Rabbit spy named Lana, who happens flitter about in lingerie most of the time and is also Archer’s ex-girlfriend.  The HR lady who is the biggest gossip in the office, a slutty secretary with a choking fetish, a myriad group of heavily accented techies, lab coat wearers, fat bad guys, and almost-naked cartoon ladies.

Archer himself is selfish, a borderline sociopath, a misogynist, treats his co-workers like the help and the help like a mongrel dog in need of putting down.  The shit that comes out of his mouth is just so wrong, yet oh so right.  He has a ping-pong paddle fetish and absolutely no personal filter.  To say that the character is a bit of a prick is like saying the strippers sort of like cash.  The ‘toon is R-rated and not meant for the young-‘ins, but I look forward to every new episode.  The Season 1 finale is Thursday the 18th at 10:00 PST

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Budweiser just doesn’t get it.

Mar 6

Posted by matttalley in Beer, Review | No Comments

The Anheuser Busch Companies have just released Bud Light Golden Wheat.  Really?!  Low calorie Wheat beer?  That is like telling the Pope that he has to give up funny hats.  It hurts my soul a little that it is possible that someone’s first taste of wheat beer will be this cloudy bath water.  The first time you kiss a girl, you want her to be a real girl not a cardboard cut out.  Your first car should have an engine and you shouldn’t have to use Flintstone-propulsion.  One’s first wheat should be glorious.  I recommend Franziskaner or Paulaner – you really can’t go wrong if there is a monk on the label.

Bud-Light-Golden-Wheat-6_pack

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Evolution of the American Alpine Club

Jan 22

Posted by matttalley in Climbing, Review | No Comments

Last week there was an American Alpine Club(AAC) survey e-mailed out asking members their opinions about the current state of the organization and how they would like to see the club evolve.  Being a member since 2004, I dutifully filled it out and sent it in, but it got me thinking about how I would really like to see the organization evolve. What are your thoughts? How would those of you who are members or past members do things differently if you were put in charge? My initial thoughts are below:

americanalpineclub

Rescue Insurance: I would like to see a much better insurance offering. It seems like the Club could take its member rolls and negotiate a similar deal with a national/international carrier as The Alpine Club (UK) has. I would gladly increase my dues if it meant that I wouldn’t have to worry about the uninsured cost of toting my carcass off a mountain and its affect on family finances (I get to keep living in that scenario).

American Alpine Journal: I would like to see quality writing and editing to kick it up a notch or three and include: fantastic trip reports, relevant historical climbing/mountaineering articles and bios of great climbers. In addition to the lower writing standards, I have also noticed the last few years that the binding has gotten cheaper and cheaper. My 2008 and 2007 editions both have cracked bindings after just one read through and ‘08 let go of some pages as I was reading. I would pay more for quality and it would warm the cockles of my dark soul it a hard cover edition was offered.

Accidents in North Am. Mountaineering: Is a sad, sad little pamphlet. I 100% agree with its mission, but the execution of that goal is wanting. How many people took falls in Eldo or in J-Tree that were not documented last year? Seven accidents that required a hospital trip that I know of and I live in Seattle! Yes, I understand that they can’t go asking hospitals because of patient confidentiality, but how hard would it be to have an e-mail address for accident reporting and for a staffer to do a little follow up? What about pinging the climbing community on SummitPost, mountainproject, and super topo? If you are going to go through the trouble and expense (my dues!) to produce something, then make it the best possible book you can.

Local events: The AAC does a poor job of hosting local events and getting climbers in the same region together. Find a hall (or better rent a Pub’s back room) in Golden/Co Springs/New Paltz/Vegas/J-Tree/Bay Area/Seattle/Portland/Salt Lake City/Orange County/etc… give a talk by a local than a national or international climber, put up some posters, sell back copies of the AAJ, raffle something off for a climbing charity (Himalayan Trust, Central Asia Institute, et al…) have snacks, advertize well and charge at the door to cover costs. Again, the idea is to get local climbers together.  While $200 a plate dinners can be nice, I prefer to attend one only if I can deduct the evening as a charitable donation OR if it happens to be in Paris or Venice and my wife is there sipping wine in a flowing dress.  I only personally know two climbers that could afford such an event, well that and the airfare+ hotel to attend.  The others could stretch those funds into a 6-week long trip food budget.  Local events, for local climbers, less than $25 to get in.

mountian view

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Looking back on 2009

Dec 31

Posted by matttalley in Holidays, Review | No Comments

Moved from Germany back to US for job in Seattle
Drove cross-country in the middle of winter
Started new job
Lived in temporary basement apartment
Laurel took 1week trip with her mom
Survived lay-off at work
Laurel started new job
Started traveling for work
Laurel hated new job
Road trip to Portland
Laurel gets new job she likes
Stuff arrived from Germany – no damage
Found a house to live in
Started bike commuting to work after unpacking single-speed
Looked for a puppy to adopt
Found and adopted Brodie (½ Boston ½ French Bulldog)
Laurel laid off
Traveling for work again
Laurel found a new job as HR director
My daughter in Seattle for two weeks
Took time off
Did tourist stuff
Had FANTASTIC time with Madison
My daughter flew home, everyone sad
Started looking for a new house to buy
Work going great!
Found great house and put offer in, offer accepted
Went on most laid back climbing road trip ever
Had great time with friends
Laurel LOVES her job
Flew to rural Louisiana to help design helicopter system
Took weekend off while there and spent it with the kids
Reached 1,200 bike-commute miles
Brodie escapes twice and eats glasses
Brodie still a GREAT puppy
Bought small flat-bed truck for moving and yard work a new house
Halloween at work, took my Penny-Farthing and wore great mustache
Heat stopped working in Rental house, landlord waited 3+ weeks to have it fixed.
House closed 107 days after offer accepted – incompetent selling agent
Moved out of rental house and into our new (built in the 20’s) home in West Seattle
Fell down the basement stairs at 05:30 and tore up shoulder third morning in house
Got great painkillers from doctor
Saw 3 doctors in 5 visits.  Had x-rays, ultrasound, and an MRI
Had shoulder surgery (4th on same shoulder)
Need to have another special surgery in 2010 to repair a tendon
First house guests come up for long weekend
Worked till Christmas
Grew beard
Brother&Mother-in-law come for Christmas
Heavily self-medicated due to acute mother-in-law induced stress.
Killed Zombies on Christmas Eve at the shooting range – new tradition started
Finished 23rd book this year
Gained 10 pounds since surgery
Father-in-law came in for New Years
Took 1st run after surgery – felt good, but not great.
Spent New Years Eve with Laurel, Donald, David, Lucy, Rosy, and Brodie.

Moved from Germany back to US for job in Seattle

Drove cross-country in the middle of winter

Started new job

Lived in temp basement apartment

Laurel took 1week trip with her mom

Survived lay-off at work

Laurel started new job

Started traveling for work

Laurel hated new job

Road trip to Portland

Laurel gets new job she likes

Stuff arrived from Germany – no damage J

Found a house to live in

Started bike commuting to work after unpacking single-speed

Looked for a puppy to adopt

Found and adopted Brodie (½ Boston ½ French Bulldog)

Laurel laid off

Traveling for work again

Laurel found a new job as HR director

My daughter in Seattle for two weeks

Took time off

Did tourist stuff

Had FANTASTIC time with Madison

My daughter flew home, everyone sad

Started looking for a new house to buy

Work going great!

Found great house and put offer in, offer accepted

Went on most laid back climbing road trip ever

Had great time with friends

Laurel LOVES her job

Flew to rural Louisiana to help design helicopter system

Took weekend and spent it with the kids

Reached 1,200 bike-commute miles

Brodie escapes twice and eats glasses

Brodie still a GREAT puppy

Bought small flat-bed truck for moving and yard work a new house

Halloween at work, took my Penny-Farthing and wore great mustache

Heat stopped working in Rental house, landlord waited 3+ weeks to have it fixed.

House closed 107 days after offer accepted – incompetent selling agent

Moved out of rental house and into our new (built in the 20’s) home in West Seattle

Fell down the basement stairs at 05:30 and tore up shoulder third morning in house

Got great painkillers from doctor

Saw 3 doctors in 5 visits. Had x-rays, ultrasound, and an MRI

Had shoulder surgery (4th on same shoulder)

Need to have another special surgery in 2010 to repair a tendon

First houseguests come up for long weekend

Worked till Christmas

Brother&Mother-in-law come for Christmas

Heavily self-medicated due to acute mother-in-law induced stress.

Killed Zombies on Christmas Eve at the shooting range – new tradition started

Finished 24th book this year

Gained 10 pounds since surgery

Father-in-law came in for New Years

Took 1st run after surgery – felt good, but not great.

Spent New Years Eve with Laurel, Donald, David, Lucy, Rosy, and Brodie.

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