Chicken In-A-Tube

(Source)

PETA is offering $1 million dollars to anyone who can produce and sell chickens without having to kill them ... (think "test tube"). Sound strange? I think it's brilliant, actually. I totally want to see it happen!

Animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta) says it will give the prize money to anyone who grows the meat and sells it commercially in at least 10 US states by 30 June 2012. The meat will have to pass a taste test after being cooked to a fried chicken recipe and given to a panel of 10 judges. (Source)

I'm all for in-vitro chicken!

Check it:
PETA

Spramp Shots: Blurry Chicago

Blurry Chicago (Source)

I'm pooped. My trip to the Midwest was a success. I spent a few days in Chicago for a conference where I met up with my man-toy, Mark (he's going to hate me for calling him that). We stayed at The Conrad - and we concluded that the hotel is a "hot tranny mess" (we really liked it!). Chicago is cool, though, at times it felt way too busy and touristy. Unfortch, I was way too preoccupied with the conference to really explore the city as I wanted. I did my mandatory shopping and Mark and I ate a some really yummy restaurants (Red Light was pretty good). I will not eat at another all-you-can-eat Brazilian place, no matter what Mark says. I'm through with skewered meat. After Chicago, we took a pit-stop in Columbus (don't ask). There's a restaurant there called Rigsby's Cuisine Volatile that I really wanted to return to for their fennel sardine dish that I had a few years ago. I still dream of that dish. I can't believe it wasn't on the menu anymore! I know the dish itself sounds pretty weird, but it was fantastic! Bring it back! The restaurant is fantastic, go and check it out. After Columbus, we finally made it to Ann Arbor, my old stomping ground. I do miss A2, though I'm really happy that I don't live there anymore.

Check it:
The Conrad
Red Light
Rigsby's Cuisine Volatile

Meat Is As Meat Does

Meatpaper (Source)

That image in that post (two post down) really burned some odd thoughts in my mind. Since I'm still obsessing about it, I thought I'd introduce you to Meatpaper, a magazine devoted to "meat culture" (I kid you not). I heard about Meatpaper after listening to NPR and quickly bookmarked the Website. I think the mag is a rather smart and well-designed publication - totally geared towards all you New Yorker types, for sure. Ironically, last week I gave up eating meat, mostly for health reasons. So for now, I'll just stick to reading about it (or salivating over it) on paper.

Check it:
Meatpaper

Spramp Hodgepodge 5

"Under" (Source: jcb, 2007)

Once I stopped playing Moola.com this afternoon, I had won $40. Woot woot! And then I was off to dinner with Dr. Paul at the oddly-located upscale-chain restaurant, Palomino. We had a swell time - happy early B-day Doc! I am now officially full but hankering for some decaf coffee. I'm wiped, and yet I have a stack of essays to grade staring at me in the face. What to do? What to do? I think I shall do decaf before I do anything that requires me to think. Enjoy the hodgepodge!

• India Surgery on Many-Limbed Girl, BBC News (November 6, 2007)
• Malaysian Police Raid Gay Sex Party at Gym, Arrest 37 Men, Towleroad (November 6, 2007)
• Get More From Credit Card Rewards [Credit Cards], Lifehacker (November 6, 2007)
• Top 10 Least On-Time Airports, The Consumerist (November 5, 2007)
• Apple Tablet Is Real, On Its Way, CrunchGear (November 6, 2007)
• PayPal is Rude in the Lunch Line, New York Times (November 6, 2007)
• Architect Gehry Sued by MIT, AP (November 6, 2007)
• Anderson Cooper And Jeff Corwin Insanely Homoerotic In HD—But Not In New York [Eco-porn], Gawker (November 5, 2007)
• Rebel, Disgraced, Tries to Pull Off Rebound, New York Times (November 7, 2006)
• NBC Universal's Green Week on TV, Treehugger (November 6, 2007)
  

Earth to Dr. Paul - Let's Have a Meal

Mango
Originally uploaded by jc / b

I like this picture. I have the original floating somewhere on the blog. This mango grew on a tree in my folks' backyard in their newly built house in the tropics (think "islands"). Amazingly there were no other fruits on the tree. "Poor, beautiful mango," I thought. My dad wanted to cut down the tree while I was there, but I told him not to - or at least to do it when I left. The mango never ripened to its full-orange-skinned potential while I was there, so it remained on the tree the whole time I was in the tropics. I quite like the black background I created to highlight the fruit. There's something quite solitary and very metaphoric about this image. Don't you just want to touch it? Or at least lick the skin?

It's Sunday, and I need to clean and do a few things before the sun sets at 4-ish today (sigh).

To my dear friend, Dr. Paul - please reply to the title of this post! I'm having withdrawal ...

Sigur Rós for Your Saturday

Smith Ceiling, Capitol Hill, Seattle
Originally uploaded by jc / b

I love me some Sigur Rós, as much as I love taxidermied animals as accessories for lovely pubs in Seattle - which is a lot! (Antlers remind me of Viking Horns, which remind me of Iceland.) The band has a new film coming out called Heima, as well as a new double-album coming out in the next week called Hvarf (to coincide with the film's release). Off the new album is this lovely track called “Hljomalind." It's ethereal, haunting, and everything one would expect from Sigur Rós. I heart.

Here's the trailer for Heima (www.heimafilm.com):

Sigur Ros - Heima Trailer (Source)


Hljomalind, Sigur Rós, Hvarf (2007) (Courtesy of the fantastic Yellow Stereo.)

Check it:
Sigur Rós
Sigur Rós on MySpace

Image taken at:
Smith
Capitol Hill
332 15th Ave E
Seattle, WA 98112

Eat There: Morimoto Restaurant

The Space Ship Interior

The Hardwood Ceiling

Lights Under the Table
I spent the past 4 days in Philly, officially for a conference but unofficially to see friends and to see my partner-in-crime (we live in different states!), Mark. We decided last Friday night to splurge a bit (er, I really mean "a lot") and decided to have dinner at Morimoto Restaurant - the restaurant by the famous Iron Chef Morimoto. The first thing you notice as you enter is how cavernous the space is. The space is uber-modern, with hardwood ceilings and lights under the tables that change colors - it feels as though you are in a spaceship that made a design stop in Tokyo! We were seated at 10pm, a bit later than our 9:30pm reservation. You'd expect a full-house on a Friday night - it was packed! We got seated in a lovely space booth. The prices are astronomical! Main entrees are all $25 or more. Sushi and sushi rolls are moderately priced, but still more expensive than most non-Iron Chef Japanese restaurants. I was originally going to just buy sushi and rolls, but was deterred by my friend Denise and Mark. As they said: "This is Morimoto's! You can get sushi anywhere!" They had a point. We did buy a sushi combination for an appetizer ($30 - the cheapest selection - 9 random sushi pieces and one tuna roll.) I've had sushi many places, and for the record the sushi at Morimoto was by far the best raw fish I've tasted. The tuna melted in my mouth - like butter! My main dish was a seafood stew (Seafood 'Toban Yaki"- king crab, shrimp, scallops, New Zealand mussels, baby bok choy, and yuzu butter - $37) that was incredibly rich and just delicious; the yuzu butter base was a delightful surprise! As cavernous as the space is, the sound never got too loud. The modern design of the space is quite telling of the food prepared. Both are innovative, creative, and at times quite surprising. I will make it a point to go back every time I'm in Philly! I highly recommend, but be prepared to sell your kidneys to pay for the meal - it's quite steep, but worth every cent!

Check it enthusiastically!
Morimoto Restaurant
723 Chestnut Street
Philadelphia, PA
215-413-9070

Reservations are highly recommended!

Plants In a Bag from Wrapables.com

Mini Tomato in a Bag from Wrapables.com (Source)
My attempt at growing veggies and herb on my balcony this summer is a total failure! I'm gonna try something new, like growing my food from a bag! Isn't this the most fantastic idea! Wrapables.com sells plants in a bag, like the mini-tomatoes (pictured above) that is currently on SALE ($6.99)! But also all sorts of herbs and other plants (see below).


Basil, Chives, and Dill in a Bag from Wrapables.com (Source)

Yay! These are so cute!

Visit:

• Wrapables.com
• Wrapables.com @ Amazon.com Plants and Planting Storefront!
  

Eat With UrbanSpoon

Screenshot of UrbanSpoon.com
I'm all for fantastic tools to make my eating experience better. Check out UrbanSpoon.com, a one-stop restaurant guide/portal. Seattle is well-represented! You can also search for places to eat in Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, New York, and Washington, DC. I love it!

Food ... My Name Is Glutton!

Dinner at Eve w/Mark, Ann Arbor (2007) (PEBL photo)
Looks like things are finally coming along over here. I finally got my laptop back. Even though I was only without it for a day, it felt like ages. AppleCare is a godsend! If you ever decide to purchase a Mac - and I hope you do! - don't be a cheapskate...get it! And go for the 3-year package! I've had my Powerbook for close to 3 years and have gotten the monitor replaced, the hard drive replaced 3 times, and now the optical drive, which have all been covered under AppleCare. You just need it. Period. [The word in the repair shop is that Apple is considering releasing a 12 inch Mac Book Pro. Now this is the second time I've heard this rumor, the first being from my cousin Sean who works for Apple. I'm beginning to think that the rumor might have some credible wings! Shall I wait for it or get that gi-normous 24-inch iMac? Decisions, decisions! ]

[Addendum: Check out Engadget's confirmation that the 12-inch Macbook Pro rumor is indeed floating around: "MacBook Pro 12-inch ultraportable rumor resurfaces," July 11, 2007. I'm sooo intrigued! I hope this rumor comes true!]

So now that I have my laptop back, I'm finally feeling a bit more motivated. I've gotten a lot of my academic crap taken care of. And I feel like I'm in cruise control and now just going with the flow. Last night Mark and I went to one of the better restaurants here in Ann Arbor called Eve. I highly recommend! I'm normally tepid about eating French, but Eve manages to weave flavors together that both satiates and titillates. I like eating away from the hustle-and-bustle of Main Street; and lucky for Eve, it's located in the cute Kerrytown district (the queer enclave of Ann Arbor). Check it out if you are in A2. The prices are a bit high for Ann Arbor, but worth the splurge.


Brunch at Webers Restaurant w/Mark (2007) (PEBL photo)
Because of my blogging hiatus, I forgot to write about brunch at Weber's Restaurant! I love me my Weber's, a classic, old-school, restaurant attached to the Weber's Hotel. If you want a good, home-style, brunch in a classic '50s modernist space (I think it's modernist), then Weber's is for you. I cannot get enough of the corn-beef hash! This past Sunday when Mark and I went, the pianist was playing - I kid you not - all the classic Depeche Mode hits, mixed with a little Erasure and Dead or Alive! Can we say, SPRAMPy?!? I told Mark that I thought the pianist was totally subversive - half the folks in there were totally unaware of his musical choices, but were all clearly enjoying the piano version of "Enjoy of the Silence." That made me laugh out loud! Go to Weber's for brunch!

Dinner tonight is with Sarah. We're doing Thai in Ypsilanti: TupTim! It's been ages since I've had Thai. I can't wait.

Mark and I have been eating fairly well, a bonus really since Ann Arbor is a bit drab in general. Maybe my attitude's just poor. I'm still not thrilled to be here, and probably will never be since I'm now living in Seattle, and well, you know how I feel about Seattle.

Speaking of Seattle, I just received word that I'll be teaching at Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle! Yay me!

There's always more forthcoming. xoxo.

Restaurant Locations

• Eve Restaurant, 415 N. 5th Street, Ann Arbor, MI, 734.222.0711
• I had the soft shell crab main course, which was delightful! I love soft-shell crab!
• Try the "Inspired Nacho" appetizers. Yummy!
• Check out the Menu!
• TupTim Thai Cusine, 4896 Washtenaw Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI, 734.528.5588
• Weber's Hotel and Restaurant, 3050 Jackson Road, Ann Arbor, MI, 734.665.3636
  

Dublin Is For Lovers

The ceiling at Yamamori Noodles, Dublin
I’ll just say it. I’m exhausted! Today was my first full day of non-work, non-conference-related business, and I exhausted myself within every nook and cranny of Dublin (mostly South of the Liffey). About five hours worth of walking, to be exact. And I barely scratched the surface. Tomorrow is going to be another jammed-packed day!

Highlights of my walk:

Inside Yamamori Noodles
1. Lunch at Yamamori Noodles on Great George’s Street. This is a fantastic place to people-watch, regroup, relax, zone-out, and the Japanese food is actually quite delightful! I had the chicken cutlet with curry dish, and at 12 euro, quite worth every last cent.

2. The Douglas Hyde Gallery on Trinity College campus. This is the first contemporary-arts gallery that I’ve found. The focus of the gallery, as far as I can tell, is contemporary Irish art. While I wasn’t very moved by any of the work being exhibited, I was more drawn to the exhibition space itself – it has a lot of potential!


A Calder Stabile Outside the Library Shop, Trinity College
3. Trinity College Library Shop. Where can you find things that have “Ireland” or “Dublin” plastered on them? Like University bookstores stateside, the Trinity College shop is no different. I skipped “The Book of Kells” tour and opted to buy a few totes from the shop (see previous post for discussion on my tote obsession) and a souvenir mug.


Street Performer on Grafton Street
4. Grafton Street. The guidebooks were totally right on when they said this street was shopping madness! This shoppers-lover promenade clearly reflects the new found wealth of Dubliners (it’s more expensive to live here than London!). If shopping is your thing, then you can’t miss Grafton Street. I found myself drawn to #5.


Muji Speakers
5. The Muji Store. I love me some Muji products. The MOMA store carries Muji items. Right off of Grafton Street (on Chatham Street), the store carries most of the cute, minimal, products that Muji is known for. I only wished that the euro was a lot weaker! I was disappointed that the store didn’t carry the cardboard speakers. Hmmm, maybe I should’ve asked? Shoot, I’ll have to go back.


Looking for the National Art Gallery and getting lost in a sketchy place.
6. National Art Gallery. Free is always attractive, which is not the only reason why I went to the National Art Gallery. Another reason is because I’m a big dork. Ok, honestly, this was a real snoozer. Boring. The gallery is full of portraits of 17th, 18th and 19th century Irish people by Irish painters – very nationalistic and very … hmmm … homogenous. I kept waiting for some 20th century stuff, and was quite disappointed by the lack. I did like the gallery store, where I picked up yet another tote and another mug.

7. Irish Film Institute. Located in the very touristy and crazy Temple Bar district, this haven for film aficionados screens several independent films daily. I came at an odd hour and couldn’t fit in a screening, though will have to go back. There’s a cutesy café inside, where you can gawk at other filmster-hipsters.


I heart Oscar Wilde - what a fantastic spramp!
8. The Abbey Theatre. Don’t ask me why, but I was inspired slightly by the thought of attending the play “The Crucible” by Arthur Miller tonight. I’d seen the play before, and I’m not even a diehard fan. I just thought it was be a treat to do something non-alcohol-related on a Saturday night, and plus the theater is super close to my bed and breakfast. But that idea quickly became moot, since I slept through the opening this evening during my record-breaking six hour nap. Maybe tomorrow?

9. The Boardwalk along the Liffey. This is so not the kind you’d see at Atlantic City. The boardwalk borders the Liffey River and is quite fantastic really. There are cute cafes and benches where you can sit and contemplate life or just people watch. I love the many bridges that traverses the Liffey.

10. My bed at the Townhouse Guesthouse. A bed never felt so nice after a 5-hour walk. Like I said, I took a five-hour nap after my crazy walk! This guesthouse, in general, rocks. And the breakfast is soooo good—an early breakfast is the best since the breakfast room tends to get very crowded. Get a high-floor room if you can. The ceiling walls are creaky, footsteps suck. But I carry earplugs everywhere I go, so it’s not too bad. With that said—this spramp needs more sleep!

Show Me Show Me Show Me

So per usual I’ve waited till the last minute to pack and get things organized for my trip to Dublin that officially starts tomorrow. I get to spend a fantastic weekend with my partner-in-crime Mark in Chicago, who’s been stricken by some completely unfantastic luck of late. We’ll maybe catch a little spramp eye-candy at the Gay Pride festivities on Sunday; get a few descent meals under out belt; and have some quality chill-out time together. I can’t wait! And then, I fly out to Dublin! I’m so excited. I’ve never been, and I’ve only read great things about the city and the spramps that inhabit the city's boundaries! My only regret is that I’ve not done nearly as much pre-trip research on Dublin as I would’ve liked. I suppose that’s why they call it an adventure, eh? Luckily all the places I’ll be staying will have Internet, so I won’t feel too disconnected—and now that I’ve started this Spramp blog, I’ll be sure to post a few or more of the fantastic things that I find in Dublin and the outer-lying areas.

Just Like Heaven Cover (Source: TheCure.com)
I had a splendid day today! Seeing my high-school friends, Trent and Layla (and Layla’s daughter) on what had to be one of the nicer days we’ve had in awhile in Seattle was outstanding! We ate at Blue C Sushi in Freemont, not really our top choice, but nothing else seemed to be open at 2:30pm. Blue C Sushi has the built-in nostalgia factor for anyone who’s been to Japan and has had sushi on a conveyor belt. Though this afternoon, it was way too hot inside to really enjoy the food; and well, having eaten at other fantastic sushi places in Seattle, Blue C Sushi should only be considered under the most desperate of circumstances (I'm sorry Blue C...I hate giving bad reviews). Having said all of that, it was such a treat to catch up with my old friends—we haven’t really changed all that much! Lunch was on Trent, courtesy of his company, which was super fantastic! I love people with real jobs! I hope Layla and I persuaded Trent to move to Seattle, since he really should!

I'll leave you with a lovely acoustic version of "Just Like Heaven," by the Cure. We all like the Cure a lot, and well, perhaps that's why we're all friends. The song defines our generation and our friendship quite well. Enjoy.

Just Like Heaven (Acoustic Version), The Cure (I forgot what album this is on! Ooops!)

(Not the exact version, but this version from the live album Show (1998) is quite good too!)

• My heart will always have a place for the Cure! I wish they made albums like the ones they made in the 1980s and early 1990s. I mean, there's a crap-load of stuff to be depressed about in the world today, Robert Smith! Get depressed and get a new album out!

I’ve more packing to do, and I need to watch the next episode of Top Chef before I call it a night. I admit, I’m mildly addicted to the show, and very close to purchasing a season pass from iTunes. But for now paying a $1.99 seems justifiable…
[for episodes of Top Chef 3]

A plug for my friend Trent!

Read his blog all about the "Cincinnati Reds"
(all the sports talk goes over my head. Sports asides, he's the sweetest (non-sprampy) guy in the world!)

Oh and before I forget: Props to that fantastic woman who gave me the most fantastic discount in the world at Top Pot Doughnuts on 5th Ave today. It was fantastic because she gave me a half-dozen for FREE! (It must have been my sweater that she liked!) I will definitely be frequenting that place more often! If you are in Seattle, check them out - the doughnuts were fantastic, totally decadent, and Trent and I loved every last bite!

Ok, I'm off like a prom-dress...

Eat Grill Me

(Source: Gourmet)
I'm minding my own business at my local Safeway, loading my items on the conveyor belt, when I spot June 2007's issue of Gourmet. Yup. Had to buy it, now that I'm totally addicted to BBQ'ing on my balcony. (I never buy magazines at the grocery store!) Doesn't that rib-eye looks so tempting? "Break out the grill," indeed! Tis the grilling season in Seattle - salmon, anyone? Dinner at my place, and you're invited! Fantastic!

I Love UFOs and Tokyo

I’ve been thinking a lot about Japan since I read the New York Times article on nomiya culture and because my very good high school friend, Trent, is coming into town in a few days this week and probably because I was just there (layovers do count!). My friend and I went to high school in Japan—indeed, lucky us! It’s been over ten yeas since we graduated, and yet I find “Japan” still deeply resonating in my everyday practices (I’m sure Trent does too). I think growing up in Japan honed my penchant for good packaging and my intellectual obsession with aspirational-consumer culture—Japanese folks take it to the next level! Lucky for me, I can get my fix of all thing Japanese in Seattle. The other day I went to the fantastic Asian grocery store in Seattle called Uwajimaya and filled my basket up with goodies: salmon onigiri, seaweed-flavored potato chips, and my all-time favorite UFO ramen noodles! Wipe the drool from the corners of your mouths! Five-minutes gets you a bowl of yakisoba-flavored noodles and a very happy tummy! (Be sure to toss the water out after letting the noodles steep in it! It is NOT a soup!) I plan on buying a weeks worth of UFO noodles before I head out to Dublin next week, with the Euro at such an abysmal exchange rate. What UFO's and ramen have in common is beyond me. It just tastes good!


UFO Ramen Noodles (Source: KFGrocer.com)
I had a UFO for lunch today and listened to a song that my friend Steven recommended. It’s by a group that I’d never heard of called The Books, from what I’ve read, an experimental/electronic/indie group. The song is called Tokyo, and it has fun samples, one being the voice of a female stewardess on Japan Airlines. As I've listened to the single more, I’ve noticed classical references in what sounds like a harpsichord in the intro and in the quick staccato syncopation from the classical koto or perhaps the shamisen. There’s an obvious melding of East and West, as the Japanese acoustic instrumentation transitions into violins—perhaps a metaphor for the obvious cultural hybridity transforming Tokyo’s urban landscape. It’s a rather fantastic treat to listen to! The song really does evoke a sense of Japan, in all its contradictions and in all its unique visions.

Tokyo, The Books, The Lemon of Pink (2006) (Courtesy of the fantastic blog Music for Kids Who Can’t Read Good)

I'm tempted to eat another UFO, but I think I should call it a day. I'm finally done with all my crazy work that made me a little crazy too. Bottoms up!

If you haven't already gone, check out Spramp's aStore, where you can find and buy most of the albums, DVDs, and books mentioned here courtesy of Amazon.com.

Funky Funk

Midnight-Snack Edition

Pike IPA - Perfect Midnight Snack

I've been stricken by a weird funk. I had a fairly good afternoon. I met up with my new friend Craig at High Life in Ballard for lunch, where we had a great conversation about art, life, and Seattle, which eventually brought us to Cupcake Royale for more conversation. I think it all went downhill from there - my mood, that is. Perhaps it's the odd cold weather enveloping Seattle. I barely got any work done, nor did I have inspiration to do anything other than revamp a new MySpace page up (I know...where are my priorities, right?). My mind's distracted. I sense that this funk is being caused by thoughts of a person. But why?

I'll have to think about it some more. I'm going to have another beer and call it a night.

Cheers.

jcb
Elttaes, AW

Umbrellas Are For Lovers

Rihanna from August '07 issue of Paper Magazine (Source: Paper Magazine via dListed.com)
My peeps at Palms Out Sounds have done it again with Remix Sunday 66! I'm literally drooling with glee, mostly because they've posted a new remix of Rihanna's fiercely addictive song "Umbrella." The Vandalism Mix totally cuts out the Jay-Z cameo (thank god!) and focuses on the repeating her gutteral "eh eh eh eh's" and "umbrellas" - and you know, it sorta works. I've been pining for a remix of this song for the past couple of weeks now, and this is probably just the first of many that we'll see to come. Funny thing - I was never into her before this single, and now I'm super hooked. I'm curious to hear the other tracks off her Good Girl Gone Bad album, which is set to drop on June 5 (tomorrow!). Check out the remix!


(Check out Palm Out Sounds' Remix Sunday 66.)


I've literally just arrived back from a dinner and drinks at Bricco's (atop Queen Anne) with Mary. And I am just stuffed. I had the salami panini and a very delightful Sangiovese/Merlot/Syrah wine with a name that I've since forgotten (couldn't hardly tell there was any Merlot in it, which was nice). Bricco's as I've written about before is just a lovely and affordable place that brings the spirit of Italian romance out in non-obnoxious ways (the waitstaff are all very cute, which is a bonus). After dinner we went to El Diablo just two blocks down for some Cuban-inspired Cafe Con Leches. I had a chocolate macaroon that literally sent me into being completely full. Can we say decompression?

Or better yet, can we say bed?

Nighty.

jcb
Seattle, WA