Some Things Just Can't Be Helped

Tobouli Or Notbouli, That Is The Question

2008-06-05T14:39:00.000-06:00

Yet another thing I've been meaning to post. A few months ago, some friends of ours, the Ross's, had me over for dinner and made Tabouli. Or rather, I should say, Erin made Tabouli. (I've edited out the joke I wanted to make here in an attempt to preserve this friendship; that and Fernanda would hurt me if I made fun of our friends. She may be small but she wields a mean metal spatula, and I mean mean...mean mean mean).

Anyways, her Tabouli was awesome and as I had been looking for a recipe for a few years (read Coming Out Of The Pantry if you haven't already and that last part might make a little more sense) and she was kind enough to pass it along to me. So, without further attempts at lame jokes, here it is:

1/2 box couscous cooked in chicken stock, salt, pepper, thyme, lemon zest. Cool to room temp. (I don't really measure my herbs and spices so you'll have to experiment to get it where you like it. I also just zest the lemon with a veggie peeler so they're like thick ribbons. I remove it and discard it before I fluff the couscous.)

Add 1/2 lemon juiced

1 medium tomato

1 small green pepper or half of a large one

1/2 cucumber

1/2 can of chick peas rinsed and drained

1/3 cup diced red onion (you could probably use scallions and it would be just as good.)

1/4 cup diced fresh parsley

1/3 cup feta cheese

I mix it all well then drizzle extra virgin olive oil over the top to taste.

Mix again then add more salt and pepper as needed.

A few notes on how I have used this recipe: the lemon zest I use is pretty fine so I just leave it in. Also, I've made this without the chick peas and both ways taste great. Lastly, I'll add a little more lemon juice or mix it or switch it with lime juice and it comes out fine.

Thanks again Erin and to everyone who tries this "bil haná wal shifá".

Kuma? What's a Kuma?

2008-06-05T13:37:00.000-06:00

I have been meaning to blog about this place forever. Kuma's Corner is a Bar/Restaruant located in Northern Chicago. We first went there about 9 months ago with some friends of Fernanda and when we arrived I wasn't very impressed. First, we waited 2.5 to 3 hours for our table. That is in no way an exaggeration. The reasons for this were pretty simple: it was dinner time so there were a lot of people and there isn't a very large dining area so seating was limited. Second, it is a heavy metal bar. The "music" was ear-splittingly loud and some of the decorations were, umm, interesting. However, these were easily offset by three things: the service was awesome, the prices are cheap, and the food is absolutely incredible. They serve gourmet burgers (each named after a heavy metal band) and they were well worth the wait.

We went back about a month ago during lunch time and the wait was significantly shorter (in fact I don't think we had to wait at all) and the music was at a much more tolerable level (ie I could hear the person sitting next to me). One of their other main menu draws is their Make Your Own Mac & Cheese. I ordered this and it was huge and delicious. Plus, again, the servers were very pleasant.

So, while I don't recommend this place for the faint of heart (or pretty much dinner time unless you get there early), check out their website and pass-by if you're in the area (and when I say area I mean within two states of Illinois). You'll find the food well worth the trip.

Enjoy!
http://www.kumas-corner.com/index.php

I'll Show You Whats In A Name!

2008-04-30T14:36:00.008-06:00

Although its been over a month since we came back, I still haven't finished writing about our trip over spring break. Call me lazy, call me unimaginative, call me inept. Just don't call me Bob cause...that's not my name.

The best part of our trip was our visit to Key West, Florida; also known as the Conch Republic after their secession and war with the US (with all the randomness I post here, this fact is actually true. Go figure.). The sun was shining, the weather was hot, and my chocolate-covered key lime-sicle was dripping on my shirt. What more could you ask for?

The island was nice and quaint and the people were pretty friendly. Although, a few were a bit "aggressive" in their approach. But once we straightened a few things out, Captain Hemming here was pretty cool.

The island wasn't very big but we decided to shell out for a trolley tour which saved us from wandering about and tiring ourselves out. Here we stopped for a picture at the southernmost point in the US. Although, technically that spot would be behind the giant cone-thing but that would have blocked us from the shot.
The restaurant pictured here was cool. Hemingway apparently used to torture his liver here and we had some good food. The atmosphere was pretty lively and we enjoyed it. Notwithstanding this, I've agreed to serve as a regional representative for the Committee For The Advancement And Promotion Of World Wide Joes (or CFTAAPOWWJ for short) in a suit against the proprietors of this restaurant. We're suing for slander. I and the majority of Joes represented by our organization happen to be very neat and tidy, thank you very much.

Key West was great. I remember thinking it had a wonderful after-taste (although that could have been the aforementioned -sicle, I can't remember). All-in-all our whole trip was fun, as we visited some interesting places,

and met some cool people. But, mostly, because we got to spend some great time together.

And if you don't believe me, just ask Bob.

Guacamole: Such A Pretty Name

2008-04-25T09:48:00.013-06:00

So its only taken me a month but I'm finally going to post one of our recipes. As for the delay, I came out of the pantry only to realize I forgot something, so I had to go back in. Got a little lost.

Guacamole de Fernada Sanchez della Virgen de Guadalupe de Oscar Ramirez

Santiago de Arroyo

(In case you fail to see the comedy, Hispanics are notorious for their long names, hence the long name here. Always the sign of a great joke when you have to explain it.)

2 Avocados
1/2 tomato (finely chopped)
1/3 Cup white onion (finely chopped)
1/4 Cup parsley (finely chopped)
1/2 lime or lemon
salt
hot pepper

Cut the avocado in half and use a spoon to transfer the good stuff (ie the green "meat") to a bowl. With a fork, mash the green "meat" until smooth. Add the tomato, onion, parsely, juice from the lime or lemon, salt (to taste), and whatever kind of hot pepper you like (if you like). Mix.

Not the most complex recipe but its really good. The measurements are kind of arbitrary since I mostly just eyeball it, but they should be a good guide for starters. I use a mini-electric food dicer on the onion and parsley to get really small pieces; big chunks of either of these can overpower the taste. As for the lime or lemon, you may want to add more than just 1/2 depending on how big the fruit is; we used lemon for the first time yesterday and it turned out quite well. The hot pepper is kind of vague I know; we use a dried chili powder mix we got from mexico for a little spice but I think it would be fine without it. The closest equivalent to what we use would be finely chopped dried chilis but you can add your own favorite hot spice with no problem.

Enjoy embracing your inner chef! (Unless he doesn't like that sort of thing. Then just go for a firm handshake.)

I Can See Clearly Now The Rain Is...Nevermind, Its Back

2008-04-17T08:13:00.006-06:00

We had a great time on our cruise but the weather left something to be desired. Yeah, I know what you're thinking, "Poor babies! The weather wasn't perfect for your trip to the bahamas! Room service forgot to chill your sprite! A rabid spider ate one of your toes! Give me a break!" I'll agree, we really have nothing to complain about; expect the whole losing-a-toe thing. I think we get a free pass on that one. Anywho, here's a breakdown on what the weather was like on our trip:

While we were technically in Miami for 2 days we were only able to get out for about 4 hours. We had brunch outside in downtown southbeach and managed to avoid getting rained on while we ate. After we finished it poured. It was kind of funny cause we could actually see a wall of water coming towards us and then leave as it passed.

Notice anything odd about this picture in the bahamas? Whoever heard of wearing sweaters and a jacket to "tropical paradise"? And yes, I see the people in the background in shorts and tank-tops! It was cold, I swear.

Our second stop on the cruise was to Cococay; apparently its some island owned by Royal Caribbean. In this picture you can see one of the locals enjoying the weather. See, told you it was cold.

When in Rome... Fernanda is blending in with the natives.On top of it being cold, it was windy. I thought we were back in Chicago. All-in-all a fun trip but the weather was lame in the bahamas. I was expecting it to be blistering hot and was looking forward to it after a cold, frigid, evil, jerk of a winter. On the bright-side, the cold kept the blood-loss down after the spider attack; so, I guess it wasn't all bad.

Crusin' For A Brusin'

2008-04-16T07:34:00.031-06:00

Spring Break is a magical time of the year when students celebrate the end of winter and finals by traveling to exotic locations in order to kill brain cells with excessive booze while trying to break the record for the number of STDs contracted in a single week. Fernanda and I decided to break somewhat with this societal tradition and opted instead to just travel to exotic locations. We selected a 5 day/4 night cruise to the Bahamas on Royal Caribbean (we figured the Pritzkers have given so much, it was time to give back to them).

Our point of departure was Miami, FL, where we spent a pleasant but damp weekend (I'll whine more about the weather on our trip in another post). The highlight was visiting my Uncle Bob and his family for Easter Dinner. My Aunt Karen makes a mean corn bread.

The ship, Majesty of the Seas, was pretty nice. As you can see, I was happy with it.

We splurged for a room with a hole, I mean window, and it was nice to have natural sunlight. But I think for a cruise this short it wasn't really worth the extra money.

There were lots of activities on the boat to keep us occupied and help us spend more money. They even had a casino where they taught us to play craps and roulette!

Fernanda took this picture cause she thought it was cute; that still didn't stop her from taking away my wallet afterwards. She wouldn't give it back until the cruise was over. Killjoy. (Note: this has been written purely for comedic effect. I in no way endorse casinos except for their cool bells and flashing lights. Plus, dig that carpet!)

As most people know, cruises are well known for their all-you-can-stuff-down-your-gullet buffets. We were pleased with the general selection and quality of food. Unfortunately, this was all a little marred due to some new FDA regulations arising from the obesity problem in America. In order to ensure passengers are getting enough exercise and aren't eating themselves silly, cruises must now ensure that access to all dining areas is "health-inducing".

Personally I thought this was a bit much, but it could have been worse. I hear Carnival has a full-blown American Gladiator course at the entrance to their dining rooms.

Despite the size of the ship, I was surprised by how much we could feel it move. One great side effect of this was it felt like we were being rocked to sleep every night in bed. Some of the other side-effects weren't as pleasant.

For those of you wondering why there aren't any pictures with Fernanda, here you go. She just wasn't willing to make any of the goofy faces for this blog post.

Killjoy.

Family, Isn't It About...No Bill! Not On The Boat!!!

2008-03-17T15:29:00.007-06:00

About a year ago my Grandfather McCammon passed away and when the family got together for his funeral, everyone started sharing these great stories I had never heard before. So, in the interest of preserving my family history, while hopefully strengthening some family ties, I’ve taken it upon myself to try and record some of my family’s stories. For the time being I’ll be posting them here until I can find a more suitable medium. I've decided to focus more on my Granddad since I probably know the least about him and his stories are the freshest in my mind. Here is the first one I've prepared and if you're in my family, be prepared for me to start bugging you for more...

In 1948, my Grandparents, dad (Bill Jr.) and uncle (Bob) were living in Berkeley, CA. Granddad and Grandma were worried about their two sons growing up on the mean streets of Berkeley (in 1948?! Geez, tough town) and decided the family needed an activity to help the family stay together. Camping was out of the question because the High Sierras were just two far away getting there meant traveling mainly on two lane roads which would have made the trip a tad unpleasant.

Having been on a sailboat a grand total of one time in his life, Granddad decided that was the activity for his family and commenced asking around at his office for any help in finding a sailboat. He wound up in Sausalito at a place called Nunes Brothers who built him a 23-foot Bear Boat. It was launched on a clear and calm day to the playing of bagpipes (um, ok?). Unfortunately, Granddad didn’t know how to sail the boat so someone else had to take the helm as they all rode the boat to Richmond where it would be kept.

As the Grandparents stepped onto the boat and marveled at the calm waters, pondering their future boat trips as they worked towards and solidified their family unity, Bill Jr. (my dad) put one foot on the boat and immediately became seasick. So the family gathering was Bill Jr. seasick and everyone else having a good time.

Ultimately, the message we can take home is the importance of family and having activities that can be done together as a family. The Grandparents were all about family and wanted to make sure their family was strong. That is what we can take from them.

This story was told by my Uncle Bob and recorded by my brother Will. My many, many thanks to them for this story and Bob, I hope I didn’t mess up your rendition of this story.

Coming Out Of The Pantry

2008-03-11T11:09:00.000-06:00

Alright, its time to be true to myself and honest with others. The dirty truth is: I love to cook. I guess we all have our dirty little secrets and this is mine. The problem, though, isn't that I just love to cook. No, if that were all my life would be relatively easy. The real issue is that I obsess about cooking. My thoughts are plagued with queries of how to make the crust of my homemade bread crisper or how to keep my basil fresh and crisp. Just the other day I was trying to remember how to make salsa verde (green sauce) when, like the Hallelujah chorus from Handel's Messiah, it all came flooding back to me! Oh what a glorious moment.

While most other guys are hoping for a new iPhone or rocket powered shoes for birthdays or Christmas, I secretly walk the kitchenware section at stores staring longingly at bamboo cutting boards, double-boilers, and, dare I say, granite cooking stones. Someday, somehow, I WILL own a KitchenAid Mixer!

You're probably wondering what would possess me to write such an odd (and probably somewhat creepy) post. Long ago, Dave and Camilla (my brother and sister-in-law) had the excellent idea to start a family cookbook. They printed off a few of their favorite recipes, put them in decorative binders with plenty of extra space, and gave one to everyone in the family. The plan was that every holiday we would get together and swap recipes between books. Sadly, due to the lack of enthusiasm that often accompanies family projects in my family (*cough* family-website *cough*), it never took off. However, I'm hoping to atone for my lack of involvement in this excellent idea in the following manner:

What Fernanda and I have decided, is that periodically we are going to post some of our favorite recipes on our blog. I know, I know, it seems a little controversial but with her studing to be a lawyer I think we can wade though any legal problems we may run into (have you come to the conclusion yet that this blog is just completely random???). The hope is that others will try these recipes, like them, keep them, and maybe pass them on to others. Additionally, we hope that those wishing to share recipes with us (this is HIGHLY encouraged) will either submit them as a comment or email them to me so I can post them on our blog.

Happy cooking to all and never be ashamed to embrace your inner chef!

Blades Of Glory...But Without The Tights

2008-02-29T12:18:00.000-07:00

A little over a month ago Fernanda and I decided to go ice skating between two of her classes. There is an outdoors ice rink located near the law school and since receiving ice skates for Christmas, Fernanda was eager to go. We both had a good time but I came to the conclusion it was time to let go of the wall and take a class for beginner ice skaters. So I plopped my money down and signed up for four Saturdays worth of intensive ice skating lessons.

A few weeks later the first Saturday arrived. For some reason, until that morning, it had never dawned on me that the class I had signed up for might actually be geared more towards a younger audience. I voiced my trepidation to Fernanda that I might be taking a class with a bunch of 11 and 12-year olds, but she told me I was probably exaggerating and to just go and have a good time. I am happy to report she was right, 11 and 12 was something of an exaggeration: most of the skaters were no more than 6 or 7, tops. You can imagine how thrilled I was to learn I would be taking classes with kids who not only didn't know how to skate, but were also still learning how to walk.

Never one liking to give up, I put on my skates and sheepishly (and shakily) stepped on to the ice. I received a few quizzical looks from some parents and the instructor but I answered these with a simple, "I'm from California". If nothing else, I felt a little more justified in my presence there and I spent the remainder of that lesson skating to cheers (or jeers) of "Good job California Boy!"

As the weeks went by, I am happy to report I have really improved my abilities. I dare say I was one of the best pupils in the class; although this was more due to my having an attention span longer than a gnat's. The kids were really cool and wouldn't laugh too much whenever I fell down. I also had a little "shadow" who would follow me around and thought I was 12. He never was able to grasp howhe could have a cousin who was 1 year older than me but was only as tall as my hipbone.

Last Saturday was my final class and I have to admit it was bittersweet. I was starting to look forward to my little friends and seeing how they progressed. Ultimately, we all have to grow up and move on but it was kind of cool to play a kid again; even if it was a kid that had a 5 o'clock shadow.

Wicked Is As Wicked Does

2008-02-15T08:24:00.001-07:00

For Valentine's Day last night we went and saw the play Wicked. A Spectacular play! For those who haven't seen the play or know what it is about, the premise is the True story of the Wicked Witch of the West and GA-linda. The story kept us really interested and was quite funny. The actress who played Galinda had some great lines and moves. The plot had some interesting twists (more so the ending) and gives some different back stories compared to the books. We highly recommend the play.

The only problem with the play was we didn't have the best of seats and we wound up in the nosebleed section. Our noses didn't bleed but the complimentary oxygen tanks were very helpful. We also had a row of 9 year-olds sitting in front of us; that or a group of munchkins came to see their family members in the play. The distance made it impossible to really make out the actors' features but we could hear everything fine. We saw it in the Ford Oriental Theatre which is beautifully designed and decorated.

Won't You Be My Valentine?

2008-02-14T09:59:00.000-07:00

I first asked Fernanda to "Be my Valentine" on February 14, 2003. My brother was driving us to the Happiest Place on Earth. It was just after midnight and I gently woke her in the seat next to me and asked her. She looked at me with her eyes half-open, smiled, gave me a kiss, and then went back to sleep. I took that as a "Yes".

My timing has improved markedly since then but the biggest improvement in my life has been Fernanda as my wife. We have been married a little over three years now and not a day goes by I don’t reflect on how lucky and blessed I am. Sure, married life hasn’t been all flowers and Halo games, but no matter how dark the day may be I always have her to be thankful for.
So this Valentine’s Day 2008, I want her to know why I am thankful:

-She gives me the courage to try new things; ie take a beginners ice skating class with a bunch of 9-yr olds

-She says things like “I think you need to get rid of your Xbox…..and buy the new Xbox 360”

-She loves traveling and doesn’t mind dragging me along. The list so far: Cancun, Acapulco, Philadelphia, Outer Banks, Washington DC, Chicago, Rock Point (Mexicao), Venice, Rome, Budapest, Vietnam, Thailand, and Hong Kong. End of March: Bahamas. I NEVER would have seen a fourth of these places without her putting things in motion.

-She is never wrong, ever. Granted, sometimes this can be a little annoying but I know I can always count on her and trust her.

-She inspires me to be all that I can be (no, the army does not have a monopoly on this). Because of her I am a better man than I was 5 years ago and I believe because of her I will be an even better man 5 years from now.

Fernanda, you are amazing and I love you.

Won't you be my Valentine?

The Fine Print

2008-02-14T09:58:00.000-07:00

Fernanda and I have been wanting to show some of the pictures we took during our trip this last summer. So, the following few posts will be the equivalent of coming over to our house and watching a slide-show presentation of our trip. The plus side of this format is that we've tried to keep it fairly short, choosing only the best pictures. The negative side is that it is still the equivalent of coming over to our house and watching a slide-show presentation of our trip this past summer. Consider yourself duly warned. On that note, Enjoy!

I Left My Heart In Buda...Or Was It Pest?

2008-02-14T09:57:00.000-07:00

We only spent a day in Budapest but it was probably my favorite city of our whole trip. The city was beautiful, the people were great and the food was terrific.

I jumped at the chance to partake of the "Transylvanian Platter" shown here. Basically a sampling of different styles of meat but everything was great. Well, except for the chunks of cooked fat that were served with the dish. Those were interesting.

The castle in the background is the Buda castle. No relation to Buddah, I think.

This was a pretty awesome bridge. It connects the two cities of Buda and Pest making Budapest. Pretty Cool. The night we were there there was a huge market all across it with food and craft vendors as well as a group of musicians and dancers at one end. I give it a ranking of "Wicked Awesome".

A little insight into the European part of our trip: It was FRIGGIN' HOT! I think we had a heat wave the entire time we were there. Yeah, I know, poor babies. Our train ride back from Budapest was terrible. For some reason the A/C on the train was off so it must have been a hundred-plus degrees in there. I had a mini-fan which provided a little comfort throughout. Anyway, I included this picture to show how drenched we were in that cabin.

So, Where Are All The Cars?

2008-02-14T09:56:00.000-07:00

Our first stop in Italy was Venice. Yes, it is as beautiful and romantic as you could hope. We stayed on a smaller island called Burano; it was cheaper and also nice to get away from all the tourists on Venice.
I chose to include this shot because I was surprised to find that there is a decent sized jewish population in Venice (at least more than I would have initially supposed). The first ghettos were located here and the word ghetto is a Venitian word that means "foundry". The Jews in Venice were first housed in a local foundry by the fasicists, hence the term.

Here we are in Piazza San Marco. I decided to take advantage of the atmosphere. The piazza it self is pretty breathtaking although I found the pigeons annoying; I guess tourists like to feed them so there are a bunch of vendors selling bird feed. What, nobody has birds in their home countries?
Nothing like kissing your loved one on a gondala on the Grand Canal with a big burly italian man looking on. Have we noticed a pattern yet?
This picture pretty much sums up the Venice trip.

Rome If You Want To, Rome Around Rome

2008-02-14T09:55:00.001-07:00

I served my mission in the Rome, Italy mission and it was cool to check out some of my old stomping grounds. We were still sweating through the heat wave but those old Romans did a great job with their aquaducts which still provide clean water throughout the city.

I had never done the inside tour of the Colosseum and I found it to be well worth it. We tagged on to one of the tour groups that loiters around outside and I think for like an extra 5 or 10 bucks we jumped most of the main line, which alone was worth it. But the guided tour was interesting as well. I don't remember any of it at the moment, so maybe that tells you just how interesting it really was.

Interesting fact about the Pantheon: those columns you see were orginally supposed to be some ten-feet taller. However, when they tried to float them up from Egypt (or some place with a river) the barges sank. So they made these smaller ones and made a few last minute adjustments to the roof so everything would fit. Bored yet?
Fernanda decided to do the coin toss at the Trevi fountain to ensure we come back someday. Ain't she cute (and I'll think about it)?
The Vatican is a great and spacious, beautifully decorated building. It is decorated with the finest gold, marble and some of the biggest flat screen tvs I've ever seen (you can see them in the background). Also, major props on the Sistine Chapel.
Fernanda's little sister, Alejanda, was kind enough to demonstrate again just how hot it was in Rome. And hey guys, she's single! (Edit: Fernanda asked that I censor this picture to spare any embarrassment to her sister. Why do I hear the sound of a whip cracking?)

Neutral My Big Fat...

2008-02-14T09:53:00.000-07:00

After catching a train from Rome, we spent the day in Switzerland while we waited for our flight to Asia. Great place, freakisly clean.

We've included this picture more to just prove we were actually there. See, the Swiss flag?

Since we were here only a day we didn't see a whole lot but we tried to take advantage of the great food. We had an excellent fondue and racqulette. (Hmmm, for some reason I hadn't noticed until now that I was sitting with my face next to someone's bum. I wonder if the waiter sat me here to indicate some sort of anti-american sentiment. Can we say, Paranoid?) We also found some pastries filled with chocolate which, alone, would be worth a return trip.

Taking The Vietnam Out Of Communism

2008-02-14T09:50:00.000-07:00

I absolutly loved Vietnam. I kind of shocked myself but I thought it was a lovely place and the food was great. Of course I think a lot of the reason I liked it so much was we had friends to take us around and keep us from getting scammed.
I've either discovered the Pod people (it is a communist country so this could be a likely explanation) or these are Durian, a notoriously smelly fruit. I actually didn't mind the smell so much but apparently I'm allergic. Always a pleasant experience to have your throat close after eating some new food.
We mostly got around by car taxi or these moto taxis. A group would always hang near our friends' house and they gave us a ride a few times. It was my first time using this mode of travel and it was pretty exciting. Doesn't Fernanda have a great smile?
GONNNGGG!!!!!!

These are our friends who kindly hosted us for our week in Vietnam: Gisella and Alvero. I believe this was a french restaurant we ate at for Gisella's birthday. There was a lot of french food in Vietnam as they had been one of France's colonies for quite some time. Just another reason to hate the french (although, do you really need a reason?).

What? ANOTHER Vietnam Post!?!

2008-02-14T09:48:00.000-07:00

We went with our friends on a 2 night cruise to Halong Bay in southern Vietnam. The waters were beautiful with a lot of random rocks jutting out. Unique to anything I had ever seen.
While driving south we saw a lot of fields and workers with those cool vietnamese hats.
This is a vietnamese minivan. Apparently there are ENORMOUS taxes on buying a car which makes it nearly impossible for the average citizen to buy one. While this seems somewhat unjust it does a pretty good job at keeping the congestion and pollution down (as far as I could tell). I guess the taxes on cars will be coming down so it will be interesting to see what happens with more cars on the roads.
This is Hanoi (at night, obviously). The land bridge where you see the lights running down is mostly man-made.

My wife is HOT! (Halong Bay)

Thailand: Its Like Utah, Only Without All The Mormons

2008-02-14T09:46:00.000-07:00

Thailand: home of many, many gold covered Buddahs. And we saw a lot. But we also saw some incredible buildings, lived in secluded paradises, and met some great people.
We went on a bike/boat tour through the less traveled areas of Bangkok and came upon this magnificient statue. I'm not sure what it represents but it sure looks cool. The tour was great because we saw a different side of Bangkok you don't see with all the tourists around.
They had some really creative temples all over Bangkok. You can't really tell from this picture but the roof is covered in china...from China. When chinese merchants came to Tailand by boat they would carry tons of broken pieces of china pottery as balast, which they would then leave behind when they loaded their traded goods. The Thai people would use these pieces of china...from China, to decorate their temples and statues. Its a pretty cool, early display of recycling.
We took a cooking class while in Thailand so we could amaze all of our friends with our skills when we returned. Unfortunatly, we had to eat our own creations and since then we haven't been too keen on making Thai food.

In every country we visited we ran into the Missionaries. The Elder in the middle is the younger brother of a good friend of ours living in D.C. He had only been out a few months and did a splendid job translating for us in Church. A pretty amazing feat considering Thai is one of the most difficult languages in the world to learn. Of course, he could have just made everything up and we'd never know the difference, but we'll give him the benefit of the doubt.

Paradise Found, Baby

2008-02-14T09:44:00.000-07:00

After visiting Kho Tao, we can no longer say disparaging remarks about beach bums. This island was paradise. The beachs were white, the water was clear, and the atmosphere was quieter compared to the touristy Kho Samui. We spent about a week living on the island and by the end we were trying to figure out how many years we could stay there just based on our savings. The accomodations weren't the greatest. Our first place came with a family of geckos. The second place was nicer but the water smelled. Notwithstanding, we made a few friends and found some good places to eat.

Fernanda and I both recieved our scuba diving certificates while staying here and we left as advanced divers. We saw sharks, a turtle, manta rays, and plenty of fish but by far the coolest thing was a jelly fish. I'd always been freaked out by them because I knew they were poisonous and their stings could be extremely painful. But underwater they are breathtaking as they float around. On land they aren't so great, more like gelatinous blobs in the sand.

Death To The Bourgeoisie Trek!

2008-02-14T09:42:00.000-07:00

We decided to be adventurous so we went on a trek in the north of Thailand to visit the mountain people near Chiang Mai. Never, EVER, do a trek. The villiage we stayed at was great. The trek was hell. We weren't properly dressed (the guides said we'd be fine), we received a million thorns, I was bit by an ANT, and it was like 5 hours uphill. What's worse, while we were hiking uphill cross-country to get to the village, the locals were using the ROAD to drive up on their MOTORCYCLES! They must have been thinking, "Stupid tourists." Ugh, and we paid for that.

The treking wasn't so great, but the villiage was pretty cool. The people were really friendly and staying in the village almost made up for the trek. Almost.

These were our accomodations. We stayed in the village's finest hotel. There was a shack out back with a toilet and a shower (ie a hose). We also received complimentary mosquito nets during our stay.
After our guide cooked dinner for us, some of the kids from the local school came and sang to us. They wore traditional costumes and sang a traditional song. It could have been La Macarena in thai for all I knew but it was cool.
During our second day in the villiage we visited the school and Fernanda took this picture of one of the kids. I like it so I'm including it here for all the world to see (in other words the three of you who will actually read this blog).

For your viewing enjoyment this is a picture of our feet at the end of the trek. Hope you aren't eating.

We ended our trek with Fernanda almost sitting in a pile of red ants, the men having to push a truck that our guides had gotten stuck in mud, and Fernanda receiving a nice bruise on her arm while on a class 4 rapid. All in all we had a lot of fun but next time I'll take the truck to the village and bypass the hike.

One last note: in Chiang Mai there is a burger joint called Mike's. The BEST burgers I have ever had. Great shakes and fries as well. So, if you ever find yourself there, I recommend you stop in.

Lions And Tigers And...Elephants?! Oh, My

2008-02-14T09:40:00.000-07:00

We were able to get up close and personal with some of the local wildlife while in Thailand. This baby elephant was quite talented at balancing on both his front and back legs.
In case you can't tell those are catfish swarming the surface of the water. Our guide had taken us to a pier behind a temple to feed these little guys. Apparently, it is illegal to fish in water that is adjacent to a temple. These fish ain't fish-brains and have learned that if they chill in this area they 1) get free food and 2)avoid becoming free food.
We took a couple of elephant rides on our trip. This female was a little less than pleased to be carrying us around and showed this by growling. Have you ever even heard of an elephant growling?! Not the most pleasant experience when perched on its back. Of course, if I had to lug two people around all day I'd be a tad testy as well.
Near where the bridge over the river Kwai is located there is the Tiger Temple. Several years ago a Buddist monk came upon some tiger cubs that had been abandoned. Rather than leave them to their fate he cared for and raised them. They are now pretty full-grown and very tame as they've lived the majority of their lives in human care. The monk has built a large compound where many other abandoned animals now live.

Of course the only reason we took these pictures was because tigers are nocturnal and were a little to tired to check and see if we were snackable. Our guide declined to test his luck and made sure there were plenty of tourists between him and the tigers.

The City Of Lights And No Commission

2008-02-14T09:36:00.000-07:00

We spent a day in Hong Kong as a sort of lay-over before heading back to America. It was a nice city but I think we saw most of what we wanted to during that one day.
When we left Vietnam we had a little over a hundred dollars in vietnamese currency (or approximatly 1 million dong). For the remainder of our trip I stopped at every currency exchange place I could find to see if they would exchange it. This is a picture of me being laughed at again after asking if they take dong. I struck out in Thailand, Hong Kong, Los Angeles, Mexico and Chicago. The one place I found that would take it? Provo, Utah. Go figure.

Montezuma Ain't Got Nothing On Me!

2008-02-14T09:30:00.000-07:00

Mexico was our last stop on our trip and we spent a part of it with Fernanda's parents in Acapulco.

The horse riding on the beach was cool but there were a bunch of dogs that kept following us. Kind of killed the mood.

Both Fernanda and I did a little bit of waterskiing. I found out later that there's a river connected with this lake that has crocodiles. CROCODILES!!!!! I was told it was no big deal since they never come down to this area. My, how comforting. My mexican-waterskiing days are over.

Defunct Family Website Post: The Gov'na

2007-06-07T11:11:00.000-06:00

Fernanda and I attended a "Mix and Mingle" for Govenor Romney. He spoke for about 10 minutes on his 3 goals for America: Strong Military, Strong Economy, and Strong Family. Needless to say it was quite awesome.

Edit: For obvious reasons this picture is a little bitter-sweet. Still, he gave a great speech and a great run. Oh, and be sure you check out my awesome beard in this picture!

Defunct Family Website Post: I Love Nappy Naps

2007-06-05T11:10:00.000-06:00

Hi All!

I wanted to echo the comments previously made about this last weekend. Fernanda and I had a wonderful time with everyone, listening to old stories and spending one last time in Tahoe. Also, major kudos to Will and James for moving everything. Good luck with the pool table.

On Tuesday, Fernanda and I flew out to Arizona to spend some time with her brother and his family. They have a 3-yr old boy and 18-month old twin daughters. They were really cute but the best way to describe them: psycho. For some reason they gained great pleasure jumping off high objects and watching the adults scramble to break their falls. Needless to say it was a little exhausting.

Wednesday we drove down with her brother and two of his kids to Puerto Punesco (Rock point) in Mexico. We spent three days napping on the beach, napping on the "lazy river", napping in the pool, and napping on the pool chairs. I finally have a decent tan although I think I need to work on my sunscreen application. Some areas on my body are polka dot; red where I burned, white where I put too much sun-screen. It was great being back in Mexico although the resort we stayed at and a lot of the restaurants we went to were really americanized.

We came back Sunday and, Monday, Fernanda was off to to her rowing "summer camp". Its a little lonely to have her gone but I am glad to be back with my mice. I've really missed John, Sally, Robert, Dorian, Lisa, Melissa, Alfred, Reginald, Chris, Bobby, Hillary, Dwight, Dwain, Woot, Woot2, Margaret, Jackie, Nanda, Maria, Pepe, Woot3, Jim, Jess, Alan, Alicia, Susy, and of course little Billy.

In other exciting news, I am named on a research paper that will soon be published. I'm forth or fifth author (which means I contributed less than the 3rd author but more than the 6th author) and pretty elated. The paper deals with the use of Ketamine in the treatment of depression.

Until Next Week,
Joe and Fernanda

Edit: We stayed in the yellow buildings. The picture looks kind of barren but it was really pretty nice. I swear, honest.

Defunct Family Website Post: Weather Is Relative

2007-01-21T11:10:00.000-07:00

Winter has finally hit DC. The temperature has dropped to the high 30s and it comes with a biting wind. All in all though, this winter has been pretty mild. Up until this last Monday the temperatures have been in the 60s (we have global warming or El Nino to thank; whichever camp you belong to). Since the weather was so nice on Monday we went for a bike ride with some friends on the Mt. Vernon trail to the city of Alexandria. We had a good time hanging around the Old Town and enjoying the fresh air (although we had trouble sitting after nearly 3 hours on our bikes). Later that night a group of us from Church got together for FHE and played Apples to Apples.

Fernanda was recently called as the Ward Employment Specialist. She's been given the task of assisting those who are out of work or would like a better job find employment. The Bishop and everyone have been really pleased with the work and effort she has been putting into her calling. We're praying that the fruits will soon come.

Joe applied for a volunteer position at La Clinica del Pueblo, a spanish-speaking health clinic. He passed the interview stage and now they are trying to put him in contact with the individual he will be working for. It will most likely involve data entry and research for a gentleman who works with recovering addicts. Hopefully more details will soon follow...

Edit: Having lived in Chicago, I would give anything for a "biting wind" rather than one that mauls you, gives you a wedgie, then takes your wallet. All while calling you fat.

Defunct Family Website Post: Will You Tell That Drummer Boy To Knock It Off!

2006-12-10T11:09:00.000-07:00

Our ward had its Christmas Party last night and we were Mary and Joseph. It was a freezing night, but luckily the Wise men gave us a bowl of warm chili along with their gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Edit: We played Mary and Joseph for our ward and for the DC Temple nativity scene. I'm sure our selection was based on a complicated set of pre-requisites and not on the fact that our actual names are Mary and Joseph.