Back in Hell-A

It is actually good to be back. I’m already sun burned after 4 hours of doubles tennis yesterday. But I don’t mind so much. Good to be back with friends. I worked in Malibu last night. What a beautiful place, a different beauty from New England, but still really nice.

LA is a kooky place though. Since I moved out here 3 1/2 years ago or so, there have been so many occasions where I see friends, acquaintances, poker buddies, or former co-workers on TV or in movies. It isn’t shocking when it happens anymore, but you never really get used to it either. It is just so strange if anything. It’s fun to watch credits sometimes to see if I recognize any names.

One of these moments happened a week or two ago. While flipping from channel to channel I nearly blew right past Bravo (as always,) but I hesitated for a split second.

“Woah, I know that girl!”

The show was a re-run (presumably) of NBC’s “The Singing Bee,” truly a putrid show if there ever was one. But I knew the girl who was on screen singing at the time. We had worked together on the same TV show for about a year. Her name is Emily and she won.

A quick youtube search provided me proof.

…

World Series Pictures

Tribute to e@o

Since my Sister’s blog  is apparently retired (I still have faith that it will live on,) I decided to do a cooking blog entry in her honor.

In the few months that I’ve been home visiting, it has just been the 3 guys in the house. We’ve had to cook and clean and everything else. I think we’ve done quite well thank you. In any case, Danny and I have had the chance to make apple crisp several times, perfecting our method as we go. A couple of weeks ago I decided to take pictures. I don’t know if I could ever match my Sister’s Twisted Snake apple pie, but this is my best shot.

First of all, it is more fun when you’ve picked the apples yourself.

We went to Shelburne Orchards.

 

For the apple part:

8 Large McIntosh apples
Grated zest of 1 orange
Grated zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

For the crisp:

1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup oatmeal
1/2 pound cold unsalted butter, diced

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a large baking dish.

Peel, core, and cut the apples into large wedges.

We now have a machine to do such peasant work for us.

Combine the apples with the zests, juices, sugar, and spices. Pour into the dish.

Note: In our experience, if you periodically squeeze the lemon juice into the apples as you continue to add more to the bowl, it seems to keep them from turning brown so quickly.

To make the topping, combine the flour, sugars, salt, oatmeal, and cold butter in the bowl of an electric mixer.

Mix on low speed until the mixture is crumbly and the butter is the size of peas.

Scatter evenly over the apples.

If you are feeling crazy, chop up some pecans and/or some almond slivers and sprinkle them on the top.

Bake for 1 hour until the top is brown and the apples are bubbly. Serve warm.

Not that it wasn’t obvious. But this will likely be my only cooking blog ever.

I’m Going To Game 7!

…And I have an extra ticket. Anyone have a couple hundred bucks?

 

**UPDATE**

Well, it was incredible, of course. This was my 5th game at Fenway this season. I’ve been to more games over my life than I can count. The last 3 innings of that game was the loudest I’ve ever heard that park. The loudest I’ve ever heard a crowd anywhere. This includes game 1 of the 2004 world series because I was lucky enough to be there.

My camera didn’t do such a good job that night. I promise to do better at game 2 of the World Series…I’ll be there!

Some video for you also:

Teaser Trailer For Ring The Alarm

This is a new teaser trailer for my upcoming documentary (web site soon to come.) It is the first of many versions and I cut this tonight in a couple hours so it is quite rough. 

Back From Ireland

Pictures and words to follow when I return to Los Angeles.