November 2005 Archives
Channel 786. Cable radio. Metal. It is the foundation channel for this household's avoidance of commercials. Hit 786, play a name that tune through to the Golden Oldies channel and guess what? Back to the original show with perfect timing.
Well as it is the night before Thanksgiving, there's not a whole lot on. I've been roaming channels but I keep coming back to good old 786.
Then something strange happens. Forgetting the channel I am on, I hear the intro to a song. I immediately scream 'Bjork'. Looking towards the tely, I am proven correct, but in a very, very wrong manner.
Yes, this is Bjork. 'Army of Me'. Covered by Helmet. OK, a bit of a stretch but I like Helmet a lot. Then I see the album title. Something about 'Save Our Oceans' or some other garbage like that.
So is this what it has come to? Helemt covering Bjork songs for the Save our Oceans album? On the 'friggin METAL Channel!
Judas Priest came up two songs later and erased all of that evil debasement. 'The Ripper'. That will atone for quite a few metal transgressions.
Oh the humanity. Dude's GF left him and he can't figger which juice to buy. And her half of the $600 rent is coming up and he may not be able to come up with the money. What! $300? Really? $300!
That's a weekend job. Yes, you'll have to sacrifice a bit. But it's infinitely doable.
Here's a tip. Deliver pizzas a couple nights a week. You'll earn $75 in two nights easy. Two nights a week, 4 weeks a month, well you get the math.
I read that post and I felt like crotchety old man (back in my day, sonny...) but given I'm not even close, it must just be life experience that makes me laugh.
Summers spent on campus, working 50 hours during the week at a t-shirt manufacturer for the overtime, working 30 hours a week at night at a liquor store and sharing a 3 bedroom house with three guys to save on the rent. And putting money in the bank to support myself during the upcoming school year. Sunday was my only true day off. Yeah, my social life was brilliant at that point of my life. But guess what? I did it. And today, if the shite hit the proverbial fan, I would do it again. That damn work ethic thing.
The day at the range also included my first e-postal match. And it was tremendously fun. I can't wait to shoot the next challenge (which I beleive will be happening in the Spring some time). Here are the rules (from Mr. Completely's site).
I managed to shoot each target twice. The highest scores were submitted (and they both happended to be my first attempts at each caliber).
Here are the results on the .22 target:
And here are the results on the .40 target:
Sunday was range day. I loaded up the petromuncher with three pistols, more than enough ammo and a variety of targets (including my first attempt at one of Mr. Completely's e-postal matches).
The range was packed which was surprising. Saturday afternoon, overcast and cool? It's deer and waterfowl season! In any case, I found a bench at the 10 yard pistol range and got ready to set up. Pistols uncased, ammo at the ready and magazines loaded. As the line was still hot, I had only a used target to practice on until the range was cleared. I whiled away shooting at the numbers on well used targets. At lease I could see where I was shooting.
Range is cleared and I have my first targets up. Here are some of the results:
First up is the Browning Buckmark .22. Here are the first 20 shots:
Not bad but it could be a LOT better. Over the course of the day it didn't get any better with that pistol. The sights are slightly off in elevation. It was eventually put away in frustration.
Next was the S&W 617 .22. Here's the first group, shot single action:
Now I'll take that any day. The 617 is a ten shot revolver and there are ten shots on that target. Over the course of the day I became even more comfortable with this gun. The trigger in single action has zero creep and it breaks wonderfully. It is still relatively new and the double action trigger is a bit stiff. A couple thousand rounds should solve that problem.
Here's the 617 in double action:
Not too bad given the stiff double action trigger.
Now on to larger things. the HK USP Compact .40 S&W.
Here's the first 12 shot magazine of the day:
Acceptable. The next magazine is just as good:
And finally, three magazines at the central target:
I'll take that kind of shooting all day.
Overall I fired about 170 rounds of .40 S&W and 300 rounds of .22lr. And Ill consider that a fine day at the range.
I thought I was alone in my disdain for Rachael Ray. But I'm not.
At least I change the channel within seconds of seeing or hearing her. The guys at this site actually revel in her incompetence.
Well its Mad Oilman's birthday and the Mrs. sets up a fabulous birthday meal. At Mark's American Cuisine, a highly regarded restaurant which we have never visited.
Arriving 5 minutes early for our 7:00 reservation, we are quickly seated at one of the worst tables in the restaurant. A two seater backing the hallway between this room and the main room. So much for a reservation three weeks in advance. Seems that was meaningless.
Our waiter arrives and we choose a fine bottle of wine. A Seghesio Barolo, 2000. This is a special occasion.
Menus arrive. The standard menu as well as a chefs menu for the day. Our waiter then told us about the specials of the day. All seven of them (appetizers and entrées).
Listening to the specials before we have even glanced at the menus, we dove in to the treasures within. And completely forgot about the specials. Our intrepid waiter returns and we ask him to recite the litany of specials once again. He does, yet he forgets one which Mrs. Oilman immediately points out. Isn't there a duck special as well?
Our waiter quickly remembered and recited that special.
Now it is decision time. I choose the garden salad, the cask smoked Scottish Salmon with caviar, and the Kobe beef platter for my menu.
Mrs. Oilman chooses everything from the Chef's menu. Oysters to start, a pear and greens salad, and a softshell crab entrée.
First course is delivered within seconds of our waiter leaving. My salad is wonderful and expertly dressed. Mrs. Oilman receives a soup which she enjoys immensely.
Before we could say uncle our plates were cleared and the second course delivered. It is obvious they are trying to turn tables. So much for a pleasurable dining experience. They turn tables at Friday's and Chili's too.
Second course arrives. House smoked salmon for me, oysters for Mrs. Oilman.
The salmon was ridiculously good. And the caviar. My goodness. I've had caviar before and they were little salt bombs. This was a whole new world. Exquisite.
The Mrs. receives her oysters. And realizes this is the appetizer she ordered as her first course. A salad was her second course. Our waiter has screwed up our order. Our opinion of Mark's is starting to deflate a bit.
Before our second courses are completed the vultures arrive to take our plates. The traffic behind my wife is amazing. Wait staff hovering, antsy, looking for a plate to clear. The traffic is just ridiculous. The table turning antics even more so.
As soon as the second course plates are cleared, guess what? The entrées appear within thirty seconds. This is the fastest turn at a fine dining establishment I have ever been party to. They really want us to give them our money and leave. As fast as they can make it happen.
The Kobe beef platter. Three cuts. Flank steak, short ribs and sirloin. Flank steak was a joke. I ordered the platter medium rare. The flank steak was well done. A rude joke. Next it is on to the sirloin. I should not have to use a knife to cut Kobe beef. I did for this. Although well marbled, this particular cut was nothing special. The short ribs were an embarrassment. Ibiza's short ribs crush these. As do Restaurant 17's. As do my own (from the Craft cookbook). Granted there were lots of sauces on the dish. But with Kobe, meat comes first and sauce second. In this dish sauce came in second and meat came in third (there was no first place finish).
Entrées are again whisked away in record speed as the vultures hovering around my wife's table descend. Were but 75 minutes into our meal. We have a third of a bottle of wine left, and we've been through three very rushed courses.
Dessert. Mrs. Oilman asks for the special and I ask for a special on their own menu. They have a lemon cake on the menu. Sounds good. Theirs is served with a mouse, candied zest, berries, and meringue. I just want cake. Simple request, right? The waiter said no twice. At that point I told him I didn't want anything. He relented and brought out what I wanted (only because it was my birthday and he knew that). It was exactly as I expected. Damn good lemon cake without the garnish I had no need for.
So there you go. One of the best-rated restaurants in town. With a three week reservation seated us at the worst table in the restaurant. Screwed up our order. Food was brilliant at times and a joke at others. The only way they could have moved our table faster would be to have a group of waiters surround our table and stare at us as we ate. It was that bad.
As we leave I hand my ticket to the valet. He pulled the car up but did not open the door for my wife. Nor did the two other valets nearby. Bush league service.
Final Review. Huge reputation. Extremely poor execution on service, and marginal (given the prices) acceptance on food. DaMarco's is just up the street. And from my experience it crushes Mark's. Crushes it.
