I couldn’t take it anymore!
The world is filled with just too many dumb-ass ideas.
I joined the Skeptics Society today.
Please, people… start reading, and start thinking.
Technorati Tags: Science
Author: Eugene Glover
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Skeptics Unite!
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Olive Garden
One of my fundamental theories of pizza is that you should never eat pizza at a restaurant that doesn’t specialize in pizza.
If their pizza isn’t good enough to be their headliner and major breadwinner, it can’t be that good, right?
I enjoy eating at Olive Garden, but because of the aforementioned policy, I’ve never tried their pizza, although I’ve seen them served at other tables and they look pretty good.
Today, I broke with policy and gave it a try.
They serve one size pizza and the price doesn’t change for 1 to 4 toppings, so I went with sausage and pepperoni.
As with virtually everything at the Olive Garden, my dinner included salad and breadsticks before the pizza arrived.
I ate too much salad and too many breadsticks.
Then the pizza arrived and I have to tell you, it isn’t good. Sauce, cheese, toppings all were uninspiring, but worst of all was the crust. Cooked? Yes, but that’s the only thing I could say for it. Soft and bready, it just couldn’t be considered a pizza crust.
In fact, when I reached the outer edge I knew why: It’s a breadstick made into a crust.
You can’t just re-purpose any old dough and expect to make a pizza.
Pizza dimensions were not given on the menu, but by the scientific napkin measure this was a 10″ pizza.
Cost: $9.95, Cost per square inch $0.13 (0.127)
Conclusion: Don’t go for the pizza.
Technorati Tags: Food, Pizza, Restaurant, Review
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AZ Aloha Festival
Just happened to pick up a newspaper Friday and discovered there was an Hawaiian (and Pacific Islander) festival in Phoenix called the AZ Aloha Festival this weekend.
We took the kids (or should I say, “keiki”?) down to see what it was like. I really was surprised to see how much larger it was than either the Japanese or Chinese festivals.
Not only did they encompass all of Heritage Square, but they’d spilled well over into the ASU downtown center. The crowds when it first opened were quite a bit more massive than the other festivals, although things seemed to be thinning out rather quickly in the afternoon.
Had some pretty good vilovilo chicken and discovered the name of a Japanese place in Mesa (The Nagasaki Grill) that sells curry katsu – I’ll have to get down there and review them soon.
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Reach Them While They’re Young
We stopped to buy groceries in Sprouts yesterday.
Spouts is a little too loony for doing our general shopping, but it’s got some things you just can’t find elsewhere, and sometimes they have some great bargains on meats.
While I was waiting to for the reset of the family to take a group bathroom break, I had the chance to peruse the breakfast cereal aisle and found something totally unexpected.
I thought the whole area would be populated with flavorless, sugarless, oatmeal and whole grain derivatives.
While I did find those, I also found the EnviroKidz line of breakfast cereals, “Amazon Frosted Flakes”, “Cheetah Chomps”, “Gorilla Munch”, “Koala Crisp”, “Orangutan-O’s” and “Peanut Butter Panda Puffs.”
It’s a line of kids cereals where you can choose gluten free, whole grain, vegetarian, trans fat free breakfasts sweetened with “evaporated cane juice.”
Each box has a cute endangered animal motif to keeps the kids going “Awwww” and if that isn’t enough to get a green-hearted parent to buy these cereals, they donate 1% of their sales to endangered species, habitat conservation and education.
I suppose there’s nothing wrong with that, but somehow it makes me feel all cynical.
Technorati Tags: Family, Food, Kids, Commentary
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Stanley’s Homemade Polish Sausage
Many times in the past when I’ve been down at Photomark at lunchtime, I’ve noticed a little place across the street called “Stanley’s” which, although the name just mentions Polish Sausage, the window signs indicate a variety of sandwiches for lunch.
The timing has always been bad, and their parking lot is miniscule (and full). The one chance I had when there was available parking turned out to be a Monday and they’re closed on Mondays.
Finally I got there for lunch and was completely surprised by what I found. it’s actually more of a small Eastern European grocery with a well-stocked deli counter, with homemade smoked meats and sausages hanging from the ceiling.
I had the polish sausage and it was good. It was served with only mustard and on a sub roll. It was too large for the roll and had to be cut into two segments to fit.
My only reservation on it was that it was boiled or steamed and I tend to like Polish Sausage grilled instead.
My coworker had the submarine sandwich and it looked great, I will certainly try that next time, as well as do some shopping for deli meats and cheeses.
They’re open Tuesday – Saturday
Stanley’s Homemade Polish Sausage
2201 E McDowell Rd
Phoenix, AZ
Technorati Tags: Food, Restaurant, Review
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More Things That Go Bump In The Night
That last entry needs a bit more clarification.
Within 1 minute after the tiny San Clemente earthquake, I happened to be in the bathroom when the shampoo bottle mysteriously fell from a solid perch on the shelf, although I didn’t know that’s what it was at the time because the shower door was closed.
I thought Michelle had done something outside the bathroom, but when I exited, she hadn’t been there.
About 2 minutes later, I heard yet another solid bump. This time I was in the living room and the best I could tell it was from the bedroom area.
Bother Michelle and Irene were in my sight the moment it happened, and neither caused it. James was in his crib, presumably asleep, although, he’d been really kicking up a fuss.
It was that second thump, which I couldn’t track down, that lead me to check the USGS to see of there had been any earthquakes in the area.
Just seconds after I posted that last entry, Irene came running into my room.
“I went into James’ room and he is missing from his crib!” she said in a panic.
Presumably she phrased it that way to give me a good scare because when I asked if he’d climbed out of the crib she said, “Yes. He’s asleep on the floor”
I’m guessing that must have been the second thump I heard.
Not an auspicious way for him to spend his birthday, because before we found out, the clock ticked over to March 12th, 2006 – his first birthday.
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Earthquake?
A few minutes ago, things started to fall off the shelves in our shower. There was nothing near and nothing bumping things as best I could tell. (As it happens I was only a few feet away from the shower.)
I quickly checked the USGS website and discovered that, within a minute of the things falling off the wall there was this earthquake just off San Clemente Island.
Initial estimate puts it at a 3.1 earthquake, which is nothing, and over 360 miles away.
I my memory serves me right, earthquake waves travel somewhere between 2.5 and 5 miles per second, which would have put the wave here within 2 minutes.
I find it hard to believe it was the shock of such a tiny earthquake so far away, but the alternative is ghosts…
Technorati Tags: Blog
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Venezia’s Pizzeria (Rainy Day Edition)
Nothing beats pizza for good old fashioned rainy day food. When Phoenix broke its dry spell, the skies really opened up, and we found ourselves driving in a torrential rain on the wrong side of town. We took the opportunity to stop a Venezia’s Pizza, which I semi-reviewed previously. This time I was here to do the job right.
I’ve purposely not re-read my earlier partial review, so as to not bias this review, but I also might be covering somethings I’ve mentioned before.
Venezia’s is a family restaurant transplanted from their original location in New Mexico, now being run by the second generation of the family.
They have three locations in Tempe, Chandler and East Mesa. We ate at the Chandler location.
This was a good pizza.
I particularly liked the sauce, which is a bit more tart than most pizza sauces and has an unusual flavor to it. I spent most of my time trying to identify the flavor. Although I cannot be sure, if I had to guess, I’d say the flavor was green pepper.
While I’m not a fan of green pepper as a topping, as a seasoning, it adds a nice, fresh green flavor that is very similar to the unique flavor of their sauce.
Since the sauce was a touch on the tart side (my wife likened it to green tea, which is why she doesn’t write pizza reviews) it compensated nicely for the slightly smoky flavor of the pepperoni.
The cheese was a solid entry. Good quality but playing second-fiddle to the sauce.
The crust was interesting. We were shocked at how fast they brought our pizza to the table. We didn’t time it, but it was well under 10 minutes.
Despite that, the outer edge was well done – it fact, it was almost too done. It was well-flavored, but beginning to dry up.
Meanwhile the center was softer that I usually associate with even the floppiest of New York style large pizzas.
I’m not sure what cooking technique was used – I wish I’d watched them prepare it – but it was an unusual combination of over and under done on the same crust.
All around, I’d still rate it a good, solid pizza with a distinct taste.
Another point in their favor, they tried to talk me our of buying a whole pizza. Their individual slices are enormous, being made from a 24″ pie and they do offer a much better cost per square inch than the 12″ whole pizza.
(12″ pizza = 113 sq.”, 1 slice= 56.5 sq.”, so 2 slices is the same as a 12″ pizza. 12″ pizza =$8.75, 2 slices = $4.70: all prices pepperoni)
Of course, I couldn’t tell them I was reviewing the pizza and that I have to review a whole pizza, so I couldn’t be dissuaded. When I went ahead and ordered the whole pizza, they knocked a dollar off the price of the pizza.
Pricing:
12″ Pepperoni = $8.75 or $0.08 (0.077)Venezia’s New York Style Pizzeria
1080 E Pecos Road Ste 23
Chandler, AZConclusion; Recommended
Technorati Tags: Blog, Food, Pizza, Restaurant, Review
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Rain At Last!
It hasn’t rained in Phoenix since October 18th. It’s been the longest dry streak ever.
143 days without rain, but this morning I awoke to the most glorious sound. Water dripping outside my bedroom window. (Or, if it had turned out to be not raining, a most distressing sound.)
I decided I’d better sneak out and get a picture before it stopped.
We were in Taiwan on October 18th, so I don’t know how long its been since I saw rain here in Phoenix.
It sure is nice to see the rain today… and, they had to cancel the Taiwanese moms picnic today!
Additional note, 4/2/2006My mistake, it wasn’t the longest ever. I don’t know what all the weathermen were all worked up about.
Technorati Tags: Blog
