White People Problems

Fuggetabouit

Chicken & Waffles Goes Mainstream

We're moving into cupcakes. Here's the recipe:
http://www.thenovicechefblog.com/2011/09/chicken-waffle-cupcakes/

The First of the Milestones

Today is Fang's birthday, the first since he's passed. I wasn't sure how difficult it would be since he personally deplored any fuss around his birthday. The biggest fight we ever had was when I threw him a surprise 40th birthday party at a chic bar in Manhattan in 2002. It went badly and we had a huge public argument about it at Penn Station after the event. At that moment, he made me swear I would never do anything like that again. Against my will and better judgement, I never did. Circumstance saw to that.

Today he would have turned 50. If he were living, I could have gotten loads of grief mileage out of the AARP applications arriving in the mail commemorating this milestone birthday. Instead, I am calling relatives and sharing memories of him, drinking a few glasses of wine and enjoying a series of outright crying jags. I'm just very sad tonight.

Of course if he were here, he would roll his eyes at all this and utter in his sardonic fashion: "Oh, please!" He hated people fussing in any regard. But he'd like knowing how much he was and is loved.

I miss my silly old bear so much.

Everybody's Talking

I recently watched a brilliant documentary about singer/songwriter Harry Nilsson called "Who is Harry Nilsson (And Why Is Everybody Talking About Him?)" I have a whole new respect for the musical genius of the man and a talent that was ultimately not fully realized. Ironically, the song most people recognize ("Everybody's Talking") was one of the few songs he recorded that he didn't actually write. And of course it's the song I post here. Check out this thoughtful documentary if you can.

Anti-Valentine's Day

Don't get me wrong--I celebrate love and happy companions born of love. But I eschew the over priced commercialism of this particular holiday and the pressure it imposes on men, in particular. I celebrate anti-Valentine's Day, apparently part of a growing movement.

As such, I harken back to a previous blog post, where I summed up my still unchanging feelings succinctly: http://time-for-chicken-n-waffles.blogspot.com/2008/02/i-hate-valentines-day.html

Hot Dog!

It should come as no surprise to you that I am a connoisseur of hot dogs and especially of hot dog joints. These emporiums of tubular meat products are usually ratty shacks with few redeeming aesthetic qualities, but the hot dog varieties are often creative and delicious. When I worked in Connecticut, I favored a boisterous red hot with sauerkraut at the famous Swanky Frank's in Norwalk. And if a lunch hour allowed, I'd venture to Fairfield to sample Super Duper Weenie's chill dog. In New York City, it was worth the extra .50 cents to have a Sabrett sausage from the corner hot dog vendors--with a little brown mustard on a steamed bun, it was a satisfying meal. I'm actively seeking a comparable joint here in New Jersey. The best hot dog I ever had was on my first date with Fang. We went to Candlestick Park with his father to see the Giants play baseball. He ordered me a Polish dog, deeply entrenched in a warm voluptuous bun with brown mustard. It was one of the best things I ever ate--perhaps the dining experience was enhanced because I was with someone who I was mad about. The game was good too.

What's your favorite hot dog joint?