The Iceland photos are up!

Photographic evidence of the glaciers, ashes, and geothermal spas are here.

I had to sift through nearly 3,000 shots so it took a while.

Sorry about that!

Bacon, Boats, and Blue Lagoon

So on Day 3 we went back to Keflavik, picked up our little Suzuki Swift, and headed off to the Blue Lagoon. Because all the guidebooks told us so.

As soon as we turned off the main highway we found ourselves on the Moon.

That's the geothermal power plant in the distance. It is in its byproduct that we would be bathing in minutes.

It was completely off the hook. Turns out, sometime the guidebooks know their shit.

We took a long time lounging around the pond. Afterwards I took full advantage of the fabulous shower and locker room facilities. Ladies, we're talking European hair conditioning products and salon-strength hair dryers!

Emerging from the baths pampered, relaxed, and equipped with soft-serve ice cream we got into our newly acquired wheels and set off for Reykjavik.

On the way, we encountered this:

And a few minutes later this:

It's a Viking ship, we're told. Personally though I thought it was a set of forks. Maybe I was just hungry.

So to celebrate our last time in civilization we had a fantastic dinner at the local Lula-equivalent and then saw a show. It kicked off at midnight (seeing as it was just getting to dusk) so we only managed to stick around for the first two bands...which was totally worth it! Those guys were fantastic. The first outfit was more than ten people strong, including multiple fiddles, a horn section, and an upright bass. Think Arcade Fire meets Beirut. But better. The second group was more of a synth pop-rock situation but also with a fiddle that sometimes got swapped for an accordion. Really wonderful stuff!

Coming up next -- a drive into the middle of nowhere, seals, and trolls.

Scooters, Hot Springs, and Tuborg

Yesterday was fun. So fun in fact that it knocked us off our geriatric feet before 10pm! Thus, we fully enjoyed the wild Reykjavik nightlife on top of our pillows. Go 30's!!

Anyway, before all the slumber we kicked off our day by checking out the Reykjavik museum of photography. As all other things here, it is adorable. Located on the top floor of the municipal building housing a library and an archives, it is basically just one room, showing one exhibit at a time. Here we lucked out because the artist himself was there giving a tour. In Icelandic. So we tagged along, nodding enthusiastically.

Afterwards we wondered over to the harbor, checked out some rusty and some fancy boats, and then rented some Vespas! Told they wouldn't go in the water, it was suggested that we take them for a ride along a seaside road. After some practice figure eights in the docks (I wiped out only once!) we set off. Here, I would like to stop and offer special praise to the wonderful folks at REI who hooked me up with a miracle jacket that somehow blocked all of the icy air and kept me nice and toasty as we zoomed past the coastline. At the end of the ride we came to an old fish-drying hut, behind which is a hidden hot spring. I would guess the water was at least 85F. We toyed with the idea of soaking our feet in it but in the end just dipped our hands and went back.

Some yummy veg snacking followed, topped off with some cheap beer (this time, Tuborg). Then we saw the requisite church, which really is fucking cool, and wondered around the little neighborhoods surrounding it. We saw hipsters, broken basketball hoops, and some excellent graffiti.

I would like to say more but we must run and hit the biggest flea market in Reykjavik before rushing off to pick up our car and taking a dip in the Blue Lagoon!

Hello, Iceland!

We landed at just a little after 7am.

Keflavik Airport is easily the most attractive and efficient hub I've ever traveled through. Upon arrival, the passengers from our flight filed into an orderly queue and patiently waited their turn at the passport control. Naturally, I will avoid lines at all cost, so we used the time to simply lounge around and snack, figuring once the wait thins out we'll go up. Before long however, a security guy showed up and headed straight for us. I braced myself but instead of berating us for not following the crowd he welcomed us to Iceland, wished us bon appetit, and suggested that if we'd like to head on upstairs the line should be very short now. Translated into CPD speak "Whachudoin' down here?! Shoo."

Sometime later, while waiting for the (super) shuttle to Reykjavik I popped into a 7-11'ish type joint and armed myself with a baked pecany something. Turns out: crack m'fing cocaine! I am hooked on these things and I don't even know what they're called. Sometime later Creech found me another one downtown Reykjavik and I inhaled it in seconds. No idea what's in it but it's the most heavenly combination of cinnamon, nuts, and flaky pastry coat with some sort of delicious filling. Yummmm.

So yeah, the Downtown Hostel is nicer than most hotels I've stayed at. We've got a private room with our own bathroom and the view of the harbor. Complete with goose down blankies and a parquet floors. Hostel, really?!

The peeps here seem really chill. Most are surprisingly our age, from all over the world. All together we're enjoying the global economic downturn in unison.

Anyway, tomorrow's agenda includes a museum of photography, the wicked-cool looking church, and the seaside fleamarket. And of course in the undying words of Andrew-fucking-Bird: "there will be snacks!"

P.S. It is now just past midnight. This is how dark it gets.

The Kindle Countdown

It. Has. Shipped!

Thank You for Being a Friend

Bea Arthur died two weeks ago, not even.  

She spent the final year of her life in the absence of one of her biggest fans.  Well, Dorothy Zbornak's fan, to be precise.  

He loved The Golden Girls and quoted Bea's character ad nauseam.

He adored Will and Grace and would go into Karen Walker mode in a blink.  He'd get her spot on too (aside from the slight Russian accent and an Adam's Apple).

A Lexus.  He drove a damn golden Lexus!  Why? Because his car needed to match his fabulous self, of course.  Yeah, that's how he talked. 

Damn it though, he was fucking fabulous!  Even if I didn't share his passion of all things glittery and in your face, I secretly admired his balls to go on like that.

There was this one time I was up in Minneapolis and we decided to go out on Saturday night.  Of course it had to be a posh homo-lounge where he was friends with the owner.  He said he'd pick me up around 9pm, which meant he'd be there 8-ish to graze in my mom's kitchen.  I knew better than to greet him in a pair of jeans and a band t-shirt, so I quickly ran off to the nearby TJMaxx and picked up the most ridiculous pair of stiletto booties and a mini skirt.  If it was any tamer I'd never hear the end of it.

So I decked myself out in the hoesque get up and after submitting myself to his critical review was approved.   Naturally, the second I tried to pull the skirt down a bit, he slapped my hand.  "Hell no, honey!  You show off those legs!!"

And so we went.  The bar was loud but you could hear him over the shiny crowd without a strain.  He was the loudest person I ever knew.  Kisses were being handed out left and right and as we passed through the crowd he'd half-whisper to me: "He's such a slut" or "What does he think he's wearing?!”

He was a catty bastard but damn, he knew how to have fun.  He got me so lit that night I have zero recollection of returning to my parent's place.

Much is true for his funeral.  It was a year ago and his true friends managed to recreate that night for me.  They got me completely wasted as they tried to one-up each other with the stories of his exploits.  At some point I remember standing on a chair all wobbly-legged as they all sang me a Happy Birthday.  This got us thrown out.    

And he would’ve loved it.

Happy May(o) Day!

So yeah, Happy May Day, everybody!  Or the International Workers' Day, if that's how you roll.  And not that it matters to anyone in the US but it should still be noted that the 1886 Haymarket Affair in Chicago lies directly at the holiday's roots.  

Anyway, a few months ago my dad got a hold of a lost batch of photos from the old country.  This here is Minsk, USSR.  May Day 1975.

My earliest memory of the holiday must be circa 1984.  I remember dad and I being sent on a seemingly impossible errand by my mom.  Our mission was to obtain a jar of mayonnaise for the festive dinner that evening.  We searched high and low, stopping in every grocery shop in our neighborhood.  A few times we openly got laughed at for asking about mayo on a holiday.  Sure, it was like looking for face value World Series tickets, but we were desperate.

And then, just as we were ready to give up and face mom's disappointment, we turned the corner and saw a long line streaming out of last the grocery on our list.  Without a word to each other we made a beeline for it.  This was Soviet Union so what was on the other end of the queue was irrelevant.  Whatever it was, we needed it.  Toilet paper, bananas, or carburetors.  The chances of it actually being mayo were pretty negligible but that didn't matter.  If were to fail our original mission, surely mom's fury would be softened with the obtainment of another high-deficit  item.

We stood in line for a good half-hour before we got to the stage where people began to casually wonder how much whatever it is we're buying may cost.  And how big is it.  Suddenly I spotted a little white jar flashing above a crowd.  What was that?  Surely it couldn't be...but wait, there it is again!  Holy crap, we couldn't believe our luck.  Of all the things in the world it actually was MAYO!  The rumor spread like wildfire and the back of the line began pushing forward.  Dad locked my hand into his with a grip of death and we became one with the mob.  

Before long we could see the counter and the iron-faced sales lady with the stacks of yellowish rubles between her fat fingers.  As she calmly announced that she was now opening the last case of mayo, dad grabbed me by the hood of my coat and whispered "Go!" propelling me forward through the crowd.  With the money in my outstretched hand I arrived at the counter to see the last little jar pass in front of my face and into the clammy hands of a desperate looking engineer.

There was no time to think.  The possibility of walking away empty handed was too horrible and I resorted to the only weapon I had left.  "Waaaaah!!!  Maaammmaaaaaa!!!"  The tears were real and it surprised me how easily they came.

And so did the mayo.

The woman reached down and pulled her reserve jar from under the counter and handed it to me.

"Happy May Day, little girl!"

(Su) Börek Accomplished!

Last night I got on a dairy cooking kick.  The ingredients of the day were butter, whole milk, and feta cheese (I doubt it was actually made of sheep's milk but worked all the same).

My first attempt at making a Turkish cheese pie was a surprising hit with not only The Creech but also girls at the office.  Though I s'pose it's a challenge to screw up a dish consisting of fried cheesy dough and melted butter.  The resulting pie was so deliciously greasy it practically slid out of the cake pan :)

 

Su Böreği or Water Borek
The amazing recipe by Binnur found at:
http://www.turkishcookbook.com/2006/11/water-borek.php

And then I just had to make some rice pudding which I've been craving all week.  Unfortunately, driven by guilt of the above mentioned grease, I decided to go the healthy brown rice route, which increased my cooking time three-fold.  Still, the result was a bowl of sweet cinnamony heaven!

Brown Rice Pudding with Golden Raisins and Cinnamon

The wonderful and super simple recipe is from elise.com:
http://www.elise.com/recipes/archives/001427rice_pudding.php

An Advert Friday

I am such an obsessive anglophile.  But hell, I really do love most things BBC.  So here's my daily fill.

T-Mobile Liverpool Advert

Thanks the forward, Jhonna!

The New PG Tips Advert

My love affair with the monkey continues.

Mumiy Troll

Mumiy Troll

January 30th, 2009 | Empty Bottle, Chicago IL

 

 

 

Possibly the Most Disturbing Graphic Ever

Yeah, dismembered kittens are disturbing.  George W. Bush doing an African dance is terrifying.  But this right here...  This will definitely send shivers down your spine.  I saw it on Rachel Maddow’s show the other day and it terrified me to the core.  So much so that I am still thinking about it days later.

Seriously?!  Really?!

Think about in the plainest of terms.  If we’re heading down the shitter this quickly, the time it will take to climb out of it (should we ever get enough grip with our dung covered hands) is reversely proportional.  We’re talking years and years and years.

Fuck me.

OK, to fair, I must also include this.  It's no less disturbing however it does provide some context for the figures.  The percentages of jobs lost (as opposed to just their numbers) compared to the five previous depressions look a bit more consistent.  Though once again, no less terrifying.  All we know is that we're still fucked.  But not in a new and original way.  Instead just like the hipsters our economy is simply recyling 1974 or 1981.

Wok Obsession

 
Actually, I've never owned a wok before.  I know.  It is indeed a mystery how I've survived without one.

So of course now I am completely hooked on it.

The Pad Thai pictured on the right didn't come out as well as its predecessor (too much tamarind this time), however the stir-fry veggies with brown rice rocked my world! And lemme tell you, the fresh cilantro thrown in at the last minute is so money!

Tuesday Night Debachery

Roaring good times were had by one and all last night at Schubas. For a snowy post-New Year's school-night the turnout was pretty impressive. Those unable to attend missed out on an evening filled with rocking pop and solid debauchery.

January 6th, 2009 | Schubas Tavern, Chicago IL


The Handcuffs


The inevitable Thax Douglas


The fine gentlemen of The Debauchers

NYE 2009

Happy New Year, all!



Rooowl!



Awww!



Work it!

Sir Cliffchik.



The Debauchers' classy rhythm section.



Awww!
(take 2)

We finally made it!

The Creech gets his first taste of Europe in Prague's Old Town Square.
Hot mulled wine. Yummmm!!!

I begin drooling and rubbing up against old buildings.
Please? Can I live here?

The Delicious M83

A few weeks ago I had to return to Minneapolis for my grandpa's funeral. It was cold and sad. Especially since this was my first time back after the last burial.

There was however one highlight. Ed and I got to see M83 play the Triple Rock Social Club on Saturday night!

Wow.

These guys really blew me away. I'd heard their records before but never had a chance to see them live. I think it was the perfect combination of a really great space that got filled to the brim with their permeating sound.

You couldn't help but jive and sway to their tunes. Especially the Graveyard Girl -- they just jumped right into it and for a few minutes there I forgot where exactly I was. And why.

When Pandas Attack

The following is by far my favorite news article of the week. It teaches us several valuable lessons about the dangers of unrestrained desires. And in addition it confirms once again that human stupidity is truly international.

Retrieved from CNN on 11/22/2008.

---

Panda bites student seeking a hug

BEIJING (AP) -- A college student in southern China was bitten by a panda after he broke into the bear's enclosure hoping to get a hug, state media and a park employee said Saturday. Don't be deceived. Pandas might look cute but they're not to be trifled with.

The student was visiting Qixing Park with classmates on Friday when he jumped the 6.5-foot (2-meter) high fence around the panda's habitat, said the park employee, who refused to give his name.

The park in Guilin, a popular tourist town in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, houses a small zoo and a panda exhibit. It was virtually deserted when the student scaled the fence surrounding the panda, named Yang Yang, the employee said.

He said the student was bitten on the arms and legs. Two foreign visitors who saw the attack ran to get help from workers at a nearby refreshment stand, who notified park officials, the employee said.

The student was pale as he was taken away by medics but appeared clear-headed, he said.

"Yang Yang was so cute and I just wanted to cuddle him. I didn't expect he would attack," the 20-year-old student, surnamed Liu, said in a local hospital, according to the official Xinhua News Agency.

Liu underwent surgery Friday evening and was out of danger, but will remain in the hospital for several days, Xinhua said.

Yang Yang, who was flown to Guilin last year from Sichuan province, was behaving normally on Saturday and did not seem to suffer any negative psychological effects, the park employee said.

He said it was not clear whether the facility would add more signs around the enclosure or put more fences up.

"We cannot make it like a prison. We already have signs up warning people not to climb in," he said. "There are no fences along roads but people know not to cross if there are cars. This is basic knowledge."

Pandas, which generally have a public image as cute, gentle creatures, are nonetheless wild animals that can be violent when provoked or startled.

Last year, a panda at the Beijing Zoo attacked a teenager, ripping chunks out of his legs, when he jumped a barrier while the bear was being fed.

The same panda was in the news in 2006 when he bit a drunk tourist who broke into his enclosure and tried to hug him while he was asleep. The tourist retaliated by biting the bear in the back.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/11/22/panda.bites.man.china.ap/index.html

Rosebuds + Megafun

Megafun
The Bottom Lounge | Chicago, IL
11/13/08

I must say, my new and sexy friend Alice dubbed these guys most aptly: "The Lumberjack Experiment." At one point on stage there were multiple cowbells in addition to a theremin. We found out later that one of the gentlemen happens to give incredible hugs.


And then came The Rosebuds!



The Rosebuds
The Bottom Lounge | Chicago, IL
11/13/08

There are very few bands that can still get my geriatric ass off the couch on a school night. Damn near midnight, at that. These guys however are different. There's something about their hard-driving pop full of hooks and spooky images that maks me crave them something crazy. Kind of like Chipotle. Except good for you. And not owned by McDonald's.

They played an awesome set covering many of the new songs off their la Life Like. And at the very end they unplugged, climbed down off the stage. and hung out with crowd singing a few more. Seriously, it felt like we were all just chilling at someone's house.

Naturally, as soon as it was over, I ran off and hid.

Yes I Did!

Chicago's 17th Precinct of Ward 25 reporting. At 6:15am the wait was approximately one hour with no visible problems aside from pen and donut shortages. I was briefly harrased by the Republican judge for taking a picture of my own ballot but all ended well.

Halloween 2008

Halloween 2008 | Day 1

Isadora Duncan was a 1920's modern dancer and flapped about the stage wrapped in scarves. She loved scarves. She also loved cars. Not a safe combo, as it turns out...

Halloween 2008 | Day 2

Koschei the Deathless and Baba Yaga reigned supreme at the AV-aerie on Saturday night.



However it was the Invisible Man who took home "The Scariest Costume" ribbon.