Chicken Pot... Tart?

Yup! Tonight's meal was a delicious chicken pot pie in a tart! Thanks to my gram I have a wonderful set of tart pans and have started a baking spree. My first attempt was some apple tarts. They came out alright but since my cupboards were empty so it was more of a 'What can I come up with?' They turned out alright but I wouldn't turn my friends and family on them.

The pot pies however - awesome! Again it was some classic take a recipe and make it my own cooking. It's much harder to fit the dough into a tart pan and then make an artistic top but I think mine came out sufficient.

For those of you at my work ill make some more sweet ones soon that you can try for everyone else ill try to make something when I come see you.

Auf wiedersehen!

Sampling site 2

Site number 2 out at Turner Cut. They have me on the bow pulling up bottle samples of water. We take six bottles back with us an filter them for the suspended solids which in some places takes hours!

I'm on a boat!

Ok so it's been a while but this seemed interesting enough. I'm out with Mike and Ashley from work on a sampling trip on the Delta. We go out and collect water samples to test for microbes and toxins in the San Joaquin and it's estuaries as part of one of our projects. I'll post more throughout the day so you can learn more!!

Fort Ord Hike: A Return to my birthplace

Ok so kinda I was born at the old military hospital that was there but has long since been abandoned and I believe was classified as a hazard clean-up. I know... Explains a lot about me right?

Well other than turning me a wierdo the area was nice. I'm not sure what the tree type was but there was a lot of the trees that you would expect to see in the swamps and marshes of the south. Lots of moss hanging from the trees making pretty colors.

We just hiked the main access trail but saw a lot of off shoots that would be fun to explore.

Welcome back to my posts hopefully I'll be more active on here again!

Being Classy with a Gin & Tonic

Yet another post!  Things have been happening and they need posts.

So, on to spirits and libations and music only fitting to comfort a drunkard.  Right now our pal George Thorogood is singing the woes of unemployment and one Bourbon, one Scotch, one Beer.  A couple of weeks ago Groupon had a great offer - 9 whiskey stones for $9!  Typically they run $20 at the stores so naturally I bought them.  So far I've been pleasantly delight with them, no watering down of my Tanqueray Rangpur and Tonic.  The stones (from Sparq) leave no taste in the drink, nor grit or other unpleasantries.

SOPAPIPAS... tasty AND menacing

I should have run this yesterday but as always my brain wasn't on the ball.  Yesterday was the Internet wide strike against the two bills in Congress, Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and Protect-IP Act (PIPA).  These bills looks to put a police force on the internet that will allow the government, and more important big MEDIA companies to decide what can or cannot be put on the internet and whether or not YOU as a free American can reach that content.  These bills were put together in haste by members of Congress with the RIAA and MPAA whispering into their ears and not a knowledgeable tech person in sight.  The bill originally included wording that could break the internet and undo any possibility of security.

While the primary purpose of the two acts is to protect content rightsholders and to stop piracy the bill had a very wrong approach and would do nothing to stop the transfer of pirated material to and from US based citizens.  Here is a link to a great video explaining SOPA and PIPA.

If this all news to you then please visit SOPA STRIKE or Fight for the Future and join the fight against these bills until a stronger, safer, SMARTER bill can be drafted.  One such bill, the OPEN Act, is already being drafted and is looking for YOUR support before going before the Senate.  A Representative of California and Senator from Oregon have their heads down from the clouds and realize how Congress should work.  You can visit KeepTheWebOpen.com to see their proposal and how it compares with SOPA and PIPA.  Take the time to make the right choice!

A visit to the Aquarium

This past weekend Brianna and I visited the Monterey Bay Aquarium with her best friend, Destiny, and troupe of kids.  We had a lot of fun playing at the beach and wondering through all of the aquarium exhibits.  As many times as I go there it never gets old seeing all of the animals swimming and crawling around.  Here's a few pictures...

The kids just want to go and play!

Happy New Year everyone!  I hope you all had a wonderful  Christmas and New Year wherever you were, I know I certainly did.  

This year my family and I strayed off our typical path for Christmas.  Typically we run off to ski in the Alps for a week but with my grandma with us and my freshly amputated vacation life (granted it is because I have a job now) we decided to have Christmas at home followed by a trip up to Edinburgh, Scotland!  I know, I know your hearts are all breaking for me right now. (Right? lol)  So here is a brief recount of Christmas and more pictures of Scotland!

Merry Christmas everyone!