This machine increases our efficiency and speed by over 1,000 fold.
Critical New Machine in the House
March 2, 2026
cooking, humor, who knows breville, coffee, espresso Leave a comment
Frozen Shenandoah
February 14, 2026
who knows home, ice, shenandoah, shenandoah river, snow, thaw Leave a comment
After about three weeks of conditions too slippery and dangerous for a walk by the river, the Shenandoah finally started to thaw.
Making Chilli
February 14, 2026
who knows chilli, cooking, dogs, eli, iulie, maybelline, moonshine, the ulluh Leave a comment
Eli style. Iulie implemementation.
R2 LA: Osteria Vera
February 7, 2026
food, travel, who knows beverly hills, corpse reviver #2, donnie, escuela, LA, lucky tiki, osteria vera, r2, tail o the pup, the roodftop, wine 2 Comments
I had not been to a R2 in LA for a while. 2025 was that kind of year. But things are settling back to normal after a marriage, a death, a birth, a trip to france, and a huge talk in Brazil. 2026 is off to a fabulous start.
We wined and dined at Osteria Vera coordinated by Jay (always a consummate host).
The food was outstanding.
As was the company.
—-
After lunch (which was by no means rushed), Donnie and David and I busted loose in LA (starting right across the street at Baltaire for a Corpse Reviver #2.
Then it was off to the Rooftop in Beverly Hills to watch the sun go down. It did. Spectacularly,
.
Relax? Who us?
Little tiny Hollywood.
Finally we hit Tail of the Pup for a secret tiki or two.
And then it was off to school for family dinner. Escuela was loud enough to be a middle school even without all of the Rivers’.
Just damn fun. We resolved to bring along the wives next go round (if they wanna come).
Sidekick Gets a Sidekick
January 17, 2026
who knows crazy train, don't stop believing, fiddle, gem, germany, markus, markus schumacher, metal in germany, nothing else matters, romey, sidekick, violin 1 Comment
Fear of the Dark (Iron Maiden)
Every good metal band needs a fiddle to keep it real. Right?
One of the most fun things this Christmas was sitting in with Sidekick. Tuned down 1/2 step?! Whatever, man. We’ll begin with coverage of the three violin songs which were, in actuality, widely dispersed in the sets.
First there’s Ozzy’s Crazy Train…
.
.
Then there is Don’t Stop Believing by Journey. 8th grade rides again!
.
But honestly, the coup de grace was Nothing Else Matters by Metallica.
.
.
.
I mean, damn that was fun.
—
Lets get chronological.
Romey throws the horns.
Sidekick takes the stage
Oh hell yeah!
Higher by Creed
.
Breaking the Law
.
.
A little AC/DC perhaps?
You Shook me All Night Long
.
.
Paradise City by Guns N Roses.
.
.
One of my personal faves, Killing in the Name Of by Rage
.
In the End by Linkin Park
.
Some ceiling work…
.
—
The opener featured some 16 year olds kicking it.
Nirvana
One hell of a great time.
