Redux: Gently fold WET2 into WET1 and add to DRY0

As I mentioned a few weeks back, I tweaked my pancake recipe for (my) apparently-evolving tastes; the short version is that it includes more liquid, which really lightens and fluffifies these (nominally breakfast, but really - for anytime) treats.

Check it:

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DRY0 ingredients:
1c whole wheat flour
2T Spiru-tein Vanilla protein powder
1/2t grated orange or lemon peel
2t ground cinnamon
1/2t allspice
1/4t nutmeg
1/2t salt
1/4t baking soda
1 1/4t baking powder
optional: 2T brown sugar or other "dry" sweetener

WET1 ingredients:
1/2c plain lowfat yogurt
2c vanilla soymilk
1T olive oil
2 eggs

WET2 ingredients:
optional: 1 1/2c fresh blackberries
optional: (any manner of fruit/nuts/etc.)
optional: 2T honey or other "wet" sweetener

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1. Mix together the DRY0 ingredients in a medium-to-large-sized bowl. (This is the bowl that the full batter will end up in.)

2. Whisk the WET1 ingredients vigorously in another bowl and gently fold in those from WET2 (if using).

3. Add the contents of the WET bowl to DRY0 and, again, fold everything together GENTLY; do not overmix (it's better to have a few lumps than to overmix - if you do overmix, you'll end up with dense pancakes). Also note that depending on the juiciness of your berries or whatever in WET2, you may need adjust the amount of soymilk in the batter to get a nice, pourable consistency.

4. Butter up a medium-hot cast iron skillet or stovetop griddle and cook up some deliciousness. Note that I'd err on the side of using lower heat and cooking the pancakes a little longer (versus high heat, which carries the potential of the outside of the pancakes being done before the inside solidifies up). Look for bubbles forming on the top of your pancakes and the edges firming a little before flipping; if you haven't made too many pancakes before - or at least not with this batter - it might take you a few tries to get a feel for when to flip.. it's all part of the "jungle knowledge" of cooking. ;)

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This recipe will make 8-10, slim, 7 inch pancakes.. which sounds like quite a party, for brunch or beyond. Top them with maple syrup, crème fraîche, yogurt, more of the optional WET2 ingredients (ex. blackberries), or some combo of these and enjoy (duh).

By the way, adding sweetener into DRY0 or WET2 is really a matter of taste, and may be a function of how sugared your other ingredients are. For example, you may be using unsweetened soy milk, or your berries might be a little more tart than you may like; in these cases, a little added sugar (or equivalent, maybe some honey or maple syrup?) may be in order.

Enjoy!

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ps. Find my original recipe here, if you like a thicker and more hardy pancake (but that would make you a ruffian).

I'm a thirsty boy, you know?

You ever looking for a smooth-as-silk (and hot) kick-in-the-pants? Well, I can help you out (more than ever before) because, as of this past weekend, I've upgraded the coffee-making possibilities at my apartment. And my stable of caffeine-deprived Rodys have never been happier (or more polka-dotted, or delightfully puffy).

You see, a friend just returned from some fun in Milan and was kind enough - so kind; she's awesome! - to bring back a totally sweet stainless steel moka pot for me. It's straight-up Italian shizz, so shiny and in a shape so-lovely. Word.

And while I've used a couple of these gurgling devices over the past year or two at friends' places, this is *my* first - I hear you always remember your first - and I'm looking forward to giving it a go soon; this weekend.. at the latest, I swear. Yes, in fact, the gift included some fine coffee - the funkystuff is ORO, yo - so I'm good to go (and go and go). Still, I'd like to get my own coffee grinder in the not-too-distant future because the local beans here in the Bay Area are tops - or so that's the word on the street. ;)

Speaking of tasty drinks, I ordered up - and promptly downed - one of the best cocktails I've had in a long time this past Saturday, courtesy of Huckleberry Bar in Brooklyn. It was called a "Francois Hannibal d'Estrees" and was made with all manner of herbal infusions (alcohol-based, natch): Boodles Gin, Carpano Antica Formula, Yellow Chartreuse, and Lillet (Blanc?).

Yeah, it's quite an ingredient list, but somehow everything came together, and it was a good way to start the, um, inebriated part of the evening - at 11:30pm or so (hey, I only rolled into town at like 9:30pm and we were going until the latelate).

One (mean) drink, and dancing soon followed; I mean, disco-y beats were being played for Chrissake!.. real disco, even (and without a hint of irony)! What you gonna do in a situation like that? Oh, and if you don't immediately see the space for dancing, you can make space; Huckleberry Bar seems good like that.

By the way, the Francois Hannibal d'Estrees is just the tip of the iceberg with respect to the tasty cocktail selection at this place.. they've got an incredibly well-stocked bar, with madselect whiskeys and tequilas and more. In addition, the food menu looks pretty awesome; I'd go back just to try a few things off that, actually.. but, still, I'm not gonna say no to *something* to drink with the meal if I do end up back there again. I'm a thirsty boy, you know?

Get creative, counter-intuitively

I'm in Boston - well, closer to Worcester, actually - this week for some work-related training and, in referring to some new technology (UEFI) being better then some old technology (BIOS), one of the instructors said:

"You could never innovate (with the old technology) because you didn’t know what the bounds of compatibility were."

Specifically, he was referring to the fact that the old technology did not have very many industry-wide rules about how an engineer was actually supposed to build the system - a system that needed to interact with many others. And this meant that most designers were afraid to go outside the bounds of legacy implementations because they did not want to be incompatible with everyone else's.

I mean, you'd think that such an open system would be filled with all sorts of creative whimsy, but that certainly did not pan out here; inertia took over and basically the same computer code was being used over and over (and over - decadesworth). Pretty counter-intuitive, huh? That's not to say the opposite - total micromanagement - leads to good design or seamless collaboration (quite the opposite.. another discussion altogether), but, still, one could better say that a proper framework and set of agreements up front might be a better approach to "free your team's thinking".

And that is exactly what Stanford professor and Aspen Institute consultant, Chip and Dan Heath, respectively, argue in their book "Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die". While I, *ahem*, haven't read the book, they did write about this particular topic in a Fast Company article a few months ago:

Get Back In The Box
By Dan Heath and Chip Heath
Published December 2007

The authors mention a few specific instances of when and where a "well-constructed box can help people generate new ideas", but I liked this one the best:

"Improv actors are taught to be specific," (Keith Sawyer, author of the insightful book 'Group Genius') says. "Rather than say, 'Look out, it's a gun!' you should say, 'Look out, it's the new ZX-23 laser kill device!' Instead of asking, 'What’s your problem?' say, 'Don’t tell me you're still pissed off about that time I dropped your necklace in the toilet.'" The paradox is that while specificity narrows the number of paths that the improv could take, it makes it easier for the other actors to come up with the next riff."

It seems most minds work best when there are agreed-upon reference points to jump off of. Interesting observation, for sure. And so next time you're having trouble being creative - and this is a process that may happen subconsciously for some - try being more specific in your questions. For example, instead of asking, "How can we improve our business in 2008?", try, "How can improve the customer experience?; how can we provide everything the customer would need to be successful before they have to ask for it (and therefore improve our business in 2008)". There are certainly other ways to ask those more specific questions, but I think you get the idea (or at least you will after reading the article).

The approach seems to be all about demystifying complex systems and asking people to make smaller mental leaps towards solutions. In any case, it may not be the right course of action *every* time, it's nice to have these new options in your mental toolbox.

On a related note, the NYTimes published an article last month on some of the, again, counter-intuitive, reasoning that goes into making decisions; some research concluded that "people are willing to pay a price to avoid the emotion of loss". So, people try to keep as many options open as possible - where removing options from the table seems like a "loss" - even if the very act of keeping all the (sometimes conflicting) options open means a decline in the overall quality of life or work, or both. Read on:

The Advantages of Closing a Few Doors
By John Tierney
Published: February 26, 2008

Both articles are worthwhile reads, maybe for debate over this Easter weekend?

Let me sweat all over your Beetroots

It had been a little while, but I got totally sweaty - (ahem) on the dancefloor, yo - tonight. And I like that sort of thing. Word is totally up!

You see, I made good on going to the first stop on my "aurally respectable" concert schedule and hit up Popscene (for the first time in years) to see The Bloody Beetroots throw down some ravey bangers. I was psyched that a friend took a chance on my music-blog-fueled taste - maybe she could see the stars in my eyes - when I said that "we should definitely see these guys".

And we did; we rocked it for a few hours, pumping-arms-in-the-air and all (when the time was well and good, and totally appropriate-for-the-moment, because that's how we do things). I mean, jeez, Big Stereo compared these guys to heavy hitters like MSTRKRFT and Steve Aoki, so how could you *not* bring that sort of party.

Somewhere in there I was also taught some new dance moves that I may-or-may-not have to do in the future.. but it's nice to know I'm prepared. Tinydance, anyone?

Whew. But yeah, 330 Ritch - the venue where they hold the long-running, so-fresh-music-bringing, 18+ allowing (drink *before* you come, ladies/gents!), Thursday night danceoff that is Popscene - was massively redone from last time I was there; they've opened up the side room a bit more, and added a second bar over that way. Still a great space, but that new stuff needs a little more "living in" to fit in with the rest of the place.

In any case, you're there for the music (or maybe you're there for the scene), and when it gets going and the bodies fill up the dancefloor, you're basically focused on one thing.. well, two things, if you find yourself mesmerized by the weird old videos they constantly play on the side wall.. ok, ok, maybe three things if you're also there to makeout with somebody. Wait, what was I saying? Oh yeah, you're there to dance. And, really, you're not going to let a little sweat stop you. Are you? haha.

All hail The Bloody Beetroots. They're not for everybody, but they should be.

The Ocelot is mostly nocturnal and very territorial

Oh wowy, I've been reading a ton of 'dem music blogs lately (check the "Aural Delites" links for a few of my favorites), catching up on the latest names and beats and all of that; I've been downloading a bunch of great stuff, new and old.. so you may see a new mixtape or two in the not-too-distant future.

In the meantime, check these notable folks:

1. Ocelot - "All the fun of trance, without all that trance"
2. Herr Styler - Fun, dancey mixes, but *almost* a bit too euro
3. Dmitry Fyodorov - Dark breakbeat/house bangers from Russia
4. Alan Braxe - French-housey remixer with great pop sensibilities

BONUS: Everyone's favorite Norwegian, Erlend Øye, is releasing a new single - Golden Cage - from his Whitest Boy Alive project on the 17th. The original version is nice, but the Fred Falke Remix will get you movin'! Sonic wonderment!

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On a related note, I've got a few concerts on my radar; early Spring in San Francisco seems to be bursting with sensory possibility. In fact, I've already got tickets for most of these shows.. I mean, how we gonna talk about *listening* to music without also talkin' 'bout *experiencing* some music? Has your calendar ever been so, um, aurally respectable?:

Mar 13th: The Bloody Beetroots @ Popscene
Mar 15th: Boys Noize @ Fat City
Mar 18th: The Black Ghosts @ Mezzanine
Mar 27th: Justice @ The Concourse
Apr 17th: Ghostland Observatory @ Mezzanine
Apr 26th: Simian Mobile Disco and Cut Copy @ Mezzanine

Wanna go?

Looking to get Gunky next weekend

I've been going out of town a lot the past couple of weeks - for both work and holiday. All good stuff. And I'll be continuing the habit this coming week on a work trip to Boston.

Afterwards, the plan is to drive down to NYC for the weekend, meet a friend of mine, and do some climbing just north of the city at The Gunks; I have been wanting to get more outdoor climbing under my belt and the opportunity seems perfect (if the weather is good enough, that is).

We discussed the logistics for this adventure (and will probably come down to some last minute decisions) and I suggested that we camp near The Gunks Friday night, climb all day on Saturday, then drive back into NYC Saturday night; I'll fly back to SF Sunday afternoon. Sounds good, but - man-o-man - I'll have to bring a tent, sleeping bags, headlamps, etc. - the whole 9 yards of gear, so to speak - just for ONE night of early (early!) spring camping on the East Coast (plus mine and my friend's climbing gear). Still, even though it seems a little silly, I said: "what the hell"; I'm willing to haul that garbage out from San Francisco and do it up in comfortable(ish) outdoor style.

But my friend reminds me - did I mention this is a guy I met at BOSS last May? - that "wtf [sic] do we camping gear for? didn't [sic] we drop a crap load of money last year to learn how to handle ourselves w/o such pansy creature comforts?" True 'dat.

But he also goes on to say, "sleeping bags are nice".

And I couldn't agree more. haha. That is, it's nice to know that I can - physically and mentally - handle myself in a survival situation with minimal gear (think: no sleeping bag, no tent, no backpack, no food), but I will be the first one to tell you that I still prefer the option of using straightforward, good-quality, modern gear, given the choice. No doubt. (And, like, duh.)

Mind you, *my* version of camping - 0 degree down bag et. al. - is still another person's worst nightmare of sleeping on the ground, eating minimally, and hiking mad distances, but, shoot, I wouldn't have it any other way. I mean, the rest of the time I'm in my most preferred environment - well-stocked fridge and hot shower close at hand - so I'm willing to rough it every once in a while. ;)

In any case, I might get a chance to do some outdoor climbing *this* weekend, much closer to home at Mount St. Helena, but here, too, we're still at the mercy of the weather, chance of rain in the forecast and all. She's the boss! And if it's a no-go, there *is* always the gym (at least until the big one hits and our indoors become our outdoors).

Keeping the tradition of mutual trust, and head-splitting

Unless you specifically pay attention to this sort of thing, I think the presidential election in Russia this past Monday (or Sunday, here in the US) flew under much of the international radar. As expected, Дмитри Медведев (Dmitry Medvedev) - hand-chosen by Владимир Путин (Vladimir Putin) - won easily, with 70% of the vote.

The news comes with mixed reviews at home (Russia) and abroad (mostly US and Western Europe). In fact, The Economist - in this past week's issue - questioned the real impact of Vladimir Putin's iron-fisted policies.. which are slated to continue under Menvedev. The short version is that Putin came to power at just the right time for an economic boom, given three factors: "a revival of private initiative, oil prices that have risen fourfold during his presidency and macroeconomic stability." And so, his crippling of the democratic process and human rights abuses - both in the name of "stability" and "nationalism" - have little to do the country's current success. Read on:

Smoke and mirrors
From The Economist print edition
February 28th, 2008

That said, I can only imagine that the average Russian will be happy with the consistency of power (and therefore still able to ignore the ugly underside of political business). The NYTimes puts it nicely:

"Most Russians do not love Mr. Putin per se, but they love Mr. Putin’s Russia. They love being middle class. They love planning for the future. It is no comfort to the politically persecuted, but average wages in Russia are leaping 10 percent a year, in real terms."

(full article here)

And you know what, that just makes sense. I think it's hard sometimes to understand that day-to-day issues - putting food on the table and making mortgage payments - are common concerns for everyone around the world; it's easy to be an outsider and criticize another society's whole system of governance (especially when you don't plan on improving the situation yourself, and there are no unpleasant consequences for offering your unsolicited opinion). It's the same story for other folks talking about the US and its problems, without acknowledging its successes. I'm just saying that we all got some things we do right and some things we do wrong in our respective societies; and there's always room for improvement.

That will be an especially important lesson for Russia's next president (and our own, for that matter) to keep in mind during the next couple of years. Those who question the government in public and practice civil dissent seem to be in the minority right now, given the aforementioned awesome increases in the average person's personal wealth (not to mention the chances for harsh penalties). But if oil prices flatten out and the economic engine at home loses a little steam, there will be more and more people who will join the internal/external cries for better individual rights, checks on government, and so forth.

Regardless, it seems to be exciting times for the country, and George Bush and I wish Medvedev the best.

Get your art on, for free

Get your art on; many big art museums here in San Francisco sponsor free admission on the first Tuesday of each month. Today is such a day, as March is upon us!

What you think of one of these?:

- Asian Art Museum (map)

- Cartoon Art Museum (map)

- de Young Museum (map)

- Legion of Honor (map)

- Museum of Craft and Folk Art (map)

- San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (map)

- Yerba Buena Center Galleries (map)

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Bonus; the flowers be free too:

- Conservatory of Flowers (map)

Why don't you smell them?

Find yourself some Entertainment

It's been a pretty hectic day, huh? That's ok; your respite from reality has arrived and is ready for your viewing pleasure (if you are ready to receive it).

Free up 40 or so minutes of quiet time, time to breathe and to reflect, time to indulge in a bit of camp insanity - "camp" in the John Waters sense of the word - called "A Family Finds Entertainment" (2004), a piece of video art by Ryan Trecatin. If you can't make it over to Saatchi Gallery or the 12th Annual SF Underground Film Festival (in 2005) to see it live, check the viewing on YouTube, broken into five parts:

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8y5AxLiUqC8
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MN4Kk42eOVk
Part 3: (broken; if you have the hookup, let me know)
Part 4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObcDCDDJN8k
Part 5: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPwbkjwIsGw

What to think; what to think?

"I'm not sixteen anymore, but I feel like I'm 5, with sunglasses on."

I'm not sure myself yet. haha. But for some reason I want to watch it again; my first viewing - after getting over the fact that I wasn't following a/the storyline - was, basically, me indulging in Mr. Trecatin's cut-up and drugged-out world in somewhat of a meditative state.. just taking in the sounds and the sights as-they-were, and letting my subconscious mind make all the decisions with respect to my likes/dislikes/whatevers. At the least, I can say that approach felt more comfortable; there was no pressure to "understand".

Yeah, so given that I could not derive a traditional linear story out of the flickering images and buzzsaw audio (although I'm not saying there *is* a traditional linear story to be found there, even with translation), I read some text by critics more in-the-know than me to help explain the goin's-on.

First up, Cool Hunting gives it to us quick and dirty, identifying "nods to Jack Smith and very early John Waters", and then Film Brats fills in a lot of the behind-the-scenes details, including an interview with the artist himself about his overall creative process. The Saatchi gallery finally spills the beans and says that "A Family Finds Entertainment" "chronicles the story of mixed up teenager Skippy and his adventures in 'coming out'". I bet someone told them that because the scene is abstract, indeed.

In any case, Ryan Trecartin has done a few other pieces of sculptural and installation work since his 2004 debut, but my impression is that he is still most well known for his video art. In fact, the NYTimes invoked his latest "sensationally anarchic video", "I-Be Area" (2007), in an article earlier this year that discussed a resurgence of video art:

Video Art Thinks Big: That’s Showbiz
By Holland Cotter
Published: January 6, 2008

Attentions to and definitions of these art things - things of meaning or not? - ebb and flow over the years (and we seem to be in a period of, um, openness to flow), but besides that bit of human tendency towards the novel-yet-familiar, we've never had easier access to the medium, with video-on-demand enabled via highspeed internet, powerful portable viewing devices and other such technologic fun. Given these conditions, has video's time come?; and will it find a solid audience - and advocates - in the established art community?

But, really, it's been a long day, so pay no mind to those whirling questions of society. For now, my advice would be to simply get yourself a Family and find yourself some Entertainment. A friend of mine was so kind to set me down this path at the start of this past week and now I'd like to shared the mind-altering wealth with all of you. Salud!