Friday Fish Wrap: November 26, 2010

When Natacha saw the following photo today, her remark was:”In French we say “les trois mousquetaires. Bisous.”

Musketeers? Or Mouseketeers? I’m not sure Natacha knew about the Mickey Mouse Club.

Yes, it was just that good up at Mt. Rose ski area, just a mere 30 minutes from the house. It was actually warmer up there, by about 10 degrees, than in town - which would have been dandy had the wind not decided to come up.

But a first day of skiing - the day after Thanksgiving - is a great day of skiing, regardless.

If you don’t already know, that’s Russ Johnson, myself and Shelley Brumberger. Mr. Ryan is still at home suffering from the Shingles.

We were happy to get out there and wear off some calories from last night. Suggie and Shelley hosted the festivities this year in their new digs here in Reno. The food just kept coming and it was fabulous. I also learned new things.

Did you know that Jews can’t make gravy? I didn’t know that until last night. Suggie grabbed me by the arm before I could shed my coat and set my veggies down on the counter.

“Look. They say Jews can’t make gravy! But I want you to see this!” she whispered breathlessly.

Yes, indeed, it was a pan of rich, creamy and flawless turkey gravy. OMG.

 

That is, of course, Ron congratulating Madame Chef de Cuisine on her accomplishment. Take that, you Gentiles!

Here’s the other thing I learned: Jewish men can bake. Whoa! Newly installed in their kitchen was the only icon I would gladly pray to. A KitchenAid HD Professional stand mixer. And the pies were the handy work of Mr. Brumberger.

Another OMG religious moment, since I adore pumpkin pie above all others. But then there was the pear tart.

Pear Tart? Yup. Yum.

The real Kodak moment came when I got my turn at the awesome machine, to whip the cream.  I thought “how hard can it be ( never having touched one of these machines before ) to get the whisk beater off”. Hmmmm? Never ask when you can just fuck it up on your own. Yup. I pulled. It bounced once and then hit me square in the solar plexus.

Send that sweater to the cleaners, after having licked the perfectly whipped cream off. I think Suggie got pictures.

But we had turkey - moist and succulent - three different variations on stuffing, soup in mini pumpkins, cranberries, two variation on sweet potatoes, the gravy of course, my braised brussels sprouts with shallots, orange zest and cider, and my roasted gold and red beets, turnips and cippolini onions with a maple syrup glaze.

Do we need to mention what’s for dinner tonight?

I may not need dinner at all, actually. I went up to have lunch with my 93-year-old Mother at the ‘home’ yesterday. It was actually quite good, and hard to just pick at. She was on her best behavior since some of her ‘neighbors’ sat with us.

It only took three tries to get her to ‘smile’ for the camera. Oh, well. As Natacha said, “grandma is probably happy in her own way.”

It was while standing here, above Kit Carson Bowl, that I reflected on the early Christmas gift we all received the other day.

Republican, Tom Delay, convicted of gross money laundering and conspiracy.

But, always the cynic, I ask you why he won’t get the life sentence he deserves? At most it’ll probably be a few years, if any. Yet, remember Martha Stewart? Not even close, yet she went to jail.

Driving back down the Mt. Rose highway this afternoon, we remarked on the packed parking lot at the Summit Sierra Mall. I guess the upside to this might be a halting economic recovery. Yet, I think they’re all sheep. Yup. What’s wrong with the idea of people camping out all night, outside of the Kohl’s or Best Buy, in bitter cold? It’s hard to know where to begin.

I’m not against buying stuff. I like to buy stuff I need or want - when I need it or want it. Not when I’m told to go out and buy it. Whether I can afford it or not. I just find it so bizarre that America is the most religious country in the industrialized world - awith bible thumpers for jesus as a growing segment of that delusional population - and they manage to mess up a perfectly nice mid-winter festival, turning it into a crassly cynical marketing machine that knows no bounds.

There. I’ve said it. I’m Scrooge. I own it.

Brightly lit trees. I dig it. Music. Family activities. Smiling children. All good. Winter fun. Hot cocoa. Very cool. But all those ads to buy stuff simply reminds me of George W. Bush telling us to show the evil-doers something or other by going shopping. Only this time, it’s Wall Street that has donned the evil-doer costume.

Are big screen tee-vees the only way to put our economy back on track? Mortgaging our financial future to watch yet another CSI show?  What about big projects, another Hoover Dam … or a modern electric grid? What about a truly modern communications system - where you can get full coverage and bars anywhere and anytime? What about coast to coast high speed rail transportation?

These would be Christmas gifts not just to each other right now, but to generations yet to come. Isn’t it time to get past the all too disposable faux gifts and shopping till we drop, and start asking for the real deal from the adults that are supposedly in charge?

A dynamic infrastructure, built on the technology of tomorrow, designed by graduates of our well-funded universities, and built by a secure and healthy middle-class workforce isn’t likely to wear out and fade by the next Christmas, to be easily replaced by something marketed as shinier and newer.

That’s what I want for Christmas.

Santa?

-maven

Monday Musings: April 19, 2010

How cool is it to end the ski season with a champagne toast in the lodge, after an epic … I mean EPIC day on the slopes as Mt. Rose closes for the season?

That’s me and ski buddy, Shelly.

Yes, it’s just that cool. We were not only wowed by the usual ‘scenary’ from the top of Mt Rose today, but by all the gracefully circling parasailers and hang gliders. Awesome!

For a ‘local’ ski area that is barely a 30 minute drive from my house in Reno, to stand on a majestic 10,776 ft. peak with great snow, overlooking miles of mountain ranges and Washoe Lake, while hang gliders land right there in front of you … well, it doesn’t get much better.

Now, you know why we live here, since it obviously isn’t for the, uh, political climate.

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Monday Musings: March 29, 2010

Today was simply the most awesome day of skiing that I’ve had in years. I am a happy woman, and learned something useful.

Mt. Rose, where I have a season pass, is where I normally ski. It’s economical and close. Mt. Rose doesn’t have the most terrain or the fanciest of posh hotels, bistros, high end trinket shops and such. It’s a basic locals place.

The skiing at Mt. Rose can be very challenging however.

I’ve really worked at my skiing this year, and sometimes bemoaned how hard it was at Mt. Rose. So today, we went to Northstar. Very Euro, very Vail, very big, and very expensive. It has a huge area of beautiful runs.

I’ve never skied better. Because, compared to Mt. Rose, Northstar is easy. It’s a nice intermediate ski area for skiers who don’t particularly want to be challenged.

I’ll go back to Mt. Rose and be glad to be there. I’ll know that when I ski well there, it’s because I’m good and not because I’ve been fooled by fancy.

Sort of like life.

Now the Tea Party folks, and Republican pols are backing away from simply hating health care reform legislation on it’s face as health, care and reform. Now, it’s about taxes. I get it. Tea Partiers and the GOP don’t like taxes.

It just occurred to me that had the GOP not been on such an irresponsible spending spree over the last decade, launched two horribly expensive and unnecessary wars abroad, gutted regulation over the financial services industry leading to near collapse of state and local governments - leaving them to tax their way out of the very deep hole - had they not done this, there would probably not be a bunch of tax increases looming everywhere we look.

The Tea Party bunch needs to look in the goddamn mirror.

In the ever shrinking Reno Gazette-Journal op-ed page, there was a letter the editor by a local nitwit. This person was blown away - I mean REALLY BLOWN AWAY - having met America’s craziest Governor, Jim Gibbons of Nevada in WalMart.

Whoa! The Guv in WalMart!

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Friday Fish Wrap: January 8, 2010

I think there is a saying - about fishing - that a bad day of it is still better than working. The same applies to skiing. It wasn’t ‘bad’, but wasn’t optimal. The winds were up at Mt. Rose - around 30 kts steady on top. It actually blew me backward at once point. For those of you locals, stay off the Slide Mtn side until they get more snow. Bruce’s should simply be closed. Big Bonanza is skiable but there are too many small rocks coming to the surface. I’m going to have to do some base maintainance before I hit it again on Sunday.

You’d also better have very sharp edges for the Slide side if you’re there before 0930.

Oh yes - and Mt Rose is also offering some outstanding prices on lessons. I’m going to take advantage of the Senior group again next week. It used to be free, but it’s still a bargain at only $10. You get to ski with Rusty, of course, and it’s just an awesome group vibe. The Senior group is every Monday, Wenesday and Friday morning.  I also need to take advantage of the free Ladies Day group lessons, too.

For all of the contemporary women out there - and I mean you who are firmly living within the 21st century - go onto the NARAL website and sign the petition to keep this abortion stuff out of the health care reform bill.

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Go forth and air thyself out

Don’t sit indoors - unless you absolutely must for reasons beyond your control - and get out in the fresh and sunshine. Join me down at Idlewild Park on the Truckee River, in Reno, at the Earth Day festivities and farmers market.

Ann Onn made the point yesterday, and it’s really so important, not just for physical well-being but for mental health as well. Get outdoors and interact with the natural world.

Can’t think of anything? Here are a couple of other ideas:

Go find a nice quiet place anywhere along the Truckee River and listen to the murmur of the river, and let the warm sun drive the remaining winter blues away.

Want to watch people? Virginia Lake is always a good one, but you don’t have to be a skier to enjoy the wonderful deck up at Mt. Rose ski area. Drive up there, park and walk onto that open deck with a coffee and watch the show. They’ll even rent you a pair of snowshoes to wander around with.

Find a nice path near home, and do a walking meditation.

Drive over to Galena Park and sit by Marilyn’s Pond.

Here’s a good video on doing a walking meditation:

Skiing. Sort of makes you think about death.

Oh, I crack myself up!

Seriously, I skied my brains out today. See, nothing there. Well, that doesn’t work so good without video.

Natacha wanted to go up to Mt. Rose with me, so she could get away from the house for awhile and study. She sits hunkered down in the lodge and not out on the deck, which I don’t understand, but there you are.

I made Natacha drive and I don’t know who was more scared - me or her.

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