This comic made me happy

during a long day of work.

Here you are.

Half Acre

Chicago has a new Beer! Check it out in the link to the left. Being from the east coast and having spent some significant time on the left coast I have often lamented that the third coast has a surprising dearth of good micro brews. Perhaps this challenge to Goose Island is a start. The first glass tastes pretty good and the smell is heavenly. Let's find the brewery sometime and do a tour.

Memoir From Antproof Case

Mark Helprin's Memoir from Antproof case is quite simply the best book I have read in the last year and a half. If you have not already read it (esp. if you have not read any Helprin) please do so this summer. You will not regret it.

Check it out here.
If you know me I have a copy you can borrow.

Still not convinced? Come on. Didn't you enjoy Marquez and Rushdie?

Stars of the Lid - Even If You're Never Awake

I discovered this band through a Radio Lab podcast and I have briefly mentioned them before but I can't stop advocating them. Gosh, this piece is beautiful. It has an ambient/post rock/classical feel to it which you can't fully appreciate until you've heard over and over again. Having grown up playing the viola in a symphonic orchestra the vain part of me likes to think that my musical tastes have finally come full circle. For goodness' sake though! You've got French horn, viola, and a computer?

And tell me the beginning doesn't evoke the Largo from Dvorák's New World Symphonie?

With the lack of any musical track I give you a video for you ears which someone has graciously posted.

Enjoy. Oh please do.

Magic Hat

First up, my favorite New England staple beer. Granted, the labeling and advertising are aesthetically atrocious, the taste, however, wins you over. Magic Hat #9 is a not-quite pale ale flavored with just a hint of apricot (no it is not overwhelming and it is certainly not a 'fruity' beer). It hails from Vermont, New England's most progressive, weird, and hippie state. Vermont also has a disproportionate amount of New England's breweries. Is there a correlation?

If you are in the Chicago area Magic Hat now seems to be rather widely available. You should be able to find it at any number of locations. Keep your eyes open.

I'm a horrible salesman and could never hold down a job where I have to convince people to purchase something. If I come across something I love, however, well that's a different story. So I'm going to try a little experiment here and start a subplot of Things I Love. Hopefully you can find something you enjoy as well.

Limoncello

Last night I finished making limoncello using this recipe. I steeped the lemon rinds in grain alcohol for over two months and when I strained them out they were completely white. The result is certainly satisfactory. I would, however, probably use a different alcohol next time. The grain alcohol (essentially everclear) is a bit strong and overwhelming. I imagine a smoother vodka would work better. The extra potency has a tendency to accidentally get you drunk after a few small glasses.