Real Quickfire during Top Chef filming

Just heard about this on Top Chef's Facebook page. Wow (embedded video below).

In Memory of Tigers Pitcher Mark Fidrych

As we pulled into our driveway tonight we heard some sad news. Northborough native and retired major league pitcher Mark Fridrych, age 54, died this afternoon. A family friend found him under his dump truck this afternoon. It sounds like he was making repairs and something happened.

Mike grew up watching Mark pitch games, as many kids did here in town. He was a well known athlete and well loved across the country. People in Detroit knew him and his career years after it ended. He did nice things in the town of Northborough, including paying for lights for Memorial Field in town.

After baseball he worked doing trucking and development in the area. We often take walks by his 107 acre farm. His wife runs a diner in town and his brother in law is on the board of selectman.

We saw him at town meeting a few years back when he got up to speak about a matter close to his heart. He was genuine, had strong opinions, and was honestly pretty goofy. He really was "The Bird." We even bought the song written about him (aptly called Bird is the Word by the Trashmen).

We have embedded a video below, shot 23 years ago when he was 31. He will be missed by many.









You'll find a great blog entry written about Mark a month ago at Cards in the Attic. The Detroit Free Press has republished an article they wrote about the bird in 2006. There is also a 2002 interview with NECN, two years before the Red Sox broke the curse.

2010 Census

The Census is coming in one year. It is the biggest peace time undertaking. Watch the video below to find out more.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

The Simpsons Go to the Mapple Store

I ran across this as I was perusing my reader this morning. I don't watch the Simpsons, but every now and again, they have a funny segment.

This one pokes fun at the "Mapple Store" for a solid 6 minutes. It is harshly funny :) I am totally in the Mapple camp, so I post this in good fun!

I love to start my day with a laugh!

She Lives!

Ok, it is not really exciting. I do live... I just thought I would mention that, as I have been remiss in my blogging. This has also extended to me watching me food intake, by the way... I guess it happens now and again.

So! What is going on with us? Not too much, really. We have been plugging away, anxiously awaiting Quantum of Solace!!! I just capitalized it because I wanted to...We have reservations (though no confirmation, which makes me nervous) to see it at the "Premium" theater. Popcorn and soda are included in the ticket price -- along with stadium seating in "high back ultra-leather seats" (that is a quote from the website) and access to a bar with alcholic beverages and food service at our seats until the movie begins. Sounds great, huh?! We're looking forward to it!

Last night's premier of Top Chef (we DVR'd it and will watch it tonight) is a distant second on the excitement scale. We'll queue it up tonight after This Old House. Boy, I sure make it sound like we just sit on our duffs...

That's right, we don't just sit on our duffs. We also eat :) I am going to make ceviche this weekend. I am substituting tilapia and scallops for the red snapper (the store did not have filets, only whole snapper and I didn't want to clean it). It sounds yummy to me.

That's all for now! Hope you are having a good week!

This Gave Me the Giggles

Ok, I am a bit remiss today about posting. I forgot (*blush*), mostly because I had a bunch of posts done in advance, then, uhm.... RAN OUT!

I didn't even know what I was going to say today, then it came to me by accident.

I got this message on my reader from the Cheapskate over at C|Net:

Watch feature films free of charge at Hulu.com Posted by Rick Broida 3 comments Watch over 100 free movies at Hulu.com (Credit: Hulu) Many people already recognize video-streaming service Hulu.com as a great destination for watching TV shows (it has every single episode of Arrested Development, people!), but did you know it also offers movies? Over 100 of them, in fact, and some darn good titles, too. Here are my picks for the Five Best Movies to Watch on Hulu: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind Ice Age Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World Monty Python's Meaning of Life The Usual Suspects I didn't mention Sideways and The Big Lebowski because I think they're overrated--but they're there, too, along with plenty of other gems (and, truth be told, some serious dreck). You'll have to sit through the occasional commercial--and stay tethered to your PC, of course--but that's a small price to pay for watching free movies on demand. All hail Hulu! Thanks to Craig for mentioning this deal!

I popped into the site to see if they really had anything good. For some unexplainable reason, I looked at the animations (something I rarely watch) and found this one.



It really made me smile! Have a happy day!

Old Ads

Serious Eats includes old ads pretty regular in their postings. I watched the first one recently, and really felt that I had missed out by not watching more of them. Take a look at the one below, for Folgers coffee:



If Mike asked for a "good cup of coffee" for breakfast, you better believe I'd high-tail it to Dunkin' Donuts and call it good, not sit at home with my friend and worry about it. I can say that because Mike would never be so lame as to ask to coffee for his birthday :)

They also featured this rejected chicken sandwich commerical:



I don't want to bore you by going on and on and on with these food videos, but there are a lot out there. If you want to stroll down memory lane, or just get a few laughs, Serious Eats Video tags is a good place to start.

Top Chef Season 4

The time has come for Top Chef Season 4 on BravoTV! This season's show will take place in Chicago with Padma Lakshmi, Tom Colicchio, Gail Simmons and Ted Allen serving as judges. As in the past, the prize is $100,000 seed money to start a new restaurant.

The 16 contestants come from across the country and from as far as New Zealand, but most seem to be from the FL, NY, or San Francisco area. Stephanie, originally for Stamford, CT is the only New Englander in the bunch.

Bravo has been kind enough to prepare a Sudoku game for us with the new chef's images...


The first show airs at 10 pm Eastern time tomorrow, March 12. Enjoy!

Naturist Society Picks TV's Top Nudes

from: http://thebiz.fancast.com/2008/03/exclusive_naturist_society_pic_2.html

Exclusive: Naturist Society Picks TV's Top Nudes

Go figure, the human body -- the one thing all of us have in common -- is causing a stir in the TV world again. On one end of the spectrum, the Parents Television Council is angry with NBC after the finale of the series Las Vegas included silhouettes of three bare women, and on the other end Lifetime’s self-esteem boosting How To Look Good Naked was the highest-rated unscripted series in that network’s history when it debuted last January. (Watch clips on Fancast.) To nudity expert Nicky Hoffman, spokesperson for The Naturist Society, a clothing-optional organization based in Oshkosh, WI, the fuss is much ado about nothing. “We do not believe non-sexual nudity is offensive,” she says of the NBC issue. “But I don’t want to see people getting undressed and having sex.” As for HTLGN, she says, “I have mixed emotions about it. Our premise is that everybody looks good naked. Why do you have to make people look good?”

So who in the eyes of Hoffman is getting it right? What shows have included nudity in a manner the Naturist Society approves as tasteful and promoting healthy, appropriate nakedness? Hoffman provided Fancast with relevant top 10 lists. But first her credentials. The 59-year-old Midwesterner has been a member of the Naturist Society since 1985, and before that, she says, “I used to come home from work and the first thing I’d do was take off my clothes.” Philosophically, she believes in “promoting nudity on appropriate public lands, like nude beaches and resorts.” But she makes it clear that “nude is not lewd.” What nude is, she says, is “beautiful.”

The Naturist Society, which publishes a guidebook of the 1000 best places to get naked, has 20,000+ card-carrying members. (Yes, we asked where they carry their cards if they aren’t wearing any clothes, and the answer is in tote bags, wrist wallets, and hats featuring Velcro pockets, all of which are sold in the Skinny Dipper Store). But “there are a lot more people who are naturists than we have members,” says Hoffman. “In a Roper poll done in 2006, 25 percent said they’ve gone skinny dipping or nude sunbathing in mixed company. That works out to about 55 million people. In 1983, it was only percent.”

Given that stat, you’d think everyone would know how to get naked. But apparently not -- at least judging by the popularity of the Carson Kressley-hosted series How To Look Good Naked. Clips of HTLGN have proven very popular on Fancast. That itself inspired a question that has yet to be addressed by Kressley on the series: What’s the best way to watch TV while naked?

“Lay on your bed,” says Hoffman. “That’s the most comfortable way to watch TV naked. But if you’re not in bed, sit on a towel. Whether you’re at someone else’s home or your own, always sit on a towel. That’s naturist 101. Then all you have to do is put your feet up and get comfy.”

What about watching TV online naked (an issue for Fancast users)? “The same rules apply,” says Hoffman. “Unless you’re in an office. Nudity in the workplace is inappropriate.” Even at the Naturist Society? That question elicits a laugh from Hoffman. “No, we wear clothes here. We have people come in for appointments.”

Hoffman says she’s a fan of Kressley, whom, she notes, has yet to doff his clothes. However, according to her, the Naturist Society includes “a number of members who are celebrities.” Such as? “They’ve requested privacy,” she says. Nonetheless, here is Naturist Society’s list of the top 10 celebrity nudists. It’s followed by their list of top 10 TV series that have also furthered the issue.

Top 10 Celebrites Who’ve Promoted Healthy Nudity:

1. Helen Mirren: “She’s actually a naturist and goes nude sunbathing.”
2. Kyra Sedgwick: “Years ago, she said she sunbathed nude.”
3. Matthew Fox: “He swims nude in Hawaii and calls himself a naturist.”
4. Alanis Morissette: “She did a video for a song in which she was nude and her hair was draped around her breasts. I heard she has no problem walking around the set naked.”
5. Lindsay Lohan: “There was a shock factor when she posed recently as Marilyn Monroe, but she promoted a beautiful body in an artful, non-sexual manner.”
6. Matthew McConaughey: “He played bongos nude at home. That puts him in our Hall of Fame. He’s a free spirit.”
7. Kevin Bacon: “From past performances, he doesn’t appear to have any problem with appearing nude.”
8. Kate Hudson: “Nudity was never a big thing in their home; she has a very healthy attitude toward the human body.”
9. Elle McPherson: “She’s originally from Australia, where nude beaches are common, and she has a healthy attitude about the nude body.”
10. Brad Pitt: “Years ago he was photographed sunbathing nude. Good for him, shame on the paparazzi.”

Top 10 TV Series That Have Promoted Healthy Nudity:

1. National Geographic: “A lot of people saw their first naked bodies thanks to these shows. They always do a good job of showing non-sexualized nudity.”
2. Taboo: “A National Geographic production, this show looks at taboo rituals and traditions and regularly shows people nude, but always educationally.”
3. NYPD Blue: “They’ve always show backsides. Maybe they’ve done it a little on the titillating side, but there’s nothing overt or offensive about a butt or a breast.”
4. Monk: “Last season, in a show they did a show featuring a murder on a nude beach, it came out that Monk’s phobias about nudity stemmed from his being born naked. Hilarious.”
5. Surreal Life: “Several seasons ago, they actually went to the Desert Shadows naturist resort in California. While none of the celebrities got naked, they did play a volleyball game against the nudists, and except for Tammy Faye Baker, the stars were okay with it.”
6. The Naked News: “It’s a Toronto-based news show in which the newscasters appear in the nude.”
7. The Simpsons: “Many episodes feature top-free and total nudity.”
8. The Tonight Show With Jay Leno: “Jay often features clips borrowed from the Naturist Society, including on clip from the Eastern Naturist gathering featuring the world’s largest nude Frisbee toss.”
9. Malcolm In The Middle: “In a 2005 episode, Malcolm and his brother decide to attend the Burning Man festival in the desert, and there’s brief nudity.”
10. Chicago Hope: “They showed the breast of a young girl after reconstructive surgery. Nobody complained. Goes to show you that non-sexualized nudity can be in good taste.”

Posted on March 4, 2008 7:51 PM | Permalink

Happy Birthday, Smurfs!

We were listening to NPR on Thursday when we heard a familiar tune: "La la la la la la, la la la la laaaa..." The theme song from the Smurfs! The NPR segment was about the Smurfs turning 50. Yes, that is right, 50 years old! I am one of those little children who got up on Saturday mornings and excitedly awaited the newest show on the Smurfs. What would that mean Gargamel be up to next (and hey, have you noticed the similarity in appearance between Azrael and Mattie?)? How would Papa Smurf save the day?

The Smurfs have quite a following. Their Wiki page is pretty well defined, as is the Wiki page of Smurf characters (who knew there were so many?!). My day was complete when I found the Smurf Name Generator (not kidding -- you have to do this it is sooo funny). I am Baby Cakes Smurf... Too cute!

I just love these strolls down memory lane! Have a happy day :)

Final Week of November

Can you believe this is the last week of November? OMG!!! We sure had a busy and productive weekend. We were out bright and early Saturday morning raking leaves in 27 degree weather. Mike was trying to blow them with his backpack blower and they were stuck to the ground!!!

After we thawed out from that task, we ran over to Macys so I could pick up another pair of the Hush Puppies, Elaine style -- this time in black leather. I got a great deal of $55 :) We met Deirdre, the kids, and Pat at Longfellow's Wayside Inn in Sudbury for Pat's birthday celebration. The food was yummy as it always is. I enjoyed lobster bisque and crab cakes -- and I ate way too much! We had cake and presents at Deirdre's house afterwards. It was very nice. We stopped at the Natick Collection (the fancy name for the totally revamped and expanded Natick Mall). It was really fancy. Fun to walk around, lots of stores, and very classy.

I had a bit of entertainment when we got home (it takes so little to amuse me) when Mattie decided to play in my Macys sack. I had the camera there and got some photos (right). He was having a blast! I got a real kick of him.

I continued what I was doing, and he went back to his bath. Next thing I knew, he was back in the bag again. I had the camera near by and got some video (I know, I have no life!), which you can see below.


After Mike caught my sad entertainment, I thought it wise to join him and act my age. We watched V is for Vendetta and really enjoyed it.

Sunday was a busy day for us, as well. We brought the last of the items in from the yard that are stored over winter and got the lawnmowers put away. We did a final run on the leaves and the yard looked great. Then the wind blew... We took a ride to Ellsworth Tree Farm and got our Christmas tree then headed to Lowes for outside lights and bird food. I was inspired by the Turkey Stroganoff recipe on Simply Recipes and made it for dinner. It was fabulous. I love stroganoff anyway, and this was a nice way to use more of our leftover turkey. We spent the rest of the evening flipping between the Amazing Race and the Patriots/Eagles game. I think this season of the Amazing Race is pretty lame. The football game, however, was very good. We stayed up through the end of the 3rd quarter when the Patriots were down by 4. What a nice -- way too close -- score to wake up to this morning with the Pats on top 31-28.

Now that you know what I did minute-by-minute this weekend, I will let you resume your much more exciting life. Toodles!

TV Talk

After a cool start to the day on Saturday, we went out and got another ton of pellets for this winter. I will post an image of the scene later this week. Work around the house was followed by a big purchase -- a new LCD HD TV!

We ended up getting a 46" Samsung model (LN-T4665F). We got it all hooked up on Sunday. Boy, is it big!!! We were due for DirecTV installation of new hardware today. Unfortunately, they have to send out a "specialist" to review some line of sight issues. Guess we'll see what happens with that.

We also started hooking up our new surround sound system (Denon receiver and Definitive Technology speakers). Mike wanted it all to look nice, so we have been busy with internal wiring for the rear surround speakers. This is a lot of fun in a house that is 150 years old. Nothing is built as you would expect. We now have a bevy of specialized tools and the final look will be beautiful. I'll post pictures once we install new trim board (which had to be ripped out) and repaint the rear wall. Hopefully this will all happen soon :)

We're getting ready for a cozy winter of TV viewing!

My Honey, the TV Star

A little more than a year ago, Mike was filmed for an episode of Ask This Old House. The episode, #525, aired in May of this year. We told everyone we knew (of course) and distributed DVDs. PBS is ready to begin the new season of This Old House tomorrow. To get viewers ready, they've been airing the episodes from last year. Mike's segment was on around the country this week.

Mike has been getting phone calls, emails, and text messages from friends and co-workers who saw him on TV. The response has been much greater than for the original broadcast! I am lucky to have a star in my midst...

I've included the segment below if you have not seen or -- or if you want to see it again. Alternately, you can go to Google Video and watch it there.