31 grudnia 2008
Calexico at the Rialto
I wasn't able to stay at Calexico's show the other night at the Rialto, my sleep has been way screwy from the mix of Nyquil and Dayquil. I did get some pictures. The place was packed, which should answer the question: why don't they play Congress and Solar Culture like they used to?
Opening act: Salvador Duran, of course.
Hasta la proxima. Do zobaczenia.
Opening act: Salvador Duran, of course.
Hasta la proxima. Do zobaczenia.
29 grudnia 2008
Local Celebrity Sighting
I spotted former Arizona Wildcats and New Jersey Nets player Bob "Big Bird" Elliott at Office Depot yesterday. He was in the computer section. I said "Hi, coach," and he was quite friendly. Also, hard to miss at 6'9".
Hasta la proxima. Do zobaczenia.
26 grudnia 2008
Pierogi!
The Buffalo News ran an article on Christmas Eve where the writer talked about her memories of Christmas pierogi. I thought about my watching my mother and aunts as they made tamales for Christmas.
She included her mother's recipie for pierogi (that's the plural, no pole would say "pierogies"). I haven't been brave enough to try it yet. I think I'll probably end up just buying the frozen ones and hope they cook right:
I'm more used to the kind that are stuffed with potato, these seem more like a Christmas treat. I found a site that has suggestions for fillings, including cabbage and kapusta (sauerkraut) and the tried and true potato.
So, this leads to some ideas for Polish-Mexican pierogi. My father and I one time decided that papas con chorizo could just as easily be pierogi con chorizo. Just thinking about the whole incident makes my arteries clog once again. I suppose we could stuff pierogi with papas con chorizo. Hmm.
Something a little bit less deadly (at least long term) may be to stir fry the pierogi with jalapeños. I usually stir fry mine with bell pepper, so it's only a bit of a step up, right?
Hasta la proxima. Do zobaczenia.
She included her mother's recipie for pierogi (that's the plural, no pole would say "pierogies"). I haven't been brave enough to try it yet. I think I'll probably end up just buying the frozen ones and hope they cook right:
Estelle Zoladz’s pierogi
Dough:
2 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1/4 cup water
Filling:
1 pound farmer’s cheese
1/2 cup sugar (or more to taste)
2 egg yolks
To make: Stir the dough together in a mixing bowl, roll it out flat on a floured surface, then cut the pierogi circles with a pierogi cutter (or rim of a glass; it helps if you dip the rim in flour), filling them with a dab of the cheese mixture and pressing to close.
To cook: Boil a pot of water, then drop your pierogi in, letting them boil until they float to the surface of the pot — that means they are done, so scoop them out and lay them on a plate to cool and dry a bit.
To make them better: Saute in a frying pan with a little butter and some sauteed onions, if you like those. Or, if you are making a lot for a crowd, put them in a baking dish with butter pats throughout, and put in a warm oven to heat.
I'm more used to the kind that are stuffed with potato, these seem more like a Christmas treat. I found a site that has suggestions for fillings, including cabbage and kapusta (sauerkraut) and the tried and true potato.
So, this leads to some ideas for Polish-Mexican pierogi. My father and I one time decided that papas con chorizo could just as easily be pierogi con chorizo. Just thinking about the whole incident makes my arteries clog once again. I suppose we could stuff pierogi with papas con chorizo. Hmm.
Something a little bit less deadly (at least long term) may be to stir fry the pierogi with jalapeños. I usually stir fry mine with bell pepper, so it's only a bit of a step up, right?
Hasta la proxima. Do zobaczenia.
There's No Weather In Mexico
From a few months back, but still a goodie:
Hasta la proxima. Do zobaczenia.
Hasta la proxima. Do zobaczenia.
24 grudnia 2008
Responsibilities
I have a new Facebook pal by the name of Bernardo Mendez Lugo. Sr. Mendez used to be an employee of our local Mexican consulate, and is also fluent in Polish. This fact I learned when he heard my last name and threw several rapid phrases at me that I had little hope of keeping up with.
Sr. Mendez posted a link to my blog on his Facebook page and told people they can learn about Polish-Mexicans by checking it out. Well, I haven't been posting much lately, and the content has been lacking in the Polish-Mexican department. Sorry folks. Maybe this is something I should be better about doing for the New Year.
Along those lines, I'll be missing out on Polish mass tonight. I try to go for Christmas Eve, but with family obligations this year, I won't be able to. It's too bad, I really like the tradition of sharing Oplatki with the other congregants after the mass.
I also will miss out on singing carols in Polish. The tunes are the same as for ours, but it is still hard for me to keep up with the melody while tripping on the pronunciation. My southwest borderlands tongue has trouble with making "rz"s and "szcz"'s sound right.
Here is Silent Night with Polish lyrics, plus a YouTube video of a guy doing a great job singing it:
Cicha noc, święta noc,
Pokój niesie ludziom wszem
A u żłobka Matka Święta
Czuwa sama uśmiechnięta
Nad Dzieciątka snem,
Nad Dzieciątka snem.
Cicha noc, święta noc,
Pastuszkowie od swych trzód
Biegną wielce zadziwieni,
Za anielskim głosem pieni
Gdzie się spełnił cud,
Gdzie się spełnił cud.
Cicha noc, święta noc,
Narodzony Boży Syn,
Pan wielkiego majestatu
Niesie dziś całemu światu
Odkupienie win,
Odkupienie win.
I was going to give you the translation, but why not just paste the parts that confuse you over at Poltran.
Feliz Navidad. Wesołych Świąt.
Sr. Mendez posted a link to my blog on his Facebook page and told people they can learn about Polish-Mexicans by checking it out. Well, I haven't been posting much lately, and the content has been lacking in the Polish-Mexican department. Sorry folks. Maybe this is something I should be better about doing for the New Year.
Along those lines, I'll be missing out on Polish mass tonight. I try to go for Christmas Eve, but with family obligations this year, I won't be able to. It's too bad, I really like the tradition of sharing Oplatki with the other congregants after the mass.
I also will miss out on singing carols in Polish. The tunes are the same as for ours, but it is still hard for me to keep up with the melody while tripping on the pronunciation. My southwest borderlands tongue has trouble with making "rz"s and "szcz"'s sound right.
Here is Silent Night with Polish lyrics, plus a YouTube video of a guy doing a great job singing it:
Cicha noc, święta noc,
Pokój niesie ludziom wszem
A u żłobka Matka Święta
Czuwa sama uśmiechnięta
Nad Dzieciątka snem,
Nad Dzieciątka snem.
Cicha noc, święta noc,
Pastuszkowie od swych trzód
Biegną wielce zadziwieni,
Za anielskim głosem pieni
Gdzie się spełnił cud,
Gdzie się spełnił cud.
Cicha noc, święta noc,
Narodzony Boży Syn,
Pan wielkiego majestatu
Niesie dziś całemu światu
Odkupienie win,
Odkupienie win.
I was going to give you the translation, but why not just paste the parts that confuse you over at Poltran.
Feliz Navidad. Wesołych Świąt.
17 grudnia 2008
Yep, Now I'm the Monty Rodrigues of Tucson
I was interviewed by Fox 11 last night about the Tucson Toros. This was because a couple of months ago I, as a lark, started a Toros fan group on Facebook. Now, I guess, I am the go to fan guy.
Is this too much responsibility?
On a related note, I might be Santa Claus at the Eckstrom Christmas wrapping party. The usual Santa, Joel Brown, has another commitment. I am the only guy tall enough to fit a suit that was made for Joel.
Ho Ho Ho.
What's a matter kid, you'll put your eye out.
Hasta la proxima. Do zobaczenia.
Is this too much responsibility?
On a related note, I might be Santa Claus at the Eckstrom Christmas wrapping party. The usual Santa, Joel Brown, has another commitment. I am the only guy tall enough to fit a suit that was made for Joel.
Ho Ho Ho.
What's a matter kid, you'll put your eye out.
Hasta la proxima. Do zobaczenia.
16 grudnia 2008
Pics That Have Layed Fallow On My Phone For Too Long (Parte Uno)
Okay, these have been on my phone since, I think, last February. These are from when we did first aid training at work.
Hasta la proxima. Do zobaczenia.
Hasta la proxima. Do zobaczenia.
05 grudnia 2008
Me Complaining Again
So, I hear that leading the Grammy nominations this year are Lil Wayne and Coldplay. Is boring the tar out of me now a qualification to get nominated?
One time, Coldplay came up in a conversation, and this woman I know actually noted to me that Chris Martin goes out with Gwyneth Paltrow. She said this as if this made their music interesting. Yeah, if your lead singer dates a pretty actress, your band is as great as U2 or the Smiths or whoever these wankers are trying to ape.
Hasta la proxima. Do zobaczenia.
One time, Coldplay came up in a conversation, and this woman I know actually noted to me that Chris Martin goes out with Gwyneth Paltrow. She said this as if this made their music interesting. Yeah, if your lead singer dates a pretty actress, your band is as great as U2 or the Smiths or whoever these wankers are trying to ape.
Hasta la proxima. Do zobaczenia.
