The Amazing Race 17

It's a mad, mad, mad, mad world isn't it? Well, if you had any doubts, tune in Sunday nights to see Phil and the 'teams' once again compete for a million dollar prize in a race around the world. The Amazing Race is a guilty pleasure for us, part 'A Hard Day's Night,' part Dr. Phil. It shows the best and the worst of people competing under fairly difficult circumstances. We've tuned in for most of the 17 seasons. After so many 'Races', the producers do a good job of fine-tuning the dramedy of friends, family, and co-workers competing, complaining, and providing dubious amount of encouragement in locations around the world.

Gowalla

I recently added Gowalla to my iPhone. Gowalla, like Foursquare, is a location-based social networking device. Both of these apps allow you to check in at various locations and share your opinions of what you find there with your friends.

Travel Like a Pirate – Aruba Trip Giveaway | NileGuide

With the kids back in school and Jenni working second shift at one of our local colleges, I've had little time sit down and post anything lately. I did see that NileGuide had an offer to win a fee trip to Aruba. I've never won a free trip to anywhere, but if you're feeling lucky, the details are below.


Travel Like a Pirate – Aruba Trip Giveaway | NileGuide: "

Royal Naval Dockyards - Commissioner's House

Jenni and I spent the better part of our third day in Bermuda exploring the Royal Naval Dockyards. Bermuda once played a key role in British defense, and the Dockyards was her 'Gibralter of the West.' The facility was decommissioned 1951, and the 6 acre site has since been transformed into a series of shopping centers, museums, and restaurants. The Commissioner's House, pictured here, had an excellent museum on Bermuda's history and its naval military past. 

Sparkling Strawberry Lemonade

This is an awesome lemonade to have on a hot summer day. I make it every summer. We had a party over the weekend and it was very popular with the adults and the kids. You can never have enough strawberry lemonade.

1 cup of sugar
1/2 cup water
2 cups rinsed, stemmed, and chopped strawberries
1 cup of fresh lemon juice
24 ounces sparkling water

Combine the water and sugar in a small saucepan, stirring until the sugar dissolves.

Transfer the sugar syrup to a blender, add strawberries and lemon juice. Puree until well blended.

In a pitcher combine the puree with the sparking water and server over ice with a sprig of mint.

Portabello Reubens

The kids are back in school, so I'm cranking out meals like a short order cook. I haven't been able to talk the boys, or Jenni for that matter, into eating sauerkraut, but I've come to appreciate it over the years. Grandma Benson would be so proud. But with our without the sauerkraut, this is a delicious sandwich. The recipe is courtesy of Moosewood Restaurant.

Mushrooms
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon thyme
dash of salt

Combine the oil, garlic and salt in a small bowl. Remove the stems and slice the portabellos. Brush both sides with the oil. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or so, turning once, or saute in a large skillet.

Russian Dressing
1/4 cup diced tomato
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon chopped scallions
1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
dash of Tabasco sauce
1 teaspoon tomato paste

Sandwich
8 slices plain or toasted rye bread
4 sliced cooked portabellos
1 cup drained sauerkraut
1 1/2 grated or sliced Swiss Cheese

Combine all of the dressing ingredients in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth and creamy. Spread Russian Dressing on 4 slices of bread and place plain side down on a baking sheet. Layer each slice with 1/4 of the portabello slices, 1/4 cup of the sauerkraut, and a generous 1/3 cup of the cheese.

Top each sandwich with a second slice of bread with dressing, and bake for about 4 minutes, until the cheese melts. Serve immediately.

Red Rock Canyon - Las Vegas, Nevada

I've had the opportunity to spend my share of time out in 'Fabulous' Las Vegas, Nevada. If your time on 'the Strip' starts to wear on your nerves you can take a short drive out of town to the beautiful Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area for a hike in the hills above the city. I spent a long afternoon climbing amongst the rocks with my buddy, Danny and his fiance, Katie, following the many trails, feeding the wild donkeys and generally recharging my batteries.

St. Stephen's Basilica in Pest

The Cotswold Way - Broadway

"Ah, the timeless wonder of the English countryside." Isn't that what Rik, from the Young Ones used to say? I took this photo of a small section of the Cotswold Way high above Broadway one afternoon, just down from Broadway Tower. I walked several sections of 102 mile long trail, which connects numerous Cotswold villages. But I took a surprisingly small number of pictures of the trail itself. Not pictured in the photograph is an Irish wolfhound a middle aged gentleman was brushing just behind me. The dog was the size of a Shetland pony. I failed to ask him if there were any wolfmen in the immediate vicinity.

Moat at Warwick Castle

Jenni and I spent the better part of the day wandering the gardens and grounds of Warwick Castle. There was a medieval fair going on that day with a large crowd. Wandering down to the pump-house I had a chance to take this picture of the old moat that was part of the castle's defenses.