Indian Cooking Lesson

It all began with a fund raiser for our daughters' school. Suzanne and I spied the entry -- a lesson on how to cook an Indian dinner -- hosted by a student's father, Jigish. Being Indian food/curry fans, we were sold. Auction night rolled around and we plotted how to score the winning bid without drawing too much attention. We recruited some interested parties and won the bid!

Two months later, we gathered at the Worsley house to get our cooking lesson. Weeks in advance, Jigish sent us notes on the history of curry (spice trade routes), local dish styles, etc. I also brewed a special batch of German pilsner to complement the food's rich spices. And we all did our part in shopping.

No Power Upon our arrival, the power grid in the neighborhood promptly went out. It's just warming up here in Boise, and with everyone switching from heat to A/C, the older parts of the power grid were taxed. Jigish didn't flinch and said in his own Zen-like way, "It's OK -- we still have the grill." I replied, "And we have cold beer."

Fired Up
Without power, we pushed ahead. About an hour later, and after a few mango/vodka martinis, Idaho Power showed up and got the block back in business.

Great Company
Jigish set the tone for the night with lots of history and background. And he had everyone running in different directions prepping the food, from grilling the salmon and chicken to cutting up the veg and spices. Of course, we were in great company with the Worsleys, Metzgars and Renees.

After four hours, we sat down for a large and delicious meal while the sun was setting in the foothills behind us. The kitchen was a disaster, the beer keg was half-full (nice job) and we were fat and happy. Then it was time for dessert.

The End
I think we all walked away with some valuable cooking tips. And thanks to Jigish's approach to cooking, some of us felt more confident about tossing in the spices we think would go with the dish, vs. following the exact steps and measuring everything in precise amounts.

Of course, I could go on and on about the food preparation, but you'll have to see and hear for yourselves. I posted some photos and videos from the session.

Hungover in Reno

It's 7:30 a.m. and I'm in the Reno airport waiting for my flight home to Boise. My head is foggy, my lips are chapped, and after brushing my teeth, my mouth still tastes like a sweaty sock. How else would you conclude a surprise, 18-hour hit-and-run trip for an old friend's 40th birthday party?

Jay Watson and I have been friends since high school. To our best recollection after a few beers, we've been in five bands together -- he on guitar, me on drums. And we've been camping buddies for just as long -- frequently haunting Joshua Tree to hike, climb and chill in the "G 'n T" spot (inside story). Twenty-plus years later, we live in different parts of the West, have families, jobs, businesses to run, etc., but still manage to stay in touch.

Thanks to Laura for inviting me. I got some decent photos, but now realize that I didn't take enough. It was fun catching up with the Watson family, seeing Jay's girls (wow, they're so big!), Todd, Pablo, and finally seeing Jay's new restaurant. Very cool. After such a quick flight between Boise and Reno (45 minutes) I begin to wonder why we don't see each other more often. That will have to change.

The flight's been called and I need to shut down the PC. I'm looking forward to a bottle of water, a 45-minute nap (sorry about the snoring folks) and hope I'm in shape to hit the ground running when I get home.

Family Visitors from Florida

We spent the weekend with my mom, sister and her two kids, Hayden and Cole (the most recent addition to the family in Feb.). It was a nice time spent together. We headed over to Kathryn Albertson park to do a photo shoot of the kids together, which was a little better than our first attempt two years ago (which ended up with the kids crying, chaos, dogs and cats living together, etc.). You can see the rest of the photo album here.

To capture the sights and smells of Idaho, we also spent a day up in Idaho City (an old mining town with lots of original structures from the 1850's). The weather was clear and breezy, and we got in time to throw rocks into a small pond, have lunch and head home the back way through Robie Creek. Near the top of Aldape Summit, Hayden touched snow for the first time. At first, she wasn't sure what to make of it. But in five minutes she was chasing her cousin Rachael around the snow banks.

We also got together with the Frank family (my in-laws) for several dinners. One thing is for certain with the Metzgars and Franks -- when we meet, we eat. I think the last time everyone was together was for Rachael's birth, five years ago.

While we missed not having my dad or brother-in-law, Patrick (both of whom were tending shop at the Reserve Cigar and Wine Bar) we had a memorable time together.

Celebrating Suzanne's Birthday with Scary Larry

Suzanne turned, err, 26. Yeah, that's it!

Indian Style
We celebrated Suzanne's birthday with a weekend full of festivities. Thanks to Paul and Susie (Suzanne's parents) we went out with friends for dinner Saturday night while the kids stayed home. It was a late night affair at our favorite restaurant, Taj Mahal -- Indian food combined with one of the best selections of beer in Boise. We got a little wild, so it was a good idea that we were seated in a private room. Here are some photos.

Scary Larry
The following day, nursing some minor hangovers, we started the day with gift and Suz getting in some gardening. Out of nowhere, our neighborhood's infamous ice cream man, Scary Larry came by. Long story short, for the last two years we heard his truck in our old neighborhood, but we somehow missed him. It was maddening -- I tried hunting him down online and in the phone book, to no avail. However, Scary Larry turned out to be a great guy as we chatted with him. He'll be by every weekend and I'm not sure I'll make it another week without another Choco Taco.

BBQ
Later in the day we had the family over for a BBQ. Grilled salmon and asparagus with salad and fruit. We were keeping things Kosher for Passover. I recommend matzoh with humus for an appetizer. The weather was great for appetizers, but got a little windy for dinner, so we went inside. I'll link to photos as soon as I get those uploaded.

Doug's Race To Robie Creek

Billed as the toughest half marathon in the Northwest, the Race to Robie Creek is one of many fun events here in Boise. It's 13.1 miles from Boise to Robie Creek, along Rocky Canyon Road -- 8.45 miles uphill to Aldape Summit, and then 4.65 miles downhill.

The challenge not only lies in enduring the extremes of the race route, but actually getting into the race. The organizers, once again, partnered with a lame online service provider that can't keep up with the thousands of people around the world trying to get one of 2,400 slots. On registration day, I wasted six hours facing timed out browsers and site crashes. I didn't get in, but I did score a bib three weeks later, thanks to a drawing at Shu's Idaho Running Company.

On the morning of the race, I met my friends, Tim and Lewis, at one of the parking areas near the end of the marathon. It was a cool 39 degrees, the sky was overcast, and I hit snow flurries on the way up. Weather forecasters were predicting snow and above-freezing temps at Aldape Summit, and the paper reported lots of mud at the top. Nothing new for this race. Each race is framed by the random weather. Three years ago it was blazing hot at the noon start and they had people passing out along the route to the top.

From the parking area, we rode back to Boise in Tim's truck. I managed to keep my Camelback's hydration mouthpiece out of the pool of God-knows-what liquid and feathers from Tim's long-forgotten duck hunt (and recently thawed ducks). Back in Boise, it was overcast and windy. At the race start, we had an hour and a half to kill after registration and getting our timing chips -- we spent the time catching up with other runners, listening to the band play cheesy rock, and keeping warm.

Just before the start of the race, the Scottish-themed, kilt-wearing Rocky Canyon Sail Toad gods blessed us with a back wind and a parting of clouds that provided warm, sunny weather for the entire race. I'll spare the details of my miles, and let you check out some of the photos I took along the way.

While I was going solo, I met some cool people on the way up and down. The highlight was Temptation Station. Just as you near the summit at mile 8, the trail feels steeper -- you're within sight of Aldape Summit (elev. 4,600 ft), your legs are looking forward to getting in some downhill miles, and it's the moment when some racers wonder if the race is really worth all this effort.

Temptation Station is hosted by the Boise Hash House Harriers ("We're really more of a drinking club with a running problem!"), they set out an "aid station" that features booze, cigars, Zingers and lots of loud music. For being near the end of the race, the party at Temptation Station was just getting started. It was packed. Last year, I politely passed on these folks. This year, I gave my dogs a rest and graciously enjoyed a couple of beers, Zingers, and shots of tequila (yes, they had Patron Silver!). They urged me to stay, but I had last year's time to beat, so I thanked my new friends and hit the dusty trail to Robie Creek.

On the way down the backside, I passed several runners/walkers hanging out at the real aid stations, getting oxygen and seeking treatment for other injuries. My heart rate was good, I was breathing easy and my legs felt solid. My training paid off after countless hours getting up to (or close to) Aldape Summit in three feet of snow, 19-degree temps, and sometimes freezing wind and snow.

At the end of the race, I crossed the finish, grabbed my new Race To Robie Creek shirt, and headed straight to the beer station. They were serving sweet Sierra Nevada. Ahhhh!

Let me be clear, I'm not much of a runner (and I like my knees), so unlike most racers, I walked this thing. I wasn't alone. Despite my final time, there were lots of people behind me (some way behind me). I beat my previous year's time by 15 minutes. It might not sound like much, but I'm damn proud of it. Join me next year and get bragging rights to completing the toughest half marathon in the Northwest. It's a lot of work, but a lot of fun.

Rebecca's 4th Birthday

As you might know, Rebecca's birthday is on 3/17. Yep, St. Patrick's day. While I'm sure she'll find plenty of creative ways to spend her birthday, like, in college, we're still planning the kid-oriented parties. Last year's theme was Tinkerbell, this year it's My Little Pony.

She did the birthday thing in class, but left the real party for afterwards. Rebecca invited all of her classmates, and a few other friends, to Elm Grove park for an after-school lunch party. Everyone showed up and the parents stayed around chatting, snacking, etc. Then the pinata game was started. That thing worked like a champ and stood up to everyone's pummeling at least once (15 kids).

Of course, our planning was a little off. The pinata goodies were tiny My Little Pony rubber thingies and Tootsie Pops. After the scramble for goodies, we found that the kids could have cared less about the ponies. So, after everyone consumed their Tootsie Pops, it was time to boost our sugar intake with cupcakes. Plenty of energy left for everyone to hit the playground equipment for 15 minutes before going home.

Check out our photos.

Rachael's First Solo Bike Ride

Last Friday, Rachael did it! After weeks of practicing in the schoolyard, Rachael brought her bike-riding experience home and performed her first solo journey without training wheels. In the beginning, at school, she'd ask Mom to watch her bomb down the curved brick path -- crashing or taking out anyone in her way. Dad even got the chance to witness her tenacity.

So, today, she asked (for the 100th time) for Dad to remove her training wheels. Dad agreed, broke out the socket set and pulled the wheels off for good.

Here's the raw, uncut footage of Rachael's first bike ride without training wheels. We shot this in the alley behind our house. About 20 minutes following this video, Rachael and Dad did a glory ride around the block. Now she's got to learn to use the brakes instead of her feet!

We're excited (and a little terrified), to say the least.