RL Restaurant

If ever in Chi town (Chicago), you must stop in at the RL Bar & grill. With a plethora of good eats, and the prices are decent as well. If you are a RL fan, this is a must visit. The style embodies everything RL, and his American style.

Reviews

“Design mogul Ralph Lauren's first restaurant venture, next door to the largest Polo store in the world,unmistakably announces private club: very British, very swanky, very posh. It begins with the small bar at the front, with its black marble fireplace, mahogany paneling and brass- and ebony cocktail tables.The dining room beyond completes the image. Its navy blue walls, interspersed with more mahogany,are covered with artwork from Lauren's private collection. Herringbone hardwood floors lead to plush,caramel leather- upholstered chairs and banquettes.”CS (Chicago Social)

“The dining room features the vision and style of Mr. Lauren and classic, but inventive, American cuisine.”Front Desk Magazine"RL was named as one of the “Ten Reasons why the Windy City is leaving shoppers breathless” Harper's Bazaar

“RL looks more like the leather- padded, mahogany- paneled library of a corporate law firm than the pleasant restaurant it is.”Chicago Magazine“

I have had both lunch and dinner at RL-- a grand experience each time. I've tried lamb (the rack and the porterhouse), lobster bisque, lobster & bacon club and desserts. Each was outstanding. Service is efficient, cordial and unobtrusive. As you'd expect, each detail is perfectly executed-- lit candles covered with lampshades at each table and a coordination of color, texture and art distinctly Ralph's own.There's lots of wood, deep blue cloth on the walls, buckskin leather seating and a blend of black and white photos (Mick Jagger, Gary Cooper, Frank Sinatra, etc.) with old English oils that somehow works beautifully. The front bar area is vintage RL library- study decor, complete with working fireplace,bookcases, etc. If you like his style in clothes and furnishings, you'll love this place and dine very well. Customer Review on citysearch

I heard that RL has new management and boy can you tell!! The menu has undergone a complete makeover and the food is very good. The traditional American cuisine fits the clubby atmosphere of the room. Keep up the good work. Customer Review on citysearchWe gave last minute reservations and were received very pleasantly and welcoming for our party of 6.The food, wine, ambiance, staff, service ... perfect! We are hoteliers and also in the food and beverage industry, since we can't seem to leave work at home, and very easily become critiques to any restaurant, we were absolutely blown away! We would definitely return! Customer Review on citysearch

Happy New Years From Sydney

My daddy forgot to tell everyone Happy New Year in the middle of his ranting and raving. So I thought I would join in the fun and say hello to everyone, and wish them a safe and happy New Year. See you next year! XOXOX, to all.

The Race Card: What Does It Really Mean?

If you’ll notice the photo I have posted is of an old, worn out ace of spades. The photo has a meaning behind it, which I will go into in a moment.
I have been reading several posts where, I’m going to assume are from white males going on and on about "The Race Card". Lets look at this term and what it really means.

Origin:

This term is now more often used in the USA than in other countries, but was coined in England in the 1960s. It alludes to the playing of a trump card in card games like whist.
Following an influx of immigrants into the UK in the 1950/60s there was known to be a degree of racist discontent amongst the (largely white) indigenous population. Reputable politicians avoided acknowledging this openly and there was an informal gentlemen's agreement not to benefit electorally by pandering to this racist element. Peter Griffiths, the Conservative candidate in an election for the parliamentary seat of Smethwick, was accused of using the slogan 'If you want a nigger neighbour - vote Labour', in an attempt to capitalize on the electorate's fears of being 'swamped' by immigrants. He was said to have 'played the race card'.

Whites also have used the Race Card, Rush Limbaugh: It must be about race, because Powell never endorsed any inexperienced, very liberal, white candidates for president. Limbaugh is silent on any support Powell might have given to inexperienced, very right-wing, white candidates for president.

George Will tells George Stephanopoulos that "if we had the tools to measure" we would find that Obama "gets two votes because he’s black for every one he loses because he’s black." Why? Two reasons: guilt (no one wants to look like a racist) and resignation (at least Obama is not Al Sharpton or Jesse Jackson).

Andrew Bolton at RedState fumes that Obama would not be where he is now, and Colin Powell would not have endorsed him for president, if he were white.

Ed Morrissey thinks this endorsement would have helped Obama more if it had come earlier, but he does not stoop to pulling the race card:

The reason for my using the antique card in the photo is this. I believe that it is high time that we all stop with the race bating, and get on with the real issues at hand. As I have said in other post, we in this country have bigger things to worry about. DON’T YOU PEOPLE, BLACK AND WHITE GET IT! We need to come together as a nation. We all built this country to be as strong as it was. I say was, as we are loosing our power grip on the world as a whole, and have become a laughing stock as a whole. Other countries do not see us as black or white, but as Americans they mean to do us harm. In the words of my favorite radio host, "Wake Up America!" the race card is just that an old out dated antique worth nothing.

Standard Treatment of Presidents.

I can not see why there is all this whoopla about this silly recording going around about O.B. being the magic Negro. Even in my own house we call George Bush "Curious George" as some of his facial expressions sometimes looks like the cute cuddly cartoon charter. While writing this post, I thought I would take a look at what was out there about current and past Presidents and you can believe that there are many. My Google search pulled 548,000. I will post a few of the sites that I have found interesting.
sirsatire.wordpress.com/2008/06/06/bilderberg-meeting-to-decide-next-us-president/ - 36k -
home.earthlink.net/~mmmhiggins/KKKlintonistas.html - 20k
http://politicalhumor.about.com/
http://themoderatevoice.com/category/politics/lyndon-johnson/

This is how the game is played in the D.C. boys club.

Turnabout Is Fair Play: Hush The Ignorant Fatso

While investigating the "magic Negro" story that has come out as of late about our newly elected President, I came across a post that I thought was interesting. Rush Limbaugh apparently had been playing this supposed satire on his show poking fun of Al Sharpton, however most believe that it was to poke fun of Barack Obama, which isn’t the case. However, and I’m sure I will get lots of hate mail for this one, but I don’t care, and couldn’t resist, see the post below.

Turnabout is fair play: Hush The Ignorant Fatso


(sung to the same tune as a right wing ode to bigotry, with apologies to P. Yarrow and L. Lipton)

Hush the ignorant fatso who floats on the sea frolicking in the Caribbean like a great white whale high on Oxy C

Hush the ignorant fatso makes his bling off bigotry he gives voice to hate and the far right wing and other forms of idiocy

Oh Hush the ignorant fatso Gets high on Oxy CWhen he's busted for it he blames it all on his maid here illegally

Oh Hush the ignorant fatso Gets to make a secret pleaa li'l swat on his plump, limp wrist like you or I would never see It's nothing to do with conservativism he blathers on to make mon-eeYou can even google itit's all an act to him you see

Oh Hush the ignorant fatso preys on all of us you see he doesn't care about you neoconshis only aim is gluttony! Now please don't think this ditty pokes fun at obesity, its intent is only like that other song he claims is really just fun-nee!


Oh Pity poor bloated Hushie, his time is nearly at an end We've voted out the grand old Republiklan and the corporatocracy for all eternity! (repeat) FOR ALL ETERNITY!


Posted by: Ken Dec 30, 2008 8:22:16 PM


Ken, whoever you are, bravo to you sir, bravo.

Summit County

While Summit County boasts some of the best skiing in the US, if not world, I would put my money on Breckenridge, CO. Having lived there for a season, one gets the feel for what the people are really like instead of the generic facade that you get when only there for a week or so.

An old mining town, like most in Summit County Breckenridge, still has some of the un-commercialized charms it had in its days of old. If you plan to do as I, and stay a whole season, you must, and I can not stress this enough, MUST get there way early. Rental space goes fast, and I mean very fast. I was lucky to have a friend who had an old Sears’s home on Main Street in which he turned the bottom floor into a ski rental, and T-shirt shop, and the top floor was his apartment. Others I met were living 10-14 deep in a 2 or 3 bedroom. However, for the money lodging isn’t that bad, food on the other hand is another story. There are no cheap places to eat in Breck. The cheapest I could find was Ulars, which is a local hang out, and they did have a Domino’s Pizza, but DO NOT expect to find a McDonalds, Wendy’s, or BK in this town, they keep it classy. If fast is what you are looking for, you can travel to Silverthorne.

Breck also has an awesome nightlife. Choose from any of the nightclubs and bars on Main St, or visit any of the larger hotels, and you are sure to find what you are looking for. For my information visit http://breckenridge.snow.com/home/

Destination Santa Fe, NM

Santa Fe, NM an enclave of Artist and beatniks is not only good for it’s art works, and skiing, but its views and shops as well. As with other locations I have visited and written about the price tag to stay in a good location of this mountain town can be steep. I however did not have this problem due to the fact that I was living in Albuquerque at the time and it is only a short 45-minute drive. So if funds are limited, best to take the short drive.

When visiting SF, you never know whom you will run into, and it is an unwritten rule that you DO NOT approach these people for autographs, maybe this is why there are so many stars living in or around the area. One of which is an old friend of mine, and he says he loves the area for "its peace and serenity." I’m going to assume that he wasn’t getting this in Hollywood, and hence the move.

If you are an art enthusiast, Santa Fe is your best bet outside of New York, and possible should be your first stop. There are many fine shops, and restaurants on the main square that cater to just about any budget. Santa Fe, NM is number 2 on my best places to live and or visit. If you’ve not have the pleasure of doing so, this should be one added to your bucket list.

HYIP, Or High Yeild Investment Programs

Before we begin, I am NOT a professional, and you should speak to a professional before attempting this, as it comes with risk.

For sometime now I have been involved in HYIP investing, and I feel that this is a good way to invest if you are looking for the short-term investments. I tried Forex Trading on my own but with little success, remember I am not a professional. However, before I tried Forex, I started with a house, and the outcome was great. One must be very careful when dealing with these houses, as some are Ponzi schemes as we have seen in recent weeks. Most have a minimum deposit, of $5.00, if it is lower take caution.
For more information visit the links below.

http://www.hyipexplorer.com/

http://www.hothyips.com/

Pass On The Dessert

While some of us may think it a good idea to eat 23K gold, I myself would have to pass. Not only can I find something better to spend a grand on; remember I’m cheap, but it just doesn’t sit well with me eating gold.

Apparently, Serendipity of New York City has come up with the dumbest idea of garnishing a sundae with 23K edible gold. What amazes me is that they serve this at least once a month, why the need to impress?

Why am I writing this post you might be asking yourself?

In the world today, we have people starving, some of whom may be sitting right outside of Serendipity. What amazes me is that we are so wrapped up in ourselves in buying a whopping $1,000.00 sundae while others are loosing their jobs, not to mention their homes. A country that is suppose to be of such great wealth and privilege, and we waste on foods that we will not even finish, while others here and abroad have nothing. So to all of you who are partaking in this delight, I say shameful!

Antique Wyler Doctors Watch

While I did not ask for much for Christmas this year, and I am really hard to buy for, my wife came through with flying colors. I had been wanting an antique watch for a few grosgrain straps I had purchased, and the above watch for me fits the bill. Below are a few specs.

* A RARE 1940s WYLER DYNAWIND MENS EARLY AUTOMATIC DOCTORS STYLE WATCH WITH A STRIKING BLACK DIAL & GOLD TONE ART DECO CASE! *

Original black speckle-textured dial sports handsome gilt style markers and an arrow-tipped sweep center second hand. Spade style hands display the accurate time to raised Art Deco numbers that alternate with faceted coffin style markers. Auxiliary doctor’s style hand shows the precise seconds and 1/5ths seconds to crisp gilt line markers in the outer chapter. The dial is in excellent condition showing barely any signs of aging. Classic late Art Deco design of his gold tone case! The flared lugs give this watch a touch of flair. The lugs curve around the wrist for an excellent fit. The case backing is durable stainless steel.

For more antique watches, visit: http://stores.ebay.com/DECOWATCHES

Coke Ham

Photo courtesy of oldstuffonly.com

Some of you may have heard of this, and if you have not, you are in for a treat. There are literally 2,340 thousand web sites that talk about Coke hams. I have been making this delight for the past 15 years, and I have to tell you, I’m getting better and better at it every year.

If you have read any of my other recipes, you will know that I do not measure.

I take one good sized ham, score if not scored. In a soup pot, I add coke; close to half a bottle, brown sugar, about 2-3 coups, and other spices such as seasonal salt, pepper, and rosemary. I also add the juice from can of pineapple rings, and a little juice from cherry jar. Once the entire above has been combined into pot, I bring to a boil.

Once the ham starts to turn to a golden brown, I remove from pot, add cherries, and pineapple, and place in oven at 350 degree and cook for 15-20 min per pound. Basting with coke marinade to keep the ham moist.

Ham will be very sweet, moist and easy to serve.

To My Loving Wife On Our Anniversary

Mardi this is for you, I know that I can be hard to live with at times with my anal retentive tendencies. I want you to know that I love you, and always will. I look forward to many more years of love and laughter. Your loving husband, John.

KC & JOJO

Amel Larrieux

Reproduction Works of Art.

John Augustus Third Earl of Briston.

While looking for a few reproduction antiques I came across this site that deals in reproduction art works of the likes of Frank Dicksee, Thomas Gainsborogh, John Godward, Frans Hals, to name a few.

The painting above is by Thomas Gainsborogh, Born 1727, died 1788. In 1784 he finally broke with the Academy after they refused to hang another Royal portrait as he wished. Instead he began to hold annual exhibitions of his work at Schomberg House.

If you happen to be the owner of a stately manor, and do not have portraits of ancestors you would like to hang on the walls, give these guys a try. You can visit them here http://www.rubycavalierfinearts.com/index.htm. They also have works of art on Ebay that you may purchase as well. http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Ruby-Cavalier-Fine-Art. I’m thinking of bidding on The 11th Hussar by Frank Edward Fell, and The Grenadier by same artist. They are worth the look, never know what you may find at a decent price.

Voss The New Yuppie Bottled Water

As someone who hates to drink water, bottled or other wise, I think I have found the one. First, I know that I should drink more water then whiskey or bourbon, my doctor tells me so every time I see him. However, I just don’t like the taste of the stuff.

My wife found this Voss, and I thought she was crazy when she ordered a few bottles at a whopping $3.50 a bottle. I tasted this stuff and it was smooth. People will tell you that water is water, and it all taste the same, don’t believe the hype, it does taste different.

A little history on Voss:

Voss Artesian Water is from an untouched nature aquifer in Norway. It is protected from pollutants by layers of rock and ice, and produces natural unfiltered artesian water. For my information on Voss Water, see http://www.vosswater.com/

Droppn' the Pups The Duggar Soga Continues.

After reading a blog of someone near me about the Duggar family, who also lives in my area, I thought I would write my own. I did not feel the need to leave comment on the other blog, as the comments had gotten far off topic.

Some are questioning the reasoning of the Duggars, as to why they would want to have so many children. I, a father of one, who wants to keep it that way, but who am I to say how many children one can have in their lifetime? Though I do not share the religious views of the Pentecostal church; yes they are Pentecostal, not Mormon like other are claiming them to be, and find this religion really strange this is a free country.

I read preposterous claims that the family was even harming the environment by producing so many children. That is laughable at best. Others feel that we, the public should mind our own business. To this I agree but only slightly. When one puts their business out there for the entire world to see, they open themselves to criticism.

I’m not going to bag on the Duggars, I just want the world to know that we; Arkansas are not a bunch of people running around bare foot, pregnant, and named Jim Bob. Ugh, the name in its self spells out redneck. Also, and it’s my blog and I can say this if I want to, I no longer want to hear any Christian talk about how other faiths are radical. I will need only to refer to this family and their ‘radical" views, or maybe even the Pentecostal church as a whole. So sure, live it up, and keep dropping that litter of pups, someone has to do it. It sure as hell isn’t going to be my wife and I.

In The News "WTF"

Poor Young Adolph

After seeing this piece on Count Down with Keith Olbermann, I decided to do a "In The News WFT" post. From time to time, I will post stories that you may have heard in the national news, or in my local news. Shall we begin?

Today’s story is of the poor young boy named Adolph Hitler Campbell. The father claims that he is not a racist, and insist that he will be bring his children up in a more tolerant environment then he. 12 people, some of the children of whom were of mixed race attended the child’s party. Ok, I have to stop here for just one moment. What parent, not to speak of the bad decision of the parents of young Adolph, would let their bi-racial children go to a party for a child named Adolph Hitler. To say nothing of the fact that these people fly the Nazi flag at their home.

Now back to my story. Not only did the parents disgrace their first born child with the name of one of this centuries worst mass murder, they did the same to their other two children. Wait, the name of the third child was misspelled, it was suppose to be HiMler, but Mr. Campbell I’m guessing could not spell, and named her Hinler. Mr. Campbell claims to be a decedent of an SS solider or officer, which I find strange, as I didn’t think that the Scots were Nazi soldiers during WWII, must be on his mothers side.

What didn’t surprise me was that Wal-Mart did not think twice about making the birthday cake that kicked this national media frenzy. However I will think twice about where I spend my hard earned cash when I need to purchase groceries next time.

What Happend to Molly?

Still as hot as ever

Sitting in my office, I listened to the dialog of a movie I have not seen in years. The Breakfast Club.

Some may think this is strange, but it is true. I had the biggest crush on Molly Ringwald, and I feel that it is she who spawned this obsession that I have with redheads today.

Whatever came of her acting career? Some years back I heard that she had moved to Paris. After thinking about it a bit I decided to google her. Apparently she has married a writer, and book editor named Panio Gianopoulos, and they have a daughter named Matilda. Damn the luck.

The French Cuff Shirt.

Photo courtesy of Polo.com

Found at your local haberdashery or department store the French cuff shirt is never a miss. Paired with a pair of smart cuff links, this type of shirt can lend great value to ones outfit. Some feel that the French cuff is a little too formal. I feel that this type of shirt gives a gentleman the chance to show off some of the fine cuff links he has collected over the years.

I would not, and some of my friends who are not fashion inclined feel that they can get away with this, wear this type of shirt with jeans, or khakis.

The Ascot

Purchased for $6.00

Purchased for $1.50

Purchased for $3.25

Though my wife is not a fan of the Ascot, I have long adored it. The item pictured is of an ascot I purchased from an Italian store on Ebay. I got this one at a steal for only $3.25, and I also grabbed a few others for their starting bid of only $1.50. I am not ashamed to say that I am frugal when it comes to shopping, and as you’ve seen from one of my other post, I do shop on Ebay from time to time.

Everything in my closet doesn’t have to be Brooks Brother, Ralph Lauren, Jpress. Though these are fine clothiers, I do not see the need in paying through the nose for them when I can get them for a rather large discount. Rather have the money to take my wife and daughter on another nice vacation, or to our new beach house in NJ. But hey that’s just me.

My President

Though I’m not a fan of GW, he is still our President. I said that I would never post anything political on my blog, and I really don’t see this as being political, but patriotic.

What has this world come to when member of the so-called press can not maintain their composer and resort to throwing shoes at visiting dignitaries?

As stated before, I do not agree with everything our President has done, or said in the past, and I’m sure I will not agree with what he may have to say I the future, however, he is the symbol of the United States of America. So those of you who think this is funny, need to think again. That reporter was not throwing a shoe; a sign of the most disrespect, at the man, but at the country.

The people of Iraq want this journalist to be let go, I say no. Treat him as we would treat him if he were an American journalist who did the same to their President.

The Guineas Chick.

Those who are framers know that the best way to control bug population on a farm is to have a yard well stocked with Guineas.

Hopefully this post will assist those who are thinking of the rearing of this bird. My first attempts were feeble at best. When we purchased ours they were chicks, and I had no knowledge in assisting in their growth. We purchased three, and kept them in an old fish tank to keep them warm. This worked very well, until we had to transfer them to the barn. If you are thinking of raising this sort of bird, be sure of the following things listed below.

1. They are kept warm at all times.
2. Be sure that they have water at all times.
3. If out of doors, that they are in cages in which no animals such as coons, or other beast can get to them.

Now for my mistakes, which I have now learned from.

When we purchased our first three, we removed them from their warm enclosed environment mush too soon. We purchased them in late summer coming into fall, and when they were moved to the barn, the weather was no cold during the day, but cold at night. If possible, be sure to have a warming lamp safely placed in the barn to keep them warm at night. This is the only mistake I made, in raising my birds.

My father in law made the mistake of not keeping the water he had put of his from freezing. This sort of bird needs water, and a lot of it.

This sort of bird is great for keeping tics and other pest such as spiders, out of your yards. Once they have come of age, you don’t need to worry about feeding them as much, as they can live on the insects that they forage for. However, keeping a supply of chicken feed should be on hand.

The Big 3 Debacle

Though I am no graduate from one of the Ivies, and I am no captain of industry a thought has accrued to me.

The big three want monies to shore up lost funds, or margins that they have not been able to make due to the state of our current economy. My question is what if they could make this happen on their own? The plan I am laying out to you today I think could work, however as I stated before, I am not someone in the know, and I’m sure that someone down the pike has come up with this idea.

1. There are three key players in this matter. The Big three corps, the union’s, and the union member (employees).

2. The average member; we will call them that as it seems proper, make somewhere around 38K per year.

3. The unions are suppose to be there to be sure that the members rights are followed.

4. The big 3 executives want their products on the road.

So what is it that these three could do to lighten the hardship?

1. What if the Federal government asked that the two major portions of the above stated were to sit down and work out an employee owned partnership.

2. Members take pay cut by 25%. I know this may seem like a lot now, but in the end it will pay off. Keep reading.

3. The funds that the member loose from their pay, goes back into the big 3 and this is where they will become members owned.

Also offer a corporate buy out of those who are on the verge of retirement. Give them the choice to either take the buy out, or leave with some money in their pockets, or leave under mass lay off. The retirement plan should also be reduced by 25%, with the remainder going into a stock option investing back into the big 3.

Not only should the members have to take a reduction, the executives should also freeze any and all bonus plans for a term of no less then 5 years.

As I stated before, I am no finical wizard, nor am I an Ivy League grad but I think that if everyone makes the sacrifices, that they will come out on top. Any thoughts?

This Dog May Not Hunt.

Now everyone who reads this is going to tell me I’m crazy, well maybe I am just a little bit.
I would like to form a new philanthropic group much like the Shiners, or Masons.

While looking at a web site of one o my favorite stores on Worth Ave, I came up with the idea of starting a group based on the Household Calvary. It would be a group of gentlemen who are Anglophiles, and horsemen. No you do not need to own a horse to be a member. The group would do charitable works in their area to raise monies for different causes.

So far that’s all I have is a thought. Will advise later when I have come up with something more concrete.

The Train And A Promise

My Wife & Daughter

My daughter who turned five in late October has never been on a train. I can still remember when she was only a year old and I would sit her on my knee and pretend to be a train with the sounds of chugging along and a whistle just before we hit a tunnel.

She has gotten older and heavier now, and has now traded interest in the train for her My Little Pony CD collection.

Though Amtrak doesn’t come through these parts, I had promised to take her to Kansas City someday and take her on a train ride to DC. My wife hasn’t been to the north with the exception of NY, and NJ to see family, and I thought that this would be a great way to see it.

My wife beat me to the punch and purchased tickets to a Christmas train near here. It wasn’t a log ride, only an hour, but it was good to see that my daughter still has that love of the train.

Waspy Clothing Without The Pricey Tag.

Some WASP who may read this may scoff at what I am about to tell you. A friend once wanted to purchase a lot of Polo shirts but did not want to pay the retail price. I advised him to either to go on line, or visit Ebay as I have seen several lots of Ralph Lauren polo shirts for sale there.
He scoffed at the idea of purchasing shirts on Ebay, and would never do such a thing. Well I’m here to tell all of you, I DO NOT have a problem with purchasing new items on Ebay. One of my favorite stores on Ebay is Bari Men’s Wear. If you are in the market for Brooks Brothers, Canali, etc, this is one of the best places to find it.

As someone who lives in rural Arkansas, we do not have the stores in our area that handles this sort of apparel. One would have to travel to Chicago, or at the very least Dallas to find these sorts of items.

Not only is it a convenient way to shop, but the prices are much lower. Currently I am working on an $1’800. 00 blazer that I just may get for under $100.00. Is it worth it to me to spend the 18 hundred just to have the thought of, well I didn’t get it on discount. NO. They also have a huge assortment of ties, and name brand suits such as Kiton and more. So if you are in the market for a nice suit, or tie, they are worth a looksy!

How I Got Hooked On Cowboy Crack.

This is a funny story as to how I became addicted to cowboy crack. When I was a young boy of 13 I began to get into trouble at school, as most of us do. My parents were at their wits end, and had though about sending me off to school. When they decided to instead send me to live with my grandparents in TX.

To me this was not being a punishment, but a summer vacation. I could smell the fresh baked cinnamon rolls, and taste the home made ice creme my grand mother would make when we would come down for a visit. Boy was I ever wrong.

My grand father would wake me early to tend to stock, and other chores around the ranch. This was not the picnic I thought it was to be. I noticed my grand father would always take a pinch as soon as he hit the floor from his slumber. He would follow the same routine day after day. Wash up, and down to breakfast, still with this chew in his mouth. Though this is something I still to this day have not been able to master, nor do I ever think I will, he would eat his breakfast with the small pinch still between his cheek and gums. The off to work we would go.

One day I got brave enough to ask him what it was that he was putting into his mouth every morning. His reply, which I should have left it at this, was, "It’s grown folks business, and never you mind what it is." By this time my grand father’s healthy was starting to fail him and his doctor give him strict instructions to lay off the gin which he had been so fond of for the better part of his life. He took to hiding bottles of gin all over the house, which my grand mother, would find, and discard without saying a word. He too would say nothing to her of the matter, as he knew he was to be without.

One day I got my lucky break or what I thought was one. We were out tending to his hogs, when he stopped his old beat up Ford down the troll line. Reaching into the troll, he brandished a bottle of gin, took off the cap wiped it on his shirt, and took a drink. He then turned to me and said, "That’s between you and me." He then reached into his pocket, and told me what the tin was all about. He showed me how to snap the can, and take a pull. I chewed all summer long, hinging it from my grand mother.

I dropped it after I turned 15 and my grand father died, and thought I was out of the weeds until I went to college in NM. After I started running with my rodeo buddies, I picked up the habit again.

Vacation Spot Sea Girt

When I first started writing, I said that I would advise to nice places for vacation. My wife has come into a piece of property in NJ. I had been to NJ before when I had visited NY, and I wasn’t too impressed. No offence to those living in NJ, however if you give me a moment I’ll make it up to you latter in this post.

Sea Girt, NJ has the charm of the Hamptons, and Martha’s Vineyard, with out all the pomp. Not a very pricey place to visit, but if you plan to live in this village community you had better have a hefty wallet. It’s a quaint little sea side town and only half an hour from clubs, bars, and amusement areas for children. If you are a fisherman, this is yet another great place to fish as well. Though I have to give my props to Lake Worth, FL, as I have not found a better place for fishing.

If you are a shopper like my wife, and myself, know that any apparel that you purchase in NJ, there is no taxes to be paid on those purchases. In all the Jersey shore is a rather nice place to live or visit. However, if you are not use to fast traffic, be ready to be yelled, and cursed at if you are too slow at the tollgate. Also, something else I found to be strange, it is against the law to make a left hand turn in NJ.

You never know who you might see in Sea Girt, I have it on good authority that Ashley Dupre is a regular. Oh la, la…

The 20Xer

Some may know the history behind the Cowboy hat. Other may feel that it is meant only as a fashion statement, such as those that the famous hairdressers of LA, and New York would wear.
However, for those of you who do not know, the Cowboy hat was used to keep the sun off the roughnecks tending to their cattle. It was also used to fan a fire, or to pull water from a stream.
Though the days of having to pull water from a stream are long gone, the Cowboy hat still hold it's charm for what we Cowboys know as a dying breed.

The price of a hat will depend on the felt quality, which can range from a 2X to a 100X. What does this mean to the first time buyer of a new cowboy hat?

If one purchases a 2X hat, which usually the lowest on the spectrum, you are more then likely going to end up with the sort of hats that they sale to children at rodeos. These are not good quality hats, are not good for working in the sun, or pulling water from a stream.
May first hat, which my grandfather purchased for me, was a 7X. Its still in the lower but is still holding its shape to this very day. This is a hat that one can wear on the farm or ranch, and still wear to other events such as a rodeo, or a night out with the boys to your local dive bar. However, if your wife is refined like mine, don’t you dare even think about taking her out in this hat after you have been working cattle all day.

There other X’s out there that one can purchase to stay with in your budget. I have several that ranges from $150.00 7 or 6X to some that range from $350.00 to $600.00. These are going to be the 20 to 100X.

The 20 to 100X is what I call the cowboy pimp hat. You will mainly see these in places such as downtown Dallas on the heads of cattle, land, or oil baron. These are not meant for the trail or even a "decent" honky tonk but meant to show ones status in the community. Can people really tell the difference? You bet they can. The photo on this post is of a Larry Mahan 100X hat, which cost $650.00.

Hog Hunting

Some of you may already know the importance of hunting hogs on your property. Just this weekend, I was on the other side of the farm with a friend and noticed that close to 4 acres of my property have been rooted up by these pesky beasts. If you are a farmer and reading this you will know the importance of getting rid of them. Not only do they make a fine Bar-B-Queue, but also keeps the integrity of your fields for cattle grazing.

Trapping a hog isn’t as easy as one might think. The hog has a very keen since of hearing, and smell. They are also a lot smarter then most give them credit for. When setting traps be sure that the surrounding area is practically unchanged, as a hog can since a trap and will not take the bate.

If hunting with out a trap, be sure to not only have a rifle, but a side arm as well. Some hogs will turn on you. As always when it comes to any firearm, safety first.

T Shirts

I am a fan of wearing a T-shirt on those days when I am out with the kid in the yard, or running to the store to grab a coke. Or soda depending which area of the nation you are from.

I have found a really great site in which you can custom make your own shirts, and you can visit them via the site listed below. http://www.customink.com/

The cool thing about them is that they will correct your artwork free of charge. Also they have a great returns policy. I tired to upload one that I had done but I could not get it to work. But I believe you can check it out from here. http://www.customink.com/designs/123/9477221-1966024/retrieve or http://www.customink.com/designs/123/9477221-1966024/retrieve
I have several that I have done.

Shrimp Alfredo

Though my wife has stomach problems, and can’t eat this on a regular basis, it’s one of her favorites. Mind you, I do not measure my ingredients, so if you attempt to make this dish, you will need to taste as you go. I myself am a bit heavy handed when I cook.

What you will need:

1 Jar of Alfredo sauce (you really didn’t think I made it from scratch did you) Ha, ha!
Half a bag of large shrimp
Spaghetti noodles
Parmesan Cheese the kind finely grated in the can.
Italian Seasoning
Oregano
Fresh crushed garlic
Very little seasoning salt.
Olive oil

In a large pot add water and a dash of Olive oil, and bring to a boil, and add noodles.
In a large skillet, add olive oil and turn flame to a med-high. Add crushed garlic, shrimp, and seasonings. Brown shrimp until golden brown. Once browned, remove from flame. Once the noodles are complete, remove from water, and in the same or another large pot add olive oil (enough to coat noodles) and Parmesan cheese. In a saucepan add the Alfredo sauce and contents of skillet. Heat until the Alfredo sauce comes to a light boil and remove from flame.
To serve, add noodles to plate, and ladle content of sauce and shrimp to desired amount on noodles. For color add a dash of Italian seasoning and crushed red pepper if spice is desired.

Making A Polo Pony

Most horses, with the proper training, can learn to play polo.

Building A String Of Polo Ponies

Polo ponies are like polo players:

• some are safe,
• Some are daring,
• and others are just plain dangerous.

One of the most important things to look for is a good temperament in a horse. If you select a polo pony that you cannot play safely, you will be in trouble from the start.

Most beginners imagine their perfect polo pony as a beautiful chestnut mare, only to find out later that it was not the right one for their level of ability. It's much better to select a quiet, easy horse that is at least 8 to 10 years old with no bad habits. A horse is not old at 10 years, but actually in the prime of life.

Each polo pony in your string will require housing, feed, watering, exercise, grooming, veterinary care, and training.

Stalls

A stall for a polo pony should be 10 ft square with a dry, soft bed of shavings.

Exercise

A polo pony must be exercised daily. When turned out to pasture a polo pony will regulate its own exercise. When playing polo, each horse must be ridden or jogged for at least thirty minutes once or twice each day.

Grooming

A polo pony must be groomed daily. A rubber comb should be used to massage the skin and loosen dead hair and dirt. Each foot should be picked up, cleaned, and examined daily.

Introducing a Horse to Polo

It takes a great deal of time turn a horse into a "made pony" that loves to play the equestrian sport of polo. A horse must be well trained for riding before introducing it to polo. A horse should neck rein with minimal pressure, work well off of leg cues, hold a gait without breaking, bucking, kicking, or shying, and be able to work around other horses. A horse must also be slowly and gently introduced to polo equipment. The horse is desensitized to the mallet by letting him see it and smell it first. Next, a mallet is gently rubbed against the horse's body. Eventually, a polo trainer will swing a mallet around and under the horse while riding. The same approach is used to get a horse familiar with a polo ball.

Suggested Reading

To learn more about training polo ponies read the classic text on the subject "Modern Polo" by Captain E.D. Miller, Edited by M. Horace Hayes, 1898, 1902.

The History of Polo

Polo is thought to have originated in China and Persia around 2,000 years ago. The name of the game may well come from the word “pholo” meaning 'ball' or 'ballgame' in the Balti language of Tibet. The first recorded game took place in 600BC between the Turkomans and Persians (the Turkomans won). In the fourth century AD, King Sapoor II of Persia learned to play, aged seven. In the 16th century, a polo ground (300 yards long and with goalposts eight yards apart) was built at Ispahan, then the capital, by Shah Abbas the Great. The Moguls were largely responsible for taking the game from Persia to the east and, by the 16th century, the Emperor Babur had established it in India. (It had already long been played in China and Japan, but had died out by the time the West came in contact with those countries). In the 1850s, British tea planters discovered the game in Manipur (Munipoor) on the Burmese border with India. They founded the world’s first polo club at Silchar, west of Manipur. Other clubs followed and today the oldest in the world is the Calcutta Club which founded in 1862. Malta followed in 1868 because soldiers and naval officers stopped off there on their way home from India. In 1869, Edward “Chicken” Hartopp, of the 10th Hussars, read an account of the game in The Field magazine while stationed at Aldershot and, with fellow officers, organised the first game. Then known as “hockey on horseback,” it was played on a hastily-rolled Hounslow Heath where a shortlist of about 10 rules was also hastily assembled. But, it was John Watson (1856-1908), of the 13th Hussars, who formulated the first real rules of the game in India in the 1870s. He later formed the celebrated Freebooters team who won the first Westchester Cup match in 1886. He was a key player at the All Ireland Polo Club which was founded in 1872 by Horace Rochfort of Clogrenane, County Carlow. The first polo club in England was Monmouthshire, founded in 1872 by Captain Francis “Tip” Herbert (1845- 1922), of the 7th Lancers, at his brother's estate at Clytha Park, near Abergavenny. Others, including Hurlingham, followed quickly.
Handicaps were introduced by the USA in 1888 and by England and India in 1910.
The first official match in Argentina took place on 3rd September 1875. The game had been taken there by English and Irish engineers and ranchers. In 1876, Lt Col Thomas St.Quintin, of the 10th Hussars, introduced the game to Australia. He is credited with being the Father of Australian Polo. Two of his brothers stayed on there as ranchers and helped the game to develop. In the same year, polo was introduced to the USA by James Gordon Bennett Junior who had seen the game at Hurlingham during a visit to England. Today, more than 77 countries play polo. It was an Olympic sport from 1900 to 1939 and has now been recognised again by the International Olympic Committee. http://www.polo.co.uk/polo_history.htm

Colon Cleansing

I know some may think, "why are we on this subject?" Well with good reason. If you are heavy meat eaters like myself, it is very good to make sure that all the pipes are working in good order.

The colon was designed to help eliminate waste. Our colons consist of the portion of the large intestine which runs from the cecum to the rectum. The large intestine stores waste and absorbs water plus it helps maintain water and electrolyte balance. Put simply, we consume foods, digest and absorb nutrients and then our colons get rid of the waste. However, this natural process is hindered when the colon becomes blocked. Colin Albert

There are other reasons to cleanse the colon, such candida infections. If you are experiencing any of the following, see your doctor, and ask if this may be an issue.

an incapacitating fatigue
problems with concentration and short-term memory
flu-like symptoms such as pain in the joints and muscle
extreme tightness in the shoulders and neck
hyper-acidity/acid reflux
brown colored mucus in the back of the throat
blisters in the mouth/tongue/throat
either white or "blood blisters"
un-refreshing sleep
sore throat
white coated tongue
dark circles under the eyes
an aversion to being touched or jumping
"crawling" skin
chronic sinus problems and headaches including migraines
chronic dental problems

While there are several cleanse on the market. I have tried DrNutra, and it seem to have worked really well. There is also a diet that I have tried, but I will get into that in another post. You should take a look at their site, and read some of the stories. I personally didn't have some of the stuff that most of these people had, but my stool did look like the ones in the pictures people have sent in. http://www.drnatura.com/colonix_program.php?gclid=CP-Hxsib9pYCFQETGgodyzCMXg

You can find this on ebay as well.

The LR3

The Land Rover LR3 has been met with mixed reviews. when I started out looking for a Land Rover, I was still stuck on the Discovery models until having rode on in one.

It was a bumpy ride, and the cabin wasn't very sound. I also didn't like the fact that the rear passenger doors were over the wheel wells. This makes room for getting in and out of the vehicle somewhat taxing.

Then I saw the LR3. I liked the interior space, and the ergonomics seemed sound as well. However, do not judge a book by it's cover. After further research of the LR3 I have found that it has some rather serious issues. When visiting the Land Rover web site, you are told that the LR3 is the superman of SUV's (my on take on it, not Land Rovers), and that it can really take a beating. One person in another forum advised that after giving it a :good work out" it overheated its air compressor.

Visit the following web site on other details.

http://www.lemonlawclaims.com/land_rover_lr3_suv_problems_or_lemon.htm

Deer Anatomy

The best laid shots

Deer Co-Cain

This stuff is amazing. If you are a hunter with a little time on your hands, you may want to try Deer Co-Cain. I use it in the liquid form, and it can be purchased by the gallon.

I’m not sure what type of root nutrient is involved with this, but it is a major attractant. I do not have a lot of time to hunt with my busy schedule so I put a gallon in a not so open area behind my home, and within days I had several deer at the location.

Do not buy online though, as the price for it online is double what you’d pay for it in your local store. Your local feed and tack stores will carry it, and I believe Wal-Mart also carries it.

Palm Beach

A view of the Inter coastal Water way facing West Palm Beach

From time to time you will here of my travels all over the United States. One of the best places I have found is Palm Beach, FL. If you ever have the pleasure of going, here are a few hot spots, and best times to visit.

If you are not someone for crowds, it would be best to visit during the late spring to early fall months. The snow birds will be flocking soon, and you will be left without a place on the beach. There are other beaches in the area such as Lake Worth which has a wonderful pier for fishing if you are strapped for cash for a boat.

If bespoke are your thing, you will find some of the best shops in the world via Worth Ave, but I warn you, you had better be packing a hefty wallet as they tend to be very pricey. One of my favorite places to shop was a thrift store called "The Church Mouse". You wont believe what you can find. Everything from a great smoking jacket, and velvet slippers, to fine china.

The night life is great as well, but you should be young(or young at heart) and leave the kids with the sitter. The night life starts very late, around midnight as they are open much longer, until 5 a.m. Clematis St is the best place to start, as on Thursdays, Friday's, and Saturday's they have one big block party and this would be a great place to take the children before going out. See the link below. http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.clematisbynight.net/images/CbN_masthead.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.clematisbynight.net/&usg=__V1gk8c41taVFcpwo3b9du-tKSMA=&h=268&w=424&sz=42&hl=en&start=1&um=1&tbnid=VmmE3HAi-edacM:&tbnh=80&tbnw=126&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dclematis%2Bby%2Bnight%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den

More later.