Hey, nerd, here’s a radio story about modern books that feature dragons on NPR

Dragons get a makeover:All Things Considered, January 27, 2007 ·
Old maps bore the scary legend "here there be dragons." These days
dragons aren’t so scary. In countless books and movies, they’re
portrayed as loving companions to the humans that ride them.

I found this radio story very nerdy. But then, I’m a jock.

Homeroom is borings

the Greats

Aw, Sidney Sheldon died. He’s in my special Western canon of writers: Sheldon, Judith Krantz, Harold Robbins. All were incredibly popular fiction writers, easily accessible at public libaries, used bookstores, flea markets, friends’ parents’ bookshelves, when I was a kid (pre-internet), that were chock full of trashy graphic sex scenes yet not coded as "porn".

Push ups vs. Hetvägg

I want a Hetvägg.

But his (the King of Sweden) appetite didn’t seem to suffer. In fact, the old Swede died
in 1771 at the age of 61 from digestive problems caused by a giant meal
(the dinner table being the only place left to him to indulge his
power).

His final feast? Smoked herring, lobster, caviar, sour cabbage soup,
and a heapin’ helpin’ of a dessert called Hetvägg, a bun filled with
marzipan served in a bowl of milk.

Nothing Rhymes With Orange

From Threadless. That crying orange is so awesome.

Bale French Bakery & Restaurant

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bale, originally uploaded by andrewc.

Bale French Bakery & Restaurant
5018 N. Broadway Street
Chicago, IL 60640
Google map

Really no idea what everything was in that display, which was not there the last time I visited. But basicly the store has a lot of Vietnamese snack foods, desserts, pates and sausages, and baguettes. I liked all the colors. Great cheap sandwiches. Pretty busy with a lot of people in one of the most colorful stores in the neighborhood. We stopped by Sunday after eating dim sum down the street on Broadway just to browse and I left with some little cream puffs. They were just ok. But like I said, great Bánh mì sandwiches.

Bale French Bakery & Restaurant

.flickr-photo { border: solid 2px #000000; }.flickr-yourcomment { }.flickr-frame { text-align: left; padding: 3px; }.flickr-caption { font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px; }

bale, originally uploaded by andrewc.

Bale French Bakery & Restaurant
5018 N. Broadway Street
Chicago, IL 60640
Google map

Really no idea what everything was in that display, which was not there the last time I visited. But basicly the store has a lot of Vietnamese snack foods, desserts, pates and sausages, and baguettes. I liked all the colors. Great cheap sandwiches. Pretty busy with a lot of people in one of the most colorful stores in the neighborhood. We stopped by Sunday after eating dim sum down the street on Broadway just to browse and I left with some little cream puffs. They were just ok. But like I said, great Bánh mì sandwiches.

Parents just don’t understand

As we were about to leave the house, David IM’ed me this and we watched and enjoyed it, warming us before we headed out into the cold Chicago night:

Uncle John’s BBQ

Uncle John’s BBQ, originally uploaded by andrewc.

Just one bite this Saturday afternoon and I knew I’ve just had the best Chicago hotlink sausage ever. Slightly sweet and smoky, with anise seeds and coriander (I think), and a nice bite to the crust. And the ribs might be my new favorite. The fries on the other hand are just packing material to keep the links and ribs safe and warm on your way home, since there’s no place to sit and eat there. South side, and we were the only non-African American people at Uncle John’s and for blocks and blocks, and miles and miles, as we drove back to the North Side of Chicago. Man, Chicago is segregated…

Uncle John’s BBQ

337 E 69th Street

Chicago, IL 60619

773-892-1233

Mon – Thurs 11am – 11pm

Fri – Sat 11am – 1am
Google Map

the Fury of Egg Fu!

Chang Tzu (Chung Zhu) is a fictional supervillain published by DC Comics. Originally a Silver Age creation named Egg Fu who battled Wonder Woman, he has been reinvented in modern times by Darkseid. He first appeared in Wonder Woman #157 series 1, (October 1965), and was created by Robert Kanigher and Ross Andru.

In 2007 Chang Tzu (Chung Zhu) is apparently the mastermind, along with Bruno "Ugly" Mannheim,
behind the kidnappings of many mad scientists in 52. He sports the
features of a cracked giant egg installed in a spider-legged chair for
mobility, equipped with small prosthetic hands. Egg Fu is apparently
one of his "Nine thousand and nine unmentionable names", and
immediately kills a guard who laughs at his mention of it.

From Lia, who is still  trying to figure out if it’s racist. Egg Fu is ok, but I like Genral Tso better. I’m hoping Joss Whedon does not use this villain for his Wonder Woman movie. Although I’m a big fan, I have enough problems with the lack of asian men in the ficitonal universes he creates, so I’m going to be really mad if Egg Fu shows up.