The Only Passport I Need!

Is right here! I'm on my way back to America. See you soon.

Project Apple Pt 2. The Honeycrisp

Up next we have the Honeycrisp apple. I was at the grocery store and was on the hunt for pink lady apples. Upon discovering Macey's didn't have the apples I settled on the Honeycrisp. I was pretty excited because A) I had never had one. and B) The name implied an extravaganza of flavorful and textural goodness. These particular specimens were quite small, though I have seen Honeycrisps that were much larger. (I'm learning that Macey's has rather poor produce) They got is right on the "crisp" part of the name but left much to be desired on the "Honey" side of things. In my notes I just wrote "Taste-ok" That's as descriptive as I got. I couldn't even liken the flavor to another apple or describe it's taste. It was just "ok"

As for the Capone factor I give it a 0. I set this apple on the chair next to me as I played Rock Band and he didn't even think about taking it. Perhaps he has learned to read my face and based on how much I am enjoying the apple decides that he must try it. It could also be that he could smell its mediocrity.
Taste: 5
Texture: 15

Who it's for:

People with no taste buds who need a small, crispy bite to eat. Those with needy dogs with an insatiable hunger for apples.

To be fair it could be that because Macey's has such poor produce that I got a bum apple. If this is the case and someone knows better, tell me in the comments and I will try a Honeycrisp from another source.

Fun Facts about Honeycrisp Apples:

The Honeycrisp apple was produced from a 1960 cross of Macoun and Honeygold, as part of the University of Minnesota apple breeding program.

Honeycrisp apples can store three to four months in the refrigerator.

And From www.honeycrisp.com: "Honeycrisp it is more than an apple it is an eating experience!"

I have met my match.

For the past couple years i went through life thinking i was unique, special, and individual. All because i could flap my hands back and forth really quickly, kind of clapping. Some people called it the fish flop. I had never met anyone else that could do it like me. My friend sent me the following video today. This man has to be my dad.

Project Apple Pt.1. The Rules. The Rome Apple

Project apple is underway and if you don't know what i'm talking about read this first. Done? good. So i unfortunately didn't get to eat all of the apples. I had to leave before i got through them all. I will continue when i get back though. I will lay down the ground rules for you now. I ate each apple and took notes in the trusty moleskine. I took note of the taste texture and any other notes I had. I also rated them on what i call the Capone Factor. Let me give you a little history lesson. One day I was eating an apple and wanted to see what Capone (my dog) would do if given the chance to eat an apple. I soon found that he is a fiend for apples. We don't normally let me him eat "people" food but I usually let him nibble on my apple when i'm done. He eats it like a human. Using his paw to hold my hand down.

So I rated each apple on a scale from 1 to 10 based on Capones reaction to each apple. 1 being he didn't even notice the apple and 10 being the apple is his first born child and I am trying to eat it, except he doesn't want to protect it, he wants a piece of that sweet, sweet baby. I will also rate each apple on a completely arbitrary scale from 3 to 17 (this a whole other blog post itself) based on taste and texture. On to the first apple!

The Rome

The Rome was one of the apples I'd never heard of. It was one of the prettiest apples I'd ever seen. The picture doesn't do it justice. Its taste was very sweet and quite delicious. The texture wasn't very good. It was soft. I really like a good crisp apple, something with a good snap when you bite a chunk off. This apple is a tough one because the flavor was amazing but I'm not sure it's worth it because of the soft texture. If given the choice between a granny smith and a rome I would take the rome. If you prefer a softer apple you will love it.

Taste: 12

Texture: 5
Capone Factor: 5

Here are a few facts about the rome apple from produceoasis.com:

"Usage: The best apple for baking, but also good eaten fresh & in salads.

Selection: Good-quality Rome apples will be firm with smooth and clean skin. The coloring is a brilliant and almost solid shade of red with white lenticels - natural tiny white dots that allow the apple to "breathe". Test the firmness of the apple by holding it in the palm of your hand. (Do not push with your thumb). It should feel solid and heavy, not soft and light.



Avoid: Avoid product with soft or dark spots. Also if the apple skin wrinkles when you rub your thumb across it, the apple has probably been in cold storage too long or has not been kept cool."

Strange Things On Scooters

It's that time again. That's right. Time for another installment of Strange Thing On Scooters.

This one is one of my favorites. This guy was driving along side us for several blocks. Can you imagine building a treehouse or something for your kids like this? One piece at a time, no kiddin'.

A New Series. Strange Things on Scooters

Toady I arrived in Vietnam. If you asked me 10 years ago to name 5 places I thought i would never go in my life, this would be one of them. It is very strange being here. Sometimes before I leave to go to a city or country I've never been, my mind starts running wild with ideas of what I expect it to be like. Usually when i arrive there are certain aspects that are what I expected but I'm usually way off. Vietnam is exactly like I thought it would be. Palm trees, houses practically stacked on top of each other, scooters everywhere. Which brings me to the purpose of this post. After seeing many people on scooters carrying things that any mortal man would deem impossible I decided I should document as many as I could. So here is the first installment of what will hopefully be a recurring series of posts with people carry strange things on scooters.

Note the packages in between the legs as well.

I'm no marketing genius but...

At first I thought this was a horrible way to sell something but now I'm intrigued. There is something magical about this ad on craigslist, something mysterious.

Bike for sale

Peektures

I finally got around to making a web gallery. I will eventually have my website up with more galleries but i thought i would throw up some pictures in the meantime. There is a few pictures from our honeymoon and my first developed holga shots, which i'm pretty stoked about. There is some other random non sense. More to come.

The gallery is here or i will have a link on my blogs main page.

Mac Heist is on.

If you are a mac user and like charities you should get in on this. Every year there is a bundle of software that is heavily discounted. This year you get 7 applications for $50 with the possibility of getting three more based on how many bundles they sell. 25% of the sales go to a charity of your choosing. They've raised $22,000 so far. There is a couple apps that are worth $50 on their own. Check it out here Tell all of your mac using friends, cause i want pixelmator!

Somebody open your hearts and homes to US!

Sydney and I are in search of a place to live come March/April. We don't want to resort to tactics of these people but we are having no luck finding a place. Here are some of our criteria:

Pet friendly (one small dog)

Preferably a house or duplex

At least 2 bedrooms

In Provo/South Orem

Washer and dryer would be killer

Dishwasher would be fantabulous


We have come to the conclusion that there is know could housing available. Especially with everyone being jerks about the pet thing. If anybody has any information leading to the capture of such a dwelling you will be rewarded handsomely.

Appletown

In the past few months I have rekindled my love of the apple. So today
I went out and bought one of every apple I had either, never had/heard
of or hadn't had in awhile.

Here we have (starting from the left back row)

Sonya
Pink lady
Red delicious
Golden delicious
Braeburn
(continuing from the left on the front row)
Rome
Cameo
Jonagold
Honey crisp


I have had pink ladies, golden delicious, red delicious, and honey crisp (sounds like a cereal). I have never had the others. I will report back about the different apples tastes and textures.

Here are a few Interesting fun facts about apples.

The pink lady apple is a cross between a golden delicious and a lady Williams apple.

Apples are natural toothbrushes

As you chew an apple it massages your gums, helping prevent gum disease.

Apples help stabilize your blood sugar levels which helps curb your craving for sweets

Apples are fat, sodium, and cholesterol free.

About 25% of an apple volume is air, which is why they float.

I declare this the year of the apple!

"Smooth as eggs"

This is a post for the guys. I'll let the video do most of the talking. See me at the bottom after you watch the video.



A friend of mine and I each picked up one of these the other day and it has changed my life in ways you can never imagine. Mike sums it up best when he says "smooth as eggs"

What they SHOULD play before movies.

I decided today while watching Juno that they need to change the little PSA that plays during the trailers. So i took it upon myself to make a new one. 

Someone please open their hearts and homes to these guys

Update. They seem to have wised up. There WAS a picture of the two brothers standing in the bathroom with there shirts off trying to look hunky.

Hahahahahahahahahaha

Click me

P.S. Sorry about the lack of semi-thoughtful posts lately

Flickr

This is a test post from , a fancy photo sharing thing.

Big Wheelin' 2