Pepper Party 4

A lot of peppers this year. Nuff said.

Garden Update

It's late August and the summer has brought a fair amount of excitement to the land of the fire escape. A view from below shows a summer of growth.

Much of the growth has been due to the wet summer we've had, and regular watering to offset the super hot days. Although, the rain has been hard to manage, especially for my compost when it comes in hard and sideways.

But most importantly I got fruit this year: Mostly cucumbers and peppers.

However the other day I found something peculiar. One of my tomato plants was gnawed to the stems. It was completely stripped.

After a quick investigation. I found the culprit.

A tomato hornworm. Turns out these are pretty damaging machines, as I had learned the hard way. Although fortunately for me, there are these braconid wasps out there who like to control the tomato hornworm population by laying their eggs on the worms and slowly eating out their insides. I didn't really believe it when I heard it until I looked out the window and saw it being done...twice...pretty intense sight to see.

But all in all, the garden is still well. If only I could grow some friggin broccoli...

Know Your Biker!

A week ago, I was talking to a friend of mine who had just started a new job. She said to me, "You have GOT to meet my new boss, you would love him, he rides his bike everywhere!" "Oh yeah?" I replied, raising an eyebrow. "Yeah! He does these 100 mile rides every weekend, with the whole racing outfit and everything!" My grin then turned to a grimace. I thought to myself, do I really look like the type of guy with that much free time and a voluntary urge to wear spandex?

The truth is, there are many types of riders out there. Different riders have different motives, different techniques and different reasons to be loved or hated. Most riders fall into one of several categories. In New York City, here are the top 9 different types of riders.

1) The Regular Commuter: These are the most noble of riders. They have one goal: Get from point A to point B. Most of these riders take their ride seriously because it is their most common mode of transportation. Therefor most of them follow the etiquette of the road and don't really cause a nuisance. Men and women alike, some are wearing business attire with sneakers to change out of later, and others are just casual normal looking people, just trying to beat the subway. This is me, and hundreds of thousands of other city dwellers. Respect them, because they are worthy of respect.

2) The Hardcore Cyclist: Nobody can be criticized for some good wholesome cardio, but is the outfit really necessary? C'mon, you look ridiculous. I don't go for a run in short shorts, nor do I take batting practice in a full baseball uniform, nor do I shave my legs to go for a swim. Actually, I would never shave my legs but that's besides the point. I honestly wish I had the free time to spend my mornings and weekends riding, but sadly for me I have a job and a social life to maintain. Sorry.

3) The Hispanic Food Delivery Man: Here come the stereotypes! But if you can prove me wrong, I'll shut up. These riders are typically found with plastic bags both covering their seat and also carrying delivery food. They are usually riding an old beat up mountain bike on the wrong side of the road, frequently going the wrong way in a bike lane. Sometimes they are wearing helmets and safety vests with the name of the restaurant (which is now the law) and sometime they are wearing only kitchen attire. Their poor road manners make normal bikers cringe and scream insults, but they ignore it because their speedy arrival promotes higher tips for the hungry awaiting customers.

4) The Asian Food Delivery Man: We've all seen them. The 45-year-old asian man riding an electric bicycle with an awkward baseball cap and a cigarette. I still remember the first time I saw one of these battery powered "bicycles" silently whiz by me. Within the last several years these riders have increased exponentially. Some appear to be delivering food, others seem to be up to no good. Verrry Mysteeeerious. We'll never know.

5) The Messenger: These frequently dreadlocked daredevil defy the logic of bicycle physics. Putting in hundreds of miles a day, these riders perform unlike any other, both in stamina and agility. Squeezing through crevices between busses and wiggling through crowds of people crossing the street, these impressive riders snake their way down the street with graceful form, almost invisible. They intimidate some pedestrians, but if you need to get a role of architectural plans from East 53rd St to Church Street, they are your go-to-guy.

6) The Tourist: These riders are easy to recognize because they are dressed like Europeans, not wearing helmets while slowly and awkwardly swerving around on dumb looking cruiser bikes they rented at Columbus Circle. They frequently have no clue whatsoever where they are going, and they love to get in your way. It's like they do it on purpose.

7) The Pedicabbies: These are the foreigners who take advantage of other foreigners. Ride by them and just listen to the garbage they spew. "I rode by Alec Baldwin yesterday." or "That building is the one from Ghost Busters." Fredereick Law Olmstead would turn over in his grave if he knew his park was infested by such sleazy sleeveless scammers. The only thing that makes horse and carriages worse is the fact that they poop all over the place.

8) The Hipsters: Hipsters are the only reason fixed gear bikes even exists. Maybe it's because fixies are the vinyls of bicycles: inferior yet "authentic." Anyway, these epically rad riders are mostly found in Brooklyn, where style trumps performance. Vintage style bikes line the streets and even the guys have baskets in front. It's weird. But that's why it's cool.

9) The Crazy Non-Bikers: These are riders who get the double takes. You see them mostly in the parks or on the Hudson Greenway. They are riding the recumbent bicycles or even bikes that look like elliptical machines. It makes you wonder what stoned bike shop nut came up with these ideas, yet its impressive performance makes you intrigued and somewhat jealous. Then again, it seems like something you would try once then go back to a regular bicycle.

Then again, maybe you are a mix of several categories. The point is, one type doesn't classify all riders. Some people hate all bikers because they associate all of them with the rule-breaking delivery guys or the wreckless traffic swervers. Some people think all riders are training for the Tour de France because of all the silly spandexed people out there. False associations just make it frustrating for the rest of us who are just trying to get from point A to point B. So the point is, know your biker, ok? Now get out of my way, I have somewhere to go.

Spring 2011 Garden

The garden is more or less complete for the season. I've expanded about 80% more than my previous year's surface area, now occupying more than half of the walkable area of the top level of the fire escape.

In here I have some Basil, Rosemary, Peas, a Pepper, a bunch of Fennel, Chamomile, 2 Easter Lilies, some cosmos and some duck foot ivy.

From left to right: in back in pots: Broccoli, Peppers, Chocolate Mint, random indoor plant, Sage; in middle planters: random stuff and String Beans, 4 each of Red and Green Bell, Cayenne and Jalapeno Peppers (that I got from Dad in Philly) , a Tomato Pot; Rain Catchment Bins; Compost...

To note is a funny "weed" I kept pulling out. It was obviously something that made it into my compost with a lot of seeds that eventually found themselves in pretty much everything I had planted for the past couple weeks. But I couldn't figure out what the darn thing was...

Yesterday morning I figured out what they were, as I was walking around a farmer's market in Madison, WI.

The plant caught my eye and I knew at once what had settled all over my garden. My roommate Dave had definitely put scrap zucchini in the compost bag, which had a whole bunch of seeds that would end up in the big compost bin and eventually get mixed in with soil to use. I'm going to get some of it growing in a pot or two and see if I can get some fruit out of it.

Texas Time

After a nice Christmas visit with the Brocks in Philly, Jess and I traveled down to Texas, a land far, far away, somewhere in between the United States and Mexico. Texas was a strange land, but the city of Dallas offered striking scenes, reminiscent of suburban America.

And what would middle earth be without Walmarts with aisles wider than my friggin apartment.

Slightly more interesting than car dealers, strip malls and big box stores was a masonry building that assassinated a US president.

Dallas is...unique...I call this "rims and wreaths"

Fort Worth actually possessed most of the authenticity and charm of the region.

Of course, I couldn't visit Texas without getting some authentic food. How about some mountain oysters and chicken-fried steak?

There are a lot of other funny things in Texas too, like the fact that they have two stadiums, one for the MLB AL West right to the east of one for the NFL NFC East. That's just silly. Silly Texas.

Texas was fun!

Thanks to Jessika's wonderful family for their generous hospitality and a great time. All in all, it was a pretty good place to avoid the great blizzard of 2010.

Pepper Party 3

I picked my first bell pepper. Since I started so late in the season I'll have to settle with a yellow one. That's the ripest it will get now that it's getting cold out. It was delicious though, nice and sweet...

As for my beautiful cayennes, I tried to dry one out in the toaster over but instead of drying it I...toasted it. 

Attempt #2 seems to be working. Just letting it hang out.

And as for the jalepenos, the late start caused me to yield only the smallest fruit that probably wont get much bigger at this point (except for that one I picked earlier)...

Oh well. But with the seeds I've saved from this years crop, and some better planning, I'm already looking forward to next spring.

Pepper Party 2

Recent pickings include the first cayenne I allowed to turn red and also my first jalapeno.

Both went to good use, ending up in a delicious quesadilla Eric made for at Exchange Bar & Grill.

Bacon

This is love.

Mr. Bean

My first major harvest of garden beans wasn't huge, and it wont ever be. I should have planted twice as many and spaced them farther apart. Then again, space was never something I had a lot of out on the fire escape.

The beans tasted decent, not the best I've had, but then again, this was my first run in this compact environment.

Pepper Party 1

Out of the 3 types of baby pepper plants I brought to NYC from Papa Brock at home in Philly, the Cayenne has been the most productive. The first to bear fruit, it's also the first to be picked and used. You can, however, also see two little jalepenos on the left over there.

And what more could a guy ask for than to have his beautiful girlfriend then use that tasty pepper to make the most delicious heuvos rancheros ever?

I can't wait for the jalapeno.

Many Bunches of Oats

If there's one sure way to make Mom proud, it's to find a great bargain.  I'd definitely get a hug and kiss for this one: Honey Bunches of Oats, 2 for $6.  For NYC prices that's like a giveaway! Yeah that's right I bought 4.

What's that? You think at least one of the boxes will go stale on me before I get to it? Psssss, please! I go through cereal like a Manhattan housewife goes through gossip magazines.

Also, for those of you who haven't heard the great news, about 6 months ago Post came out with the only thing that could possibly top HBoO...Just Bunches! It's actually less money per pound than most other cereals, including its mother cereal. With its nice dense and compact box, I have a constant supply with me wherever I go, the stuff is like crack...

Rosemary Pea

If a sugar snap pea plant grows up through a rosemary plant, sharing root room, grasping on with numerous arms, and co-inhabiting the air, will the peas have a slight rosemary taste? We shall find out.

Just OK

This market wasn't amazing, it was just OK.

Breakfast for 2...thousand

When I eat breakfast, so do my little friends. This is what the red wiggler breakfast consists of:

Egg carton, egg shells, coffee filter, coffee grinds and burnt toast (toaster's fault, not mine).

Not a Sausage

If you are Korean, than apparently you believe the word "sausage" is an appropriate synonym for the word "hot dog." In equally deceiving fashion, the word "fried potatoes" is an adequate substitute for "french fries." So as the one white dude in the place, I looked like a stereotypical hyperactive little American child eating what I totally thought was going to be something else. Why would they even serve this on the menu of otherwise Korean dishes? My uninformative friends didn't even think to mention anything as I ordered. Jerks.

Growing Garden

What's an herb garden without fennel? Nothing, I tell you, absolutely nothing.  Not only is it a feathery delightful snack, but it's perfect to sneak up on somebody and put it in their ear.  Try it...very addicting.

I have recently utilized the Gaia soil to help enhance efficiency.  Made of small pieces of recycled styrofoam cups coated in pectin, this airy mix weighs nothing when dry, yet retains insane amounts of water for extended use, reducing that much runoff. Who knew styrofoam cups could actually do some good in this world?

But look at what's going on at the north end of the fire escape! Vinca vine is trying to mimic english ivy, yearning for the relief of a cast iron arm rest.

Truck Farm

I was riding down 2nd Ave this morning when I saw a familiar sight. It was the famous Truck Farm in action, the peculiar yet spectacular little mobile CSA, spreading leafy goodness all over town...

Truck Farm on 2nd Avenue

I took the video with my brand new GoPro Hero HD wide-angle digital helmet cam. Considering this was literally the first time using it, I'd have to say it worked out pretty well. Check out other sick videos by various extreme users...

GoPro Hero

Note: For more (and only) biking related posts, visit Brock's Bike Blog.

Nutritional Distortion

Today I witnessed two different nutritional expressions, equally ridiculous, from products on the opposite side of the food spectrum. The first was during one of my random yet regular crack-like cravings for the deceivingly delicious McDonalds chicken McNugget.  I'm well aware of the negative nutritional value, despite the addictively scrumptious taste, but I couldn't help but chuckle as I noticed the poor attempt to claim value in, not nutrition, but the next best thing. I guess they'll take what they can get.

Later in the day, this billboard caught my eye. I had always figured the 8oz "serving" was a mere scam to make reported amounts of calories, fat and sodium seem lower, but this one doesn't make sense. Why not just say "zero calories" period?  Unless of course 0 + 0 > 0.  Is it?