Joseph Mallozzi's Blog, page 137

February 18, 2022: Heading into the weekend!

Today’s Yes/No…

Strawberry and Cream Burger? yes/No
New burger in Japan combines fried chicken with…strawberries and cream?!? https://t.co/VMA30zpFsY via @RocketNews24En

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) February 18, 2022

Which took me back to that time I visited Tokyo Hot Fried Chicken for their Nashville Ice (fried chicken and vanilla ice cream).

Today, for lunch, I looked to make some major progress on the 500 grams of Japanese trout roe Akemi ordered for me.

Surprisingly, I was only able to make my way through about 200 grams.  I may need back-up!

This guy has convinced me to entrust him with my hard-earned money.  He seems like he knows what he’s talking about…

SOME PEEPS OUT HERE CASTING SHADE ON RETAIL INVESTORS MANAGING THEIR OWN EQUITY INVESTMENTS WHEN LICENSED AND REGISTERED WEALTH ADVISORS CAN CHARGE A HUNDRED BASIS POINTS OR MORE ON CLIENT ASSETS FOR PROVIDING WISDOM LIKE THIS—pic.twitter.com/tDThX5K9HG

— INVESTMENT HULK (@INVESTMENTSHULK) February 18, 2022

This is actually very clever…

Man Hides Engagement Ring In Piece Of Cheese So Girlfriend Will Take It Without A Fuss https://t.co/VkPn4Zj7IF

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) February 18, 2022

Meanwhile, it’s not like we have enough to worry about…

Back up those laptops!
Sun 'has been erupting non-stop this month' – with huge flares on the way https://t.co/nU1BbWTZmq

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) February 18, 2022

So, any plans this weekend?  I’ve got a lot of reading on tap.  Trying to hit 50 books by end of February!

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February 17, 2022: Flashback!

My sister sent me the following photos from back in the day…

Yo, where’s the flood?  I also suspect this was just some random car we were posing against as I distinctly recall my father’s tank-like maroon Ford LTD.

For some inexplicable reason, my mother liked to keep my hair long when I was a kid, thus ensuring I was occasionally mistaken for a girl in elementary school.  My sister, on the other hand, always sported a bowl-cut secured her standing as my little brother, Andy.

The fashion crimes in this single picture!  If your parents were Russian spies who sought to infiltrate Western society using bad intelligen, this is how they would dress their kids.

Me in the ubiquitous Canadian parka.

My most horrified injury happened during 4th grade gym class when the trampoline we were setting up swung back, snapping my arm in two places.  I wore a cast for two months.  Then x-rays revealed the hospital had set the bone wrong so I had to go back in so that they could re-break it.  How, pray tell, does a medical professional re-break an arm?  Simple?  Some big guys just applies pressure until it fractures.  And no, I didn’t receive any painkillers.

Clearly wary about the possibility that this photo would pop up online decades later.

Pictured here with my bouffant hairdo standing alongside my sister and our poodle, Snoopy.  Because, at that age, everyone called their dog Snoopy regardless of breed.

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February 16, 2022: Amazing Covers!

A few that caught my eye this week…

Vampiverse #6 – cover art by Meghan Hetrick

Iron Fist #1 – cover art by Gunji

Thor #22 – cover art by Marc Aspinall

Batman: The Knight #2 – cover art by Carmine di Giandomenico

Catwoman #40 – cover art by Jeff Dekal

Detective Comics #1053 – cover art by Irvin Rodriguez

Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow #8 – cover art by Bilquis Evely

Regarding the Matter of Oswald’s Body #4 – cover art by Julian Totino Tedesco

Orision #1 – cover art by Carlos Villas

Quad #1 – cover art by Diego Sanches

Animal Castle #3 – cover art by Felix Delep

Cloaked #3 – cover art by Jordi Armengol

The Sword of Hyperborea #2 – cover art by Yishan Li

Ascencia vol. 1 – cover art by Doaly

So, which were YOUR favorites?

 

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February 15, 2022: Valentine’s Day Shi-Bang at Giulietta!

Last night, Akemi and I celebrated Valentine’s Day with a romantic Italian meal at Giulietta on College Street – with our foodie friend Dr. Blackjack!

The last time we’d visited was a little over two years ago – just prior to the pandemic.  Hopefully, it won’t be another two years before we make a return visit.

Carne Crudo (hand-cut beef, umbrian black truffles, hens egg, parmgiano reggiano & crostone): This one was more for Dr. Blackjack and I as Akemi isn’t a big fan of truffle (which she says: “Tastes like old man’s pillow.”), but I suspect this is more of a reaction to phony truffle oil than it is to actual truffles – which is what we have here, shaved atop the tartare toast.  Akemi DOES, however, like crusty bread and, in the end, ended up enjoying the end pieces just fine.

Crudo di Pesce Spada (marinated swordfish, olives, capers, lemon, chili, mint & olio nuovo): Akemi is, on the other hand, a huge fan of sashimi and raw fish preparations, so she wanted to try this one, even though she’d never had swordfish before.  I’d had it cooked in the past and found it texturally similar to cooked tuna, a preparation I avoid at all costs.  The dish was served with tiny slices of birds-eye chili that packed a powerful pop.  Dr. Blackjack and I really enjoyed this dish but Akemi, it turns out, is not a fan of swordfish.  She prefers hamachi.

Polpo e Fagioli (grilled octopus, cannellini beans & salsa verde): On the other other hand, we could all agree that this dish was spectacular.  Special shout-out to the cannelloni beans that reminded me of the preparation my grandmother used to make back in the day.

Trippa alla Romana (roman style braised tripe, tomato, pecorino & pangrattato): This dish is probably not for everyone – but it WAS for everyone at our table.  One of the best plates of the night.

La Valentia (tomato, spicy ‘nduja sausage, smoked scamorza, roasted garlic & basil): This smoky, spicy, and a little sweetness c/o of the generous pieces of roast garlic.

Tagliolini alla Genovese (braised veal cheek ragu, white wine, soffritto, olive oil, pecorino & parsley): Of the two pasta dishes we ordered, this was Akemi and Dr. Blackjack’s favorite.

Tortelli ai Funghi (porcini & ricotta filled pasta, foraged mushrooms, butter & thyme): While I preferred the stuffed pasta.  Given the choice, I’ll almost always prefer the stuffed pasta.

Red Fife Tiramisu (red fife ‘spagna’, custard, rhum, espresso & dark chocolate): I’m a bit of a stickler when it comes to tiramisu, but this one was great.

As was the nutella soft serve.

 A wonderful dinner.

In celebration of Valentine’s Day, Akemi made a super dense, ultra-rich sake-laced chocolate cake.

Akemi informed me that February 14th, Valentine’s Day, is a huge deal in Japan.  MUCH bigger than the rather tame celebration we tepidly enjoy here in the West.  It’s a day where Japanese women do special things for their significant others – like baking cakes!  A month later, March 15th, is White Day.  And, on that day, the tables are turned.  The hunter become the hunted!  Akemi is very much looking forward to what I have planned for HER.  She is expecting it to be “Shi-bang!”

Suji wasn’t left out!  Akemi prepared her daily soup (turmeric and mussels) which she roundly ignored after getting a sniff of the egg Akemi had made for her.  My girl likes what she likes.  Like her dad.  It’s obviously genetic.

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February 14, 2022: Baron’s Book Club Blab Blog!

A few more new and upcoming books for your consideration…

Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson

In present-day California, Eleanor Bennett’s death leaves behind a puzzling inheritance for her two children, Byron and Benny: a traditional Caribbean black cake, made from a family recipe with a long history, and a voice recording. In her message, Eleanor shares a tumultuous story about a headstrong young swimmer who escapes her island home under suspicion of murder. The heartbreaking tale Eleanor unfolds, the secrets she still holds back, and the mystery of a long-lost child, challenge everything the siblings thought they knew about their lineage, and themselves.

Can Byron and Benny reclaim their once-close relationship, piece together Eleanor’s true history, and fulfill her final request to “share the black cake when the time is right”? Will their mother’s revelations bring them back together or leave them feeling more lost than ever?

My thoughts: Byron and Benny, the son and prodigal daughter of the recently deceased Eleanor Bennett, gather at a lawyer’s office to hear their mother’s final message to them. But the recording she has left them proves as illuminating as it is surprising, a lengthy recap of Eleanor’s life, from her humble childhood in the Caribbeans to the tragic event that drastically changed her life and set her on an unexpected path. The novel offers shifting narrative POV’s that chart the struggles of Byron, Benny, and a mysterious woman who is introduced late in the story but whose true identity ultimately impacts the lives of all. Eleanor’s chapters, however, are this book’s strong point, detailing an inspiring tale about friendship, conviction in the face of adversity, and secrets. Lots of secrets. There are times when it feels like this book stretches itself a little thin in its attempts to touch on varied social issues. While most are well-integrated into the story, a few feel like missed opportunities, simply presented and then glossed over in the telling. Still, wonderfully crafted characters, strong, nuanced relationships, and a central mystery that is only resolved in the closing pages make Black Cake a compelling and rewarding read.

4/5

***

The Tally Stick by Carl Nixon

Up on the highway, the only evidence that the Chamberlains had ever been there was two smeared tire tracks in the mud leading into an almost undamaged screen of bushes and trees. No other cars passed that way until after dawn. By that time the tracks had been washed away by the heavy rain. After being in New Zealand for only five days, the English Chamberlain family had vanished into thin air. The date was 4 April 1978. In 2010 the remains of the eldest Chamberlain child are discovered in a remote part of the West Coast, showing he lived for four years after the family disappeared. Found alongside him are his father’s watch and what turns out to be a tally stick, a piece of scored wood marking items of debt. How had he survived and then died? Where is the rest of the family? And what is the meaning of the tally stick?

My thoughts: This one starts off strong with the accident that orphans three young children, then takes an unexpected turn when rescue presents itself in an unexpected form.  From there, my reading experience mirrored the frustrations of our wayward protagonists as they attempt to make sense of, and then resist their new lives.  We jump back and forth in time between their struggles and the story of an aunt who, 32 years later, travels to New Zealand to learn the truth about what happened.  The latter feels more like a distraction that doesn’t add much to the overall story outside of a nice, ironic twist at book’s end.  It’s an interesting read albeit very bleak.  Given that we already know the sad ending, it often feels like we’re biding our time until the last predestined piece of the somber puzzle snaps into place.

3/5

***

Helltown: The Untold Story of Serial Murder on Cape Cod by Casey Sherman

1969: The hippie scene is vibrant in Provincetown, Massachusetts. Long-haired teenagers roam the streets, strumming guitars and preaching about peace and love… and Tony Costa is at the center of it all. To a certain group of smitten young women, he is known as Sire―the leader of their counter-culture movement, the charming man who speaks eloquently and hands out hallucinogenic drugs like candy. But beneath his benign persona lies a twisted and uncontrollable rage that threatens to break loose at any moment. Tony Costa is the most dangerous man on Cape Cod, and no one who crosses his path is safe.

When young women begin to disappear, Costa’s natural charisma and good looks initially protect him from suspicion. But as the bodies are discovered, the police close in on him as the key suspect. Meanwhile, local writers Kurt Vonnegut and Norman Mailer are locked in a desperate race to secure their legacies as great literary icons―and they both set their sights on Tony Costa and the drug-soaked hippie culture that he embodies as their next promising subject, launching independent investigations that stoke the competitive fires between two of the greatest American writers.

My thoughts: I don’t read a lot of true crime because I have a fundamental issue with books that blur the line between fiction and non-fiction, dramatizing events and incorporating fictitious dialogue to flesh out scenes and drive a true story-based narrative.  Helltown offers well-researched insights into serial killer Tony Costa, his horrific crimes that are laid out in visceral detail, and his subsequent trial.  In addition, the book also tracks the experiences of real-life authors Kurt Vonnegut and Norman Mailer who were tangentially connected to Costa’s story and ended up writing about the case.  Their dedicated chapters, while interesting, never failed to take me out of the story.  Nevertheless, if serial killers are your thing, this book does deliver an absorbing account of Cape Cod’s most notorious murderer.

3/5

***

The Swells by Will Aitken

A boatload of white privilege, The Emerald Tranquility is the most luxurious cruise liner afloat, its passengers some of the richest people in the world. Meanwhile the ship’s crew, overworked and underpaid, live packed tightly together in airless below-deck cabins.

Briony Paget, globetrotting luxury travel writer, emulates the rich — though homeless and penniless herself — as she hops from gig to all-expenses-paid gig. 

The passengers encounter a great number of cataclysms at sea, but no matter the catastrophe, the great ship always sails on.

On her own personal voyage, Briony encounters Mrs. Moore, an enigmatic old woman clandestinely fomenting a mutiny on this bountiful ship. With the captain overthrown, roles quickly reverse: the crew become the ship’s new leisure class and the aged passengers learn how to mop floors and scrub toilets. 

Briony, confused and terrified by the resultant chaos, must decide which lot to cast her fate with, in this savage satire of the way we live now.

My thoughts: It’s described as “darkly hilarious satire”, but I’d argue it’s more broadly farcical with its caricatures and over-the-top dialogue and situations.  More wacky than sharp in its skewering of social conventions, it’s tonally akin to a Wes Anderson film or any of the Marx Brothers offerings.  There are some very funny moments, but the humor is so silly that it becomes wearisome after a while.  This would have made a brilliant short story.

***

The Candy House by Jennifer Egan

It’s 2010. Staggeringly successful and brilliant tech entrepreneur Bix Bouton is desperate for a new idea. He’s forty, with four kids, and restless when he stumbles into a conversation with mostly Columbia professors, one of whom is experimenting with downloading or “externalizing” memory. Within a decade, Bix’s new technology, Own Your Unconscious—that allows you access to every memory you’ve ever had, and to share every memory in exchange for access to the memories of others—has seduced multitudes. But not everyone.

My thoughts: Jennifer Egan’s follow-up (prequel) to A Visit From the Goon Squad is a challenging read that. while clever and brimming with humor and memorable characters, ends up collapsing under the weight of its varied viewpoints.  Fans of the first book will be better served here than first-time readers to the Egan-verse.  Still, the book boasts some wonderful characters and terrific stories, one of my favorites involving a stubbornly contested property dispute.

3/5

***

Very Cold People by Sarah Manguso

For Ruthie, the frozen town of Waitsfield, Massachusetts, is all she has ever known.

Once home to the country’s oldest and most illustrious families–the Cabots, the Lowells: the “first, best people”–by the tail end of the twentieth century, it is an unforgiving place awash with secrets.

Forged in this frigid landscape Ruthie has been dogged by feelings of inadequacy her whole life. Hers is no picturesque New England childhood but one of swap meets and factory seconds and powdered milk. Shame blankets her like the thick snow that regularly buries nearly everything in Waitsfield.

As she grows older, Ruthie slowly learns how the town’s prim facade conceals a deeper, darker history, and how silence often masks a legacy of harm–from the violence that runs down the family line to the horrors endured by her high school friends, each suffering a fate worse than the last. For Ruthie, Waitsfield is a place to be survived, and a girl like her would be lucky to get out alive.

My thoughts: The entirety of the story is told in a series of short paragraphical observations, diary-like missives from our protagonist as she reflects back on her childhood growing up in a dysfunctional family.  This unique narrative approach was, to be honest, a little difficult to appreciate in the early goings but, as the story and these character developed, it was something I fully embraced.  In retrospect, it’s a deceptively clever structure that reads like a darkly humorous reminiscence but gradually strips away the nostalgia to lay bare the horrifying secrets underlying the whole.  No doubt one of the best books I’ll read this year.

4/5

***

So, what are YOU reading?

The post February 14, 2022: Baron’s Book Club Blab Blog! appeared first on Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog.

February 13, 2022: Suji Sunday!

A  certain pug went on a poop strike this past week to protest my trip to Montreal.  Despite Akemi’s attempts to coax her, Suji stuck to her, uh, guns until my return on Thursday.  After that, the embargo was lifted and she more than made up for lost time.

As I mentioned in last week’s update, she has suddenly stopped walking.  She has always experienced weakness in her hindquarters, but always compensated with the front legs.  Now, all four legs seem to be incredibly weak.  Akemi suspects this is due to injury, the result of wipeout on the slushy pavement a couple of weeks back, but we’re really not seeing any improvement.  So we made an appointment for her to visit a physiotherapist – sometime in April as that was the earliest opening.  In the meantime, we’ve been exercising her legs, giving her massages, and taking her out for “carpet runs” which require us to support her as she saunters up and down the hall.  Good for her.  Terrible for our poor backs.

Despite her bum paws, our girl continue to be very high spirits, especially when she feels we need a reminder about serving breakfast, dinner, or putting her to bed (where she gets her goodnight treats).

Getting some love from mom.  Her fur is stained from the turmeric and mussel soup Akemi gives her from her joints.  I’m thinking we should bathe her in the stuff and then post her on social media as a “rare golden pug” like the exotic yellow bird they discovered a few years back that caused much excitement…until they realized it was a seagull that had fallen into a vat of curry.

Exercise and massage time…

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Top 10 Kpop Songs of January, 2022!

Top 10 Kpop Songs of January, 2022
#9. #Enhypen #엔하이픈 #Blessed_Cursed
Putting together a pretty impressive discography given they only debuted in late 2020.#Engene #KpopTop10 pic.twitter.com/o1C6Lenrpn

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) February 10, 2022

Top 10 Kpop Songs of January, 2022
#7. #Taeyeon #태연 #CantControlMyself
One of the grand ladies of Kpop delivers yet again.#SONE #So_One #KpopTop10 pic.twitter.com/SbUxqwnIQR

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) February 10, 2022

Top 10 Kpop Songs of January, 2022
#5. #MAMADOL #MMD #마마돌 #WooAhHip
Love the premise of this group of working/singing moms. Great debut. #KpopTop10 pic.twitter.com/Vd0qPwOQkg

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) February 10, 2022

Top 10 Kpop Songs of January, 2022
#3. #Momoland #모모랜드 #NattiNatasha #YummyYummyLove
These girls can do no wrong.#MerryGoRound #KpopTop10 pic.twitter.com/OuqUmHjoEG

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) February 10, 2022

Top 10 Kpop Songs of January, 2022
#1. #WJSNCHOCOME #슈퍼그럼요 #SuperYuppers
My favorite sub-unit follows up last year's debut, Hmph!, with an equally great track. Major #OrangeCaramel vibes! #Unjung #KpopTop10 pic.twitter.com/BUnnpemVjb

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) February 10, 2022

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February 11, 2022: Back in the Toronto swing of things!

This little lady protested my trip to Montreal by not pooping for the duration of my time away.  With me back home, however, she has decisively reversed this policy in a very big way.  Still limited mobility in her legs, but significant movement on the bowel front.

Today, my wife stopped to take a photo of this potato, chuckling at its sleepy expression… and weirding out the other shoppers. pic.twitter.com/nkCR9UrJeq

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) February 11, 2022

Montreal was a lot of fun.  As always when I travel back, I ate well.  Maybe a little too well.

Pistachio-Cream Cheesecake Topped with Crushed Pistachios

Now that I’ve returned, my oatmeal dinners resume as previously scheduled.

I absolutely need this set.
Cats and dogs apologising at Japanese press conference is our newest gacha capsule toy obsession https://t.co/k7aGwJ1XHq via @RocketNews24En

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) February 11, 2022

Apparently, the pug apologizes for overeating.  Perfect.

Today’s Yes/No…

2 pound Chocolate Soufflé? Yes/No
You can eat the largest chocolate soufflé in NYC at Max Brenner right now https://t.co/fEG1DRm0jn

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) February 11, 2022

So, who are you rooting for in this year’s Super Bowl?  As much as I like Matthew Stafford and the prospect of him finally getting a ring, I have to go with the Bengals, partly because they’ve never won a Super Bowl, but mostly because they have the coolest helmets in the league.

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February 10, 2022: The Montreal Wrap-Up!

I bid Montreal adieu as I prepare to head back home to Toronto.

Mom making taralli for Akemi…

Sis models the Akemi’s belated Christmas apron.

No trip to Montreal would be complete without a visit to Smoke Meat Pete.  Meat was a little dryer than on past visits but still delicious.

I am, apparently, impatiently awaited back in Toronto where someone – who shall remain nameless – hasn’t pooped since I left town three days ago.

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February 9, 2022: Amazing Covers!

A few that caught my eye this week…

Devil’s Reign #4 – cover art by Joshua “Sway” Swaby

Detective Comics #1052 – cover art by Lee Bermejo

Suicide Squad: Blaze #1 – cover art by Matias Bergara

Good Boy #3 – cover art by Francesco Francavilla

Avengers #53 – cover art by Joshua “Sway” Swaby

Batwoman/Catwoman #10 – cover art by Clay Mann

Detective Comics #1052 – cover art by Irvin Rodriguez

So, which were YOUR favorites?

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