Tracy's Facebook Fuck-Up Gets Her Screwed Twice

The top item on many social news sites this morning is a screenshot (click on photo below to enlarge) that purportedly shows an embarrassing message a woman posted to her public Facebook page. If real, it’s a mistake that might take some time to recover from. And if it’s fake, well it still might take some time to recover from...and a lot of convincing of one’s innocence! While it doesn’t appear to be Photoshopped, and the woman’s friends are definitely real Facebook members, it’s very possible the account was compromised by another person and it’s just a malicious prank. However, something tells me this is real. Why? Because it’s just more proof to me that older people shouldn’t be on Facebook. They aren’t ready for the digital information overload that is our lives. They have difficulty distinguishing between what is public and what is private when it comes to the Internet. So the information they throw out there often gets filtered incorrectly and they unknowingly make their private life too public. They’re unaware how to adjust privacy settings and gain control of what information is displayed and who gets privilege to that info. To them, nothing is black and white. It’s all gray and fuzzy. And that is where the problem lies! If you don’t know the ins and outs of Facebook and Twitter, DO NOT USE THEM! When it comes to social networking sites, what you don't know can hurt you.

It takes a lot to actually make me LOL on the Internet, but this gem did the trick!


I like Jeff. I too would reply with one word - "Nice." And I also would play dumb and not help her immediately. I would want to take in the sick giggle at her expense just a tiny bit longer. Maybe that’s mean, but something like this is too priceless not to bask in for awhile. However, the moral of the story here is a simple one. If you don’t know how to properly/fully use something, don’t use it. Now if you still want to use something, but don’t know how to properly/fully use it, LEARN. Or if you're Tracy, you'll eventually learn the hard way.

Call me a snob, but I liked it better when Facebook was only open to those who had a college or university e-mail address. Ah yes, those were the good old days when your Mom couldn’t friend you and stalk you on Facebook! The good old days when I wasn’t subjected to cougars and MILFs sending me messages on Facebook thinking this was the new Match.com or eHarmony. It’s Facebook. It’s a social networking site, NOT a dating site! There is nothing on my Facebook page that says I’m looking to bang chicks who are old enough to be my mother or that I’m searching for a woman whose kids I have more in common with than her. I’m sorry and I don’t mean to be a dick, but I’m just not interested. Now when it comes to Tracy, I'm willing to make an exception (insert evil laugh here).

If she hasn't been laid in months, something tells me this Michael she's conversing with (and pounding her like a lion) isn’t her fiance. Dirty girl! All we do know for sure is that she likes a strong and powerful mounting. Regardless, I’m thinking I should start a Facebook fan page: "Fans of Tracey’s OTHER Pussy." Or maybe I should send out a Facebook party invite: "You’re Permanently Invited to The Love Cave Between Tracey’s Legs."

By the way...Tracy, I sent you a friend request. Rrroar! ;)

***UPDATE***
Good news or sad news to report, depending on how you see it. The latest rumor is that a group of hackers/crackers from 4Chan have been targeting Christian users on Facebook and a few other sites (mostly online dating websites) and compromising their accounts. ANYONE, even without being listed as her friend, can view Tracy Turkish Brooks Facebook page at www.facebook.com/jesuslust

Again, Digg.com and others are reporting this as a fake. Apparently Tracy is a good girl afterall, or so we should assume. So I thought it's only fair that I should help clear her name. Sorry this happened to you Tracy and sorry so many of us got a sick laugh out of it. But comeon, it was hilarious! Even you have to admit that! And is it wrong that I wish this had been real? Damn it.

So now there is an added moral to the story - use stronger passwords, people!

Hog Dogs Put on a Show

Just like how burgers got dressed up a couple of years ago and made it to the menu of some fancy restaurants, hot dogs are now the latest to go gourmet.

A new spot that puts a Coney Island dog to shame is Show Dogs on Market Street near the Tenderloin, brought to you by the people behind Foreign Cinema restaurant.

For me, hot dogs are guilty pleasures. I know it’s bad for you, but I love the saltiness. And I’m even happy with just getting the generic hot dogs at the movie theaters. I usually find myself eating hot dogs only at the movies or baseball games.

But last week I went to check out Show Dogs. On my first visit, I went for their happy hour from 4 to 7 p.m. (During happy hour, you can get a pint of beer for $2.50 but the dogs are regular price.)

Show Dogs is right at the corner of Market and 6th Street, across from the Golden Gate Theater. This stretch of town showcases the full spectrum of humanity, but particularly the end that likes to piss and yell on the street. So as far as location, it really takes a dedicated hot dog eater to drop in.

That said, the store itself is clean and cherry with marble table tops that reminds me of a bistro. The young staff is incredibly friendly, but that may also be because they’re not overly taxed with work. On the times I visited, there were only one or two other people there.

There are 12 varieties of hot dogs on the menu (one is vegetarian)—all are sustainable and most are organic. They’re supplied by some of the big-name meat people in the area: Fatted Calf, Ryan Farr 4505 Meats, Let’s Be Frank and Golden Gate Meats.

On my first visit, I tried the Organic Duck Sausage ($8), which is topped with pasilla BBQ sauce and kim chee. (Side note: the sausages all come with creative toppings, but since the dogs are made to order, you could ask to mix and match the dogs and toppings.)

I also ordered the happy hour Prohibition Ale, which is the first time I tried this beer and I really enjoyed it. It had a lot of body and flavor, but wasn’t overly alcoholic or yeasty. It was smooth, and went really well with the hot dog.

The duck sausage was meaty and succulent, so I really enjoyed the texture but I felt it didn’t have a distinct duck flavor. Still, how can you go wrong with kim chee topping? The kim chee was fresh and great on any hot dog, IMHO. The passilla sauce gave it a nice kick, although I probably could have skipped it. I should also note that the bun was nicely toasted.

Because I enjoyed the Duck Dog, I came back a couple of days later for lunch. This time I got the Organic Lamb Marquez ($7), which is a lamb sausage with fig chutney, house mustard and arugula.

The lamb sausage was slightly dense and the meat texture was almost minced like. It’s not the juicy, meaty bits that I enjoyed in the duck sausage. But one thing I realized about Show Dogs is that the sausages are often covered up by all the toppings. So the dogs don’t really play the starring role.

I enjoyed the lamb sausage because of the sweetness from the fig chutney, but around this point I was craving some good sauerkraut.

I like the concept of Show Dogs and appreciate the creativity on their menu (I want to try the wild boar next). It’s kind of out of the way unless you’re heading to the Warfield or Golden Gate Theater. But it’s the kind of place that I hope does well because it’s time hot dogs got their time in the spotlight.

Show Dogs, 1020 Market St., San Francisco. PH: 415.558.9560. www.sfshowdogs.com

Related links (get it):
Baseball + Hot Dog = Independence
Frankly, It’s More Slim Dog Than Hot Dog
Batter Up: Tres Agave at AT&T Park

Not Getting Published, But My Words Are Being Framed

"I am not a writer. You will never see my name embossed on a fine leather book. The dream of being published does not exist for me..." Blah, blah, blah. You know how it goes. Those are the words you read everytime you visit my blog. Those words are me declaring my acceptance of any future defeat I should suffer in life if my dream of being published fails to become a reality. And while the acceptance of failure is always a jagged pill to swallow, it is a healthy dose of reality. Having one's name embossed on a fine leather book may be all the proof the world needs in order to acknowledge you as a REAL writer, but sometimes all a wannabe writer like myself needs is the acknowledgement of those closest to him to recognize that he has a little writing talent. Until 2 weeks ago, my family was anything but supportive of my writing. That was mostly because they read little to nothing from me and had little to no expectations of me. Which brings us back to sibling roles and the fact that as the baby of the family, I believed I would forever be labeled as the clown and the jock. However, I've recently broke free of that image and I'm about to be framed in a new light!

My sister is not the sentimental type. She is not one to hold a keepsake box full of childhood memories and past loves. (Oddly enough though, I do.) So when she came back from her honeymoon and told me she wanted the folded piece of paper I wrote my wedding toast on, I was more than surprised. "I want to frame it," she told me. Really? I still hadn't gotten over the shock that on her wedding day the only tear/s she shed is when I gave the Best Man toast. That alone says something about my speech, but wanting to frame it? Seriously? People frame fine art and they frame precious photos. They do so to capture time, emotion and beauty. I could stare for hours at Georges-Pierre Seurat's "A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte" painting and get lost in the tiny dots of oily paint, but who would want to stare at my ink-filled chicken scratch on boring and bland vanilla paper?

She doesn't realize that by me giving her this old, folded piece of paper that she's actually the one giving me the gift...or so I feel. She's making my writing frame worthy! No one has ever made my words frame worthy! To me, that's one of the greatest compliments I could ever receive. Instead of being published and my book sitting on a dusty shelf, I'm being hung on a pristine wall. And anyone who ever steps foot in her house will see my writing on the wall. In an odd way, she's turning my words into a piece of art. My canvas was ordinary paper and my paintbrush was a simple pen. Crude tools of an artist, but tools that somehow magically created art without even knowing it. It just goes to show you that you never know how your words can affect someone, for good or bad. Words are a powerful thing. And no three words have greater power than "I Love You." Of course expanding on those three words in my roundabout, beat around the bush style seem to be quite endearing as well.

Have you ever framed a letter you received or some words once said to you? Or have you ever been frame worthy yourself? Share your tale. I'm anxious to hear!

Dish on Dining: Five

Berkeley Hotel Dining is Reborn
2086 Allston Way (at Shattuck), Berkeley
Downtown
PH: 510.225.6055
Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily
Reservations, major credit cards accepted
www.five-berkeley.com

Some of the highly anticipated restaurants lately have been opening up in the East Bay. And it’s no surprise when you have names like Scott Howard.

Chef Howard, who had a restaurant under his own name that closed down near San Francisco’s North Beach neighborhood, has re-emerged with Five restaurant in the historic and recently renovated Hotel Shattuck. The restaurant’s name, according to its Web site, is a celebration of the five senses and five elements that go into food.

I visited Five for dinner recently with my friend Maureen, who has been working in China the last few years and recently moved back to the Bay Area. I thought Howard’s modern take on an American bistro would be a nice reintroduction to the California culinary scene.

Walking in, it takes you awhile to orientate yourself to the black-and-white floors and patterned walls. It’s a bit Manhattan meets Norway in the 1950s. The only hint of Berkeley comes in the interesting inlaid peace symbol at the steps of the foyer.

The deep translucent red lighting, including a chandelier in the lobby, doesn’t seem to hold up to the wide-open layout. That feel seems to carry over to the restaurant, which is to the right of the lobby. The bar serves as a divider between the lobby and the open restaurant, losing all sense of coziness.

Maureen and I sat in a back table near what looked like a real cool lounge area. As Maureen caught me up with her life, I perused the menu, which included a few favorites from Scott Howard (like the orzo mac and cheese with morel mushrooms and my favorite butterscotch pudding).

We started with the Smoked Salmon and Yukon Potato Cake ($10), garnished with green apple slices and horseradish. The salmon was nice, but really served mostly as an accessory to the fluffy and lightly browned potato cake underneath. It was so easy to eat, and the tart crunch of the green apples and kick of the horseradish all blended harmoniously.

For our entrees, Maureen ordered the Duck Confit with Summer Soccotash ($19), which she enjoyed. She says the size of the duck leg was a larger portion than she has seen at other restaurants, so she appreciated that.

I ordered the Lamb Loin with Wild Mushroom Strudel ($24) served with a green peppercorn sauce and spinach. The lamb pieces looked like it was encrusted with the green peppercorn sauce, which was actually mild and didn’t overpower the lamb. I loved how the lamb was perfectly cook, maintaining the tenderness and juiciness of the meat.

But again, the star seemed to be the supporting act; in this case, an incredibly tasty mushroom strudel. It wasn’t just the fact that the strudel pastry was flaky and light, but the stuffing had a variety of mushrooms, creating a complex yet satisfying bite.

To end our dinner, I knew I had to order Howard’s butterscotch pudding. I ate this for the first time at his San Francisco restaurant and fell in love with the creamy, rich pudding that makes you feel like a kid. I’d been searching for a suitable substitute since he closed Scott Howard but nothing seems to compare.

Maureen and I each ordered the pudding ($7) because I warned her I wasn’t willing to share mines. At Five, Howard tweaked his recipe by making it a vanilla bean butterscotch pudding, which explains why the color looked pale than what I remembered at Scott Howard.

The pudding, while creamy and tasty, lacked the strong butterscotch flavor that I recall. Still, it was enjoyable and I especially like the addition of the peanut brittle and shaved chocolate topping.

Service was especially friendly, probably because they still have that “we’re new, come visit us” mentality. Our waiter was very informative although he did sometimes go on and on about our wine selections.

Overall, Five is a welcomed addition to the downtown Berkeley scene. The grand chandelier in the center of the dining room signals the elegance of Howard’s dishes, but the casual vibe makes this a comforting and friendly spot.

Single guy rating: 4 stars (Modern food in historic digs)

Explanation of the single guy's rating system:
1 star = perfect for college students
2 stars = perfect for new diners
3 stars = perfect for foodies
4 stars = perfect for expense accounts
5 stars = perfect for any guy's dream dinner



Similar restaurants you might like:
Luce: “A Taste of Elegance and Style”
Zinnia: “Welcome Home Chef Sean O’Brien”
Chez Papa Resto: “From Bistro to Paris Chic”

Test Kitchen: Puff-Pastry Tomato Tarts

I don’t know if any of you also subscribe to Food and Wine magazine, but if you do, do you agree that the recipes are getting kind of boring? I don’t know, but a lot of them are getting too simple that I don’t really feel challenged. I mean, how many salads can we make?

That’s how I felt when flipping through the August edition, trying to pick three recipes to taste test. Put I put three up for voting, and you, my helpful readers, picked the Puff-Pastry Tomato Tart recipe with barely a majority (51%). Still, it’s the perfect recipe to try because this is prime tomato-eating season.

The recipe is from Andreas Viestad, a Norwegian TV chef who has his own show called “Perfect Day.” I’m not sure why Food and Wine magazine decided to feature a celebrity chef that nobody in the States heard of or can even watch his show? But whatchagonnado?

Chef Viestad came up with a variety of tomato recipes, and the photo of the tart looked like a perfect starter for a summer picnic. You can see the complete recipe on the Food and Wine site here. And this is how it went when I made it.

I started out by blanching the tomatoes so that I can remove the skin. I got some beautiful heirloom tomatoes from the Frog Hollow Farms’ stand at the farmers market. I forgot the particular name of the variety, but it had the word Oregon in it. So if you want some beefy tomatoes, these are the ones for you.

No, your computer’s saturation is not on the blink. These tomatoes are just that red. Aren’t they beautiful? And they were so sweet, but I’m getting ahead of myself. After removing the skin, I sprinkled them with brown sugar and salt and set them aside.

The puff pastry part was easy because the recipe says you can just by ready-made all-butter puff pastry, and that’s what I did. I cut one sheet into two round pieces that measured 6-inches in diameter then baked them until they were golden brown.

Then I piled on the ingredients for my tart, which included the tomatoes, grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese, and butter. Then I baked them and when they were done, I sprinkled them with thinly sliced fresh basil.

Here’s my finished version. It doesn’t really look like the photo in the magazine above, but it still was pretty to eat. But was it worth it? See below.

My tips and warnings about this recipe: Chef Viestad skips a lot of details, like how it helps if you score the bottom of the tomato before blanching. That’ll help when you want to peel the skin. Also, when baking the puff pastry rounds, puncture it with a fork so that it doesn’t puff up into a big balloon in the oven.

Ease of cooking: Another super easy recipe. I mean how hard is it to prepare the tomatoes and then just plop them onto a baked puff pastry that you bought from the store? You can totally use this concept to make other tarts, like fig and gorgonzola or pears and ham, maybe?

Taste: While super easy to make, these tarts really lacked something. My thought was a nice layer of cheese. The grated parmesan isn’t enough. It needed a more substantive base like ricotta or goat cheese. Then it would have been good with the amazing heirloom tomatoes I had. But instead, it was just this weird puff pastry with wet tomatoes on top. I was not a fan.

Overall Grade: C- (easy but I wouldn’t make it again)

Don’t forget to vote in the poll on the right column on which recipe from the pages of Food and Wine’s September edition that you want me to tackle next!

Previous test kitchen:
Bucatini Carbonara
Mini Corn Cakes with Seared Salmon
Spicy and Sticky Baby Back Ribs

Mini Dish: Koreana Kitchen II

Feasting on Kim Chi for Lunch
3288 Pierce St., Richmond
Inside the Pacific East Mall
PH: 510.528.8864
Open for lunch and dinner
No reservations, credit cards accepted

RICHMOND
Whenever I can get my hands on a car, I undoubtedly make the trek up I-80 to Ranch 99 Market to pick up some Asian groceries. On one of these rare shopping trips, I was lured by the bento lunch specials at Koreana Kitchen II.

Koreana Kitchen looks like a contemporary Asian spot, with colorful photography on the walls and bamboo décor. It’s primarily Korean food but like other Asian restaurants at the Pacific East Mall, there are blending of the lines to grab as many customers as they can. Thus the bento lunches, which is really a Japanese thing.

The bentos actually didn’t sound too enticing: just your choice of meat, kim chi, rice and salad. But my eyes did catch the combo special, which includes your choice of meat and a bowl of soon, the Korean soft tofu soup. So that’s what I order, the seafood soon with BBQ chicken.

Of course, before my food arrived I got a nice selection of panchan, the free nibbles laid out before you. Even for lunch and for a solo diner, Koreana Kitchen laid out an impressive six plates of spicy potatoes, kim chi, soy beans, yuba, clear noodles, and seaweed. All of the panchan choices were fresh and tasty.

When my lunch arrived, my bowl of soon was bubbling hot in the cast-iron bowl. My server gave me another bowl with an un-cracked egg in it and told me that I could add in the egg to my soup if I desired. I actually didn’t know Koreans ate an egg with their soon, so I tried it.

Unfortunately, in my mind I thought the egg was hard-boiled, but it was raw. And when I plopped it in my soup, it went straight to the bottom. What I realized I should have done was crack it in the bowl and stir it up a bit to drizzle it into my soup like the Chinese egg flower soup. That way I wouldn't have a big raw egg hidden in my soup.

The rest of the soup was great, filled with a variety of ingredients from meat slices to baby prawns to tofu. It was a combination soon that was nice and filling.

I probably could have just eaten the soon by itself, but my combo came with the BBQ chicken, which looked like a very large plate for the price. But the chicken wasn’t the greatest. It really tasted like fast-food, processed chicken that lacked freshness or quality. Despite the large serving, I don’t know if it was worth the price for that quality of chicken.

Still, Koreana Kitchen is a nice, clean spot that’s family friendly. I wouldn’t say it’s the best Korean in Richmond, but it’s definitely convenient. Avoid the chicken but go for the soon and panchan.

Related posts:
Pyung Chang Soft Tofu House: “Its Soon, Delightful”
Mua: “New Club Vibe on Auto Row”
In a Pickle with Korean Chili

Gratitude Journal

We all have heard people say "I’m destined for greatness" or "I’m destined for failure." If you’re a Pessimistic Patty or a Pessimistic Pete, wouldn’t it be nice if you could change your destiny? You can! And it’s as simple as changing your outlook on life. If you want to start attracting positive things into your life, there is one small thing you should do every day - show your gratitude, appreciation and love for the people and things around you. As more of your thoughts and words become positive, you'll start attracting more positive people and circumstances. Decide today that you are going to reduce negativity in your life by getting rid of the 'don'ts,' 'nots' and 'no's' - the negative people, the negative thoughts. Basically, shed the toxicity in your life, including toxic relationships that weigh you down. The idea is to get in the habit of appreciating things. So how do you do that? Well the best way to do that is by keeping a Gratitude Journal.

It's not a new concept and one that you've probably heard about before. For years, numerous "spiritual teachers" have been recommending and encouraging the practice. But it wasn’t until Oprah (from the Cult of Oprah) endorsed the practice that it began to really take off. For those that don’t know, a Gratitude Journal is a way to consciously call attention to the things for which we are thankful each day. By focusing on gratitude, we become aware of those things and thus create a shift in our thinking to the positive. Starting a gratitude journal helps you rediscover life’s simple pleasures, the very things we all take for granted...and by showing appreciation for these simple things, it creates a whole new outlook on life. And in today’s dreadful economy and bleak job market, who couldn’t use a fresh outlook on life?

Starting and keeping a Gratitude Journal isn't rocket science. Look for things during the day for which you are grateful, making mental notes throughout the day. No matter how small or great, anything goes - a baby's smile, a flower in bloom, or the smell of a newly cut grass. Make the list personal. Be brief in your words and increase the length as time progresses. Begin looking everyday for the positive angle in all things. View obstacles as opportunities to appreciate. Focus on the wonderful things in life to attract similar encounters in the course of the day. Use positive energy as a magnet to draw even more positive energy. Note these attractions in the gratitude journal. And lastly, personalize the gratitude journal. Expand it with clippings, photos, quotes or verses from magazines or other sources.

You can make your Gratitude Journal as private or public as you want it to be. And as formal or informal as you like. All that is really required is that you set aside just 5 minutes at the end of each day to write 5 things you are grateful for on that given day. 1 minute per item. You can do that, right? Of course you can and so can I. My future Gratitude Journal entries will be private and kept in a leather journal, but for now, here are 5 things I am grateful for today...

1. Confirmation that there is a girl out there with the ability to make me deliriously happy.
2. My four-legged BFF, Diesel. He's simply the best part of my every day. As someone with insomnia, last night I found myself falling asleep to the sound of his snore. Oddly enough, his snoring didn't keep me up, but rather calmed me and sent me off into la-la land.
3. That my Grandmother is still with me and we will be celebrating her 90th birthday next month! As someone from a small family, I very much cherish our relationship and feel blessed for each day God has given me to spend with her. Time is short, but precious. A realization I am always mindful of.
4. That I don't carry the bald gene or the fat gene. By genetics, I'm naturally tall and thin. So while most people go to the gym to lose weight, I go to the gym to gain weight - bulk up, build muscle. (I accept the fact that many people hate me because of this.)
5. That I've rediscovered my childhood love of writing. Not even words can describe how sooo, sooo grateful I am for this. It has given me the creative outlet in which I so desperately craved. And in it, the ability express the things in my everyday life that are often too difficult for me to verbalize. To me, paper and pen are better than sliced bread.

So what are you grateful for?

***NOTE***
You can also see this post featured on the frontpage of BrazenCareerist.com