danistrulytheman

I'm STILL a self confessing, self professing know-it-all, or so I think!


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Ascari … again!

Twice is always nice. Too tired, too lazy … this one’s a rush job, sorry folks. Just the pics!

Peroni

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Morandina

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Lasagna Bolognese

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Linguine Puttanesca

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Agnolotti w/ lamb tongue

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Trofie w/ sausage

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Limone w/ ricotta

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Bill

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Bill paid

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Chimay Blue

Ordinarily you won’t find me driving 70 km … leaving the GTAΒ for nuthin’ … ‘less it’s for some sweet stuff! Chimay Blue Cap qualifies. Been checking my LCBO app for days, and to my delight realized they were bringing it back, restocking it … seems to be either seasonal, or a one-off thingie. In any case, for three days straight kept showing zero inventory … till Thursday when 209 bottles became available (rubbing hands together) for the WHOLE province of Ontario … in ONLY two stores no less … one all the hell up in Orillia, ‘sup with that, lol?! A day later, the inventory shrank in half (almost) … only 128 bottles remained. Which brings us to today, Saturday … and me to Pickering … and from what remained on the shelves, just in the nick of time. An hour drive (each way)? Pshaw, ain’t nuthin’ … this boy’s a smilinghappycamper!Β πŸ˜€

Come to papa. My haul y’all …

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Look at the head on that mother …

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Getting my Spring skinny on!

Warmer temps means no more loose layered clothes. I had 4 pounds that I needed to shed, yet I managed 4 more … and all in the past few weeks. More moving, less beer, wiser food choices. Plenty of hard work and dedication, more ahead … but it’s a start, and today I’m pleased.

Old man shaking his skinny-assed moneymaker, lol …

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You turn me on …

Alive and Kicking

[heard it flipping through radio stations, haven’t heard it it years. great live performance vid, now am thirsty for a Heine, lol.]

 


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“because you’re such a nice guy” – Tony

LCBO employee. I do have theΒ niceguyknackgene, and I really appreciate his kind words as he leadΒ me into the stock room (employees only permitted area btw), and grabbed this limited editionΒ Guinness glass, slapping ‘n sticking it to my HarpHappy St. Paddy’s Day danistrulytheman!! :mrgreen:

sorry for the blurriness, my bad …

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Irish as the day is long …

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It’s fucked up that a man’s life can just be attacked

Watching this morning with a beer is much better than relying on
Unknown cunts for mates I was given that don’t have my back

It’s not my fault there’s wall to wall empty cans

No one’s really there fighting for you in the last garrison
No one except yourself that is no one except you
You are the one who’s got your back ’til the last deed’s done

The end of the something I did not want to end
Beginning of hard times to come
But something that was not meant to be is done
And this is the start of what was
It’s the end of something I did not want to end
Beginning of hard times to come
But something that was not meant to be is done
And this is the start of what was
It’s the end of the something I did not want to end
Beginning of hard times to come
But something that was not meant to be is done
And this is the start of what was
It’s the end of the something I did not want to end
Beginning of hard times to come
But something that was not meant to be is done
And this is the start of what was


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for whom the bellwoods tolls

Bellwoods Brewery y’all!! Ambled on over after our Ossington Ave. Wonderboy birthday brunch. These hipster places are popping up all over, and it’s these doofuses who insist on letting everyone know how great and cool these places are with their geekΒ tweets even though it may not be the case … as long as their social media fingers are the quickest outta the pockets/purses … but, I digress. I’ll speak the truth, PLUS I’m a beer drinker from WAY back with a shitload of experience under my 32″ waisted belt, so I kinda know my stuff. Here are my thoughts. I liked the beer (White Picket Fence Belgian Wheat, Bootknife (Belgian Brown)) enough, and I’m a HUGE fan of fresh beers, so they scored bonus points. But, there is no escaping economics, and these 650 ml bottle were priced too high, WAY too high – $5.85 (I recall, thereabouts in any case), and I won’t ever buy again due to that very reason. Saying you’re pricey is the proverbial understatement. A quick example/lesson of better beers w/ better prices; Beau’s Lugtread 4X600ml bottles – $15.85 … and my favourite night and day comparison – Chimay Premiere 750 ml – $6.00 … less 10Β’ deposit to boot. Word to the wise, ya get what ya pay for … and my smart money’s onΒ Chimay!!

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… you know what you can do with your life, introduce it up your jacksie.

No one’s really there fighting for you in the last garrison.
No one except yourself that is, no one except you.
You are the one who’s got your back ’til the last deed’s done.


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more Union dues

… brunch at UNION Restaurant. Again. Great Toronto joint (on the Ossington strip). Great brunch. Again. Sorry, lazy-ass blog today. Blah.

blueberry pancakes w/bacon & maple syrup;

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sausage, beans and corned beef;

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BBQ ribs eggs benny;

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mushroom & fontina frittata (X2);

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the bill -$175 w/tip;

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a day late, a dollar …

didn’t know what to use as a title, this will do. and for the first time ever, I’m blogging without editing, re-editing a million times. I promise (I think, lol). so don’t be expecting the usual falling off your chair as you read this either. stuff I write is falling off the chair funny, isn’t it, lol?! mistakes, punctuation, caps be damned. today was a helluva day, plans I had were cancelled … hate that word, rescheduled is better. Tiffany K and I were dressed ready to go, but with nowhere to go. perfect time to drive to Hamilton to the brand new Anchor Bar that opened yesterday … read yesterday’s blog y’all. normally when I post pics/stories I embellish, cover faults, etc. focusing on only the good aspects … I’m not a reviewer after all, I like things to be perfect (or appear to be). today, I’m afraid I can’t, I have mixed feelings about it all. I can’t remember the last time I had Anchor wings in Buffalo, it’s been that long. fifteen years for sure, probably twenty. I remember they were the pinnacle, the best … today they were good, very good but not the best. Tiff immediately said, “Duff’s” are better. she read my mind, they are. no matter – good is still good. it was more about the beautiful city of Hamilton that depressed me, and I felt bad, I still do as I write this. we made the mistake (mistake because it exposed me to things I was unaware of) of walking out the back of the restaurant, the exit that leads into the mall. Tiff said, “it’s like the seventies in here”. as many stores that were open, an equal number weren’t. for lease signs abounded, the mall was poorly lit, very dark and unwelcoming … I could go on, I won’t. was blown away with the depressed state of it all. guess what at the time was my highlight of the day, so much that I took a moment and snapped a pic … free parking on a Saturday, downtown Hamilton, on King Street … was in fact a harbinger of Hamilton’s economic state. the pics.

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Anchors Away!!

Heard about this early in the a.m. … sadly wasn’t early enough – was a little too late for me switching shit around … and believe me, even with such short notice I tried my bestΒ wing-swinging-it, wanting to be one of the first lucky Canucks inhalin’ Anchor Bar wings not from Frank & Teressa’s original Buffalo landmark, but from the grand spankin’ new one (1st franchise in Canada) opening north of the border in Steeltown today at high noon, smack-dab downtown in Jackson Square. Happy days in the Hammer y’all …Β I’m goin’ to Jackson, I’m gonna mess around …yeah, I’m goin’ to Jackson!!


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change of plans: portuguΓͺs comida

… sorry Tiff. Stopped at my fave Sunday haunt and got roped into a Portuguese food feast. Good bud Alex didn’t even bother to ask if I wanted a beer today, he just ordered it … and he even remembered my brand,Β Stella (best the bar offers). He did ask if I wanted to join him/them for lunch, his treat … I can’t tell you how many times I’ve douched out and declined … not today. A few pics y’all …

Alex and me (grunge photoshopped, lol)

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vino (and bread)

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cabbage, carrots, and potatoes

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… pic #2

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… and 3

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meat: chorizo, chicken, pork … unsure of the rest?

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… pic #2

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my plate (1st of 3 helpings)

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2 bottles (these are the bigboybottles btw) down, 1 to go

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after dinner espresso and double shot of brandy (bowl is deep)

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Final thoughts; those three bottles of wine were drunk ‘tween eight manly men dining (seven actually … stuck with myΒ Stella). Every Sunday, anyone who wants to eat/drink is welcomed. The bill is calculated as a whole, then divided by the number of people … roughly calculated too (no nitpicking), making paying easier. Today it was $20/head … ALL IN!!Β My lunch included three beers (typically $6-7 at any bar), all the food I could eat, a double shot of brandy and espresso … to call it a good bargain would be the proverbial understatement. Thanks again Alex, you’re good people!!


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you had me at Steak & Guinness

… guy in line ahead of me too apparently, wife quipped “it’ll do for the car ride home”, lol. First I’ve heard of Williams-Sonoma artisans’ market, and from what I’ve seen, seems like they have a winner on their hands. A few pics.

placard promoting local artisanal products (try saying that three times fast, lol)

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Yorktown Pie picks

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my Steak & GuinnessΒ … thing’s a heftyheifer

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… all ready to reheat, and chowdownmofos


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baked chili

… my favourite dish/way of utilizing leftover chili (especially on a cold, blustery, wintry day) … well, maybe not … LOVE chili dogs too … chili cheese fries, spaghetti chiligneseΒ (just made that shit up, so don’t be pilfering … at least give credit where it’s due if ya do) areΒ motherfucking awesome as well … shit, now I’m confused/over-thinking it, lol. This was day five of the chili (still have enough for day six, AND I did freeze some, so I can enjoy those chili dogs for a quick meal). In my Le Creuset stoneware I layered basmati rice (leftover too, of course … be sure to add extra water/liquid as it tends to greedily sop up moisture) and an equal layer of the chili, with a generous layer of cheddar topping it all. Bake it hot and long to really get the cheese bubbling, and with blackened little crispy bits beginning to form around the edge … this means you’re done. A couple of pics y’all. Know it’s hard to visualize (individual) portion-wise, but trust me they’re perfect … served in my newly and proudly purchased terra-cotta chili/soup bowls handmade in Portugal. Sliced & spatula-ed, sour creamed & served … alongside a FROSTY (today at least, lol)Β tall cool oneΒ … lighten up baby I’m in love with you!!

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more chillin’ than grillin’

Warm days have been great, I ain’t complainin’. Just that during these days my motivation/excitement level to bbq is through the proverbial roof. But, by the time I get home after stopping and shopping for groceries, and then firing up the grill (doing some prep work while I wait) … day suddenly disappears into night. Temps drop quickly too – maybe just appears that way as I’m special occasion/celebrating drinking my frosty Creemore, lol. Here’s a few pics; two strip steaks (rubbed liberally with garlic salt, cracked black pepper, and my secret –Β Barberian’s Steak Seasoning), and four Mexican style sausages courtesy my local Fortinos … enjoy y’all!!

fire in the hole

grill marks looking good

the PERFECT char


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night time bbq-ing

few words, few pics instead. up against it lately – don’t know which way is up, which way is down. time change didn’t help, warmer weather (recording breaking day today) did.

boneless skinless chicken thighs tossed on the hot grill

portabello caps tossed on too, and lotsa s&p

getting sauced – the chicken I mean, lol

more and more bbq sauce

almost done now folks

and don’t be fooled by my backyard patio light. this was night/dark y’all!!