Fabulous! We Broke a Thousand!

Wow. My followers number has just passed a thousand.

Thanks everybody.

To celebrate here's a picture of my friend's dog Mr. Fabulous.

(Don't let the name fool you, Fab is a girl dog.)

Here she is doing that trick where you humiliate the dog by placing food on their face before they're allowed to eat it. 

The saddest part however is in the next moment, Fab is going to discover that she does not like pickles. 

How cool is this?

Thanks to everyone who sent the link. (You can stop now btw.)

And a special thanks to Dean for the tribute.

Well well well

So the New Zealand news people found my rebuttal. 

I was just rereading my earlier post. I hope I didn't insult them when I asked if they were a real news show. I was just wondering if it was a legitimate news show or a comedy news show like The Daily Show. 

What?!

This just came up on my Google alerts.

If you click, there is video too.

Actor Jorge Garcia celebrated his 36th birthday with Lost cast mates. They gave him a special gift: an iPod toilet paper holder, plus his very own plus-size toilet seat cushion with his name printed on it. Apparently Garcia has been complaining about the rock-hard loos on set.

Is this a real news show?

Do they really think that it's true?

Does an iPod TP holder actually exist? 

Wow! I guess it does.

For the record I celebrated my birthday with a couple friends at Manna Korean BBQ. 

But I didn't mention it was my birthday. 

Because they douse your head with champagne there.

I don't even remember this picture

I was going through some pictures of the dog while I'm at my parents' house. 

And I came across this one. 

It's from last Thanksgiving. I don't remember it at all. 

But it's quickly become one of my favorites. 

I have no clue what to do with Bread Fruit

So I've seen bread fruit at the store many times. I had no idea how to pick it or what to do with it. I figured maybe when I got it home and cut into it it would all seem clear. 

Nope. 

No help here. This is not like any fruit I've ever come across.

(Not like any bread I've come across either.)

I looked up on the internet. Usually people bake it. 

Well I'm not sold on it yet. 

C'mon People Fix Your Menu

It funny keeping this blog. Because I can't tell you how many times something happens to me that I can't wait to share. Like when we stayed at the Westin Pasadena the weekend of my buddy's wedding. 

The hotel was fine. The room service the first day was incredible. (Try the tomato soup if they have it.) There was nothing I was compelled to write about until breakfast the next day.

This is what I ordered.

This is what I got.

Does something seem wrong here? I had to pull out the menu to double check if I had misread it. I envisioned an egg white omelet that actually had the broccoli diced into it. So I called down. 

This is what I love, their first answer was that since we had ordered the oatmeal with the stuff on the side that the kitchen probably assumed we would also want the broccoli on the side?

Honestly?!

They were going to refire the order the right way as it is written in the menu. Great. 

Then they called back and said. That after conferring with the kitchen she was told that this is how the omelet comes. The broccoli is always on the side. So I said, "You do realize that that is not what the menu says right?" 

Of course she had to agree. There is no argument here. I mean maybe if it had read "with cheddar and broccoli" you could almost make the argument that the broccoli had nothing to do with the omelet. 

They still offered to make it the way it's described but at this point it would take too long get it, so I passed. 

I wonder what their macaroni and cheese looks like?

The Best Part About Flying First Class

The butter just seems better up there.

Madrid Churros con Chocolate

I think I saw this on No Reservations with Anthony Bourdain first.

Churros and chocolate is a big early morning breakfast/night cap in Madrid. And the place to  go is the Chocolatería San Ginés. 

The chocolate is super thick and rich. We went here twice for two reasons: It was good. And we didn't know the churros came in two sizes. 

The first night we came here I saw an old lady stick this huge churro into her mouth. I can never unwatch that. 

I'll stick to the little ones.

Madrid: Two Requirements

This trip to Madrid I had only two things I DEFINITELY HAD TO SEE:

Picasso's Guernica

Goya's Saturn Devouring His Son 

(which I tried to carve into a pumpkin last Halloween).

Both are in Madrid. Both are important pieces that I've come to admire in photographs. 

So it was great to get to see them in person.

I Found this Leaf in my Hair when I was Showering

This is what happens when they have you shooting promos in the bamboo of the hotel's courtyard. I thought I got them all. This guy was a straggler.

Madrid's Main Event

The fan event in Madrid was crazy. The costumes were very creative including Virgin Mary statues and The Black Smoke.

Madrid: A Pause for Tapas

We hit the ground running in Madrid. Starting with the "ant show."

The next day was full of interviews  followed by the premiere event for the fans. 

But before I had to leave for that, we took a moment to grab some tapas. 

It was nice. We tried a bunch of stuff but nothing beat the Jamón Ibérico and Manchego. 

Which they carve right from this leg held in place with a "jamonera." 

Don't worry I'm sure the tin foil keeps it sanitary.

Better have me a a strong "café con leche" because I still have a long night ahead of me.

This brings me back to the Cuban coffee I used to have at Abuela and Bente's.

 

Munich Closeout

This was my favorite sign. We giggled every time we saw it. And we saw it a lot. It basically means "off ramp" so you can imagine...

Will you stop shoving that frog down my shirt and pull my finger already!

From the plane we had a great view of the Alps.

Munich's Main Event

So then there was the season premiere event in Munich. There were a lot of fans. I signed some t-shirts. I signed some painters coveralls/Dharma jumpsuits. (Well one actually.)It was a lot of fun. The fan stuff is always the best part of these trips. 

Going to be on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon Tomorrow

Hey everybody ,

I'm in New York to do Late Night with Jimmy Fallon on Tuesday.

Also I'm going to be on The View Wednesday morning with Michael Emerson. 

Check them out. 

I wanted to post some New York stuff already but I forgot to pack my camera cord.

So in that case please continue to enjoy more Munich.

Went to a Castle

We visited Neuschwanstein Castle. 

It was the inspiration for the Disneyland castle. 

(You're required to say that whenever you mention this castle. )

To get there you take a horse drawn carriage. 

The carriage drivers are these cute old men with their Bavarian hats. 

Except ours. 

Here I am looking at the people on the distant bridge through this telescope.

I think that guy flipped me off.

I figured maybe we'd get a more traditional looking driver on the way back down. 

No, same woman. 

Nothing against her, I just wanted one of the old dudes once. Or something a little more traditional and a little less "casual Friday."

Our Traditional Bavarian meal.

We discovered a Bavarian restaurant at the bottom of the hotel. We were starving and they had pretzels on the table so we were sold. 

Ordering was fun because there was no English menu. 

So Beth got something with words we could recognize.

"Bratwurst" we know. 

What a "schnecke" is we'll later learn.

Also I knew "Kartoffel" was potato from Oktoberfest "Kartoffel Salat."

and "Püree" is puree in any language right? 

So we figured that's bratwurst with mashed  potatoes.

And... tah dah!

We passed the test. Turns out "Schnecke" means "snail."

I decided, since we had that as a safety, I'd be bold and get the special of the day. And the "Montag" special was...

I had nothing. I knew "Kraut." So I was getting Bavarian kraut. And that's all I knew.

But I lucked out. 

It was excellent. Whatever "knödeln" are, I dig 'em. This is what I figured a home cooked meal would taste like in the Bavaraian wood. 

Munich likes it Bubbly

These mineral waters were in the green room when I did that talk show in Munich. 

All of these waters have bubbles. In Munich it's not about whether you want bubbles in your water or not. It is simply how much bubbles would you like in your water. 

Even "extra still" which you have to wonder, "how can you be more still than 'still'?" has bubbles. That was my first taste. So then I opened them all and put them in order of "bubbliness." Classic, naturally, was the "bubbliest." (Like the good ol' days.)  

Munich Pics

I think this window display is supposed to sell jewelry.

Party at the Jägerhaus! It's gonna rage!

Man they got weird dogs here.

I guess I have to eat here once.

Deutsches Museum Agriculture

The agriculture section of the museum includes an exhibit of German breads.

And it ends of course with a tribute to beer (or Bier).

Including this model of a brewery. 

Hey no samples.

You too no samples.