:: BerDerp™ ::

…. that I can’t write anything about… so just … take it in..

well.. it all started 4 years ago as a novel idea to do something different as my ex-coworker and I were both from the Durrrty-Durrty.. and well.. we longed for some down South flava out here in the Bay area.. so the 1st Crawfish ho’ down was born. This past Saturday, we crossed the 4th year mark. It’s gotten bigger and funkier as each year went by.

This year was no exception.. this time last week, the evite listing had grown to close to 200 people coming.. and we had extended the selection of food from last year to include much more catering from Cajun Pacific than the year before. The food breakdown:

• 250 lbs of live squirming crawfish
• Shrimp remoulade
• collards
• mac n cheese
• seafood gumbo
• Chad’s infamously spicy and exceptionally delicious veggie Jambalaya
• Chicken etouffee
• Crawfish beignets
• puffaletta’s (mini-Muffaletta‘s)
• eggplant creole
• crab stuffed mushrooms
• corn bread muffins

and of course.. 4 kegs of good ol’ Miller and PBR (oh yeh, and my boy handed out around a 100 cans of Sofia’s)

The morning started off a total disaster…not only delaying us by a few hours but nearly obliterating the entire chance of the event’s success. SF has some of the most unpredictable weather out there. Wednesday it had been predicted 60% chance of rain — and it only rained till about 930 or 10am. Thursday was 90% chance and it didnt rain at all. Friday? gorgeous!..check. Sunday? of course gorgeous!..check. However…Saturday morning, as Aye~N & I were out at Crissy Field at 830am it was nothing short of brutal. We stood around in full goretex and rain suits waiting on the rain to pass over. Making jokes. Trying to stay calm. I tell you, it was a difficult few hours. I figured I was basically S.O.L. on the $$ I had shelled out which was WAY over a $1000. But around 11am the rain subsided and we got extremely lucky. The numbers started filling out and the day began……

..the night before we CLEANED out Safeway supplies of red potatoes.. and here is Aye~n’s freezer packed with corn

… the weather turned out gorgeous and this 60qt pot of crawfish is ready to GO!

…mmmm steaming crawfish.. and peeps gathered at our custom crawfish eating station

…everyone is diving in.. and look at ’em lined up.. just waiting and salivating for that next batch..

…crawfish and pigeons can have some fun too

… nothing but ‘taters left in this round.. and a local sportin’ his crawdaddiness..

.. i love the taste and the color of the corn set amongst the crawfish

.. I want to thank BunnyChick, Mitch and Becky for contributing to some of the pictures.. and to each and every person that came out and made the 4th annual Crawfish Ho’Down a success. Hope to see “all y’awl’s” out hurrr next year.

I would never condone forcing a belief system down someone’s throat or making fun of their religious or spiritual choices.. but sometimes I do stop and chuckle..

The building adjacent to my work space is totally gutted right now. It’s kinda cool, but also creepy at the same time. Someone said it looks like something out of a movie. I sort of have to agree with them on that one. I also think it looks neat compared to what the final product will be. That’s all..

The streets of SF always have something interesting to bear, something singular and exclusive to divulge. Since graffiti culture is so pervasive here, it’s never unusual to find random images thrown up on sidewalks and building sides that take different avenues of expression from standard bombings . Not to say these artists aren’t talented, but it’s samples like these below that make me chuckle… as I’m walking around the city and I look down and I spot good ol’ Abe or Mr.-I-don’t-get-no-respect himself

Nothing too off the wall or deeply interesting.. but observation is what I do best..
stepping into a cafe on the way to get haircut I notice a turkey shaped piece of bread by scattered flower petals..

Saturday night I catch an evening glimpse of Macy’s design for the upcoming annual flower show, this year titled Imagine India.. You don’t catch a 30′ tall Ganesh facing Union Square every day.

Ocean Beach winds take their tolls on the tree below..

Spring pastel’s are apparent in the local flowers that dot the Great Highway…

even slow weekends have tales to tell..

Although the weather has been really great lately here in the Bay Area the past several days today it was just.. UGhHHHHh.. so miserable commuting here without a car, running errands, pants getting soaked.. I experienced all of these at lunch time and on the way back to the office snapped these pics below.

At least the weather is going to clear up some before my sister gets here. “yeaaaaahhhh”

I’ve been doing lots of cleaning and down-sizing over the past several days and tonight I came across the autograph of none other, best known for his portrayal as local detective Harry Callahan, the venerable Mr. Clint Eastwood.

Several years ago I was with some friends in Tosca Cafe (one of the best bar’s in SF) when Eastwood and Forrest Whitaker came strolling in to put back a few drinks. I forget what they were in town celebrating for, but its not uncommon to have a star-studded crowd at this 40’s style bar: absurdily eclectic, decidedly retro, and just hands-down very San Francisco.

Nevertheless, they were there, and I got his autograph. He was very nice, but still very stark and in that calm character of his. For a guy who has acted in over 60 films, directed over 30, and produced over 20, you don’t have to like the man, but yah gotta respect him.

” Fear lent him wings, as the saying goes …”

— Lt. Morris Schaffer (Where Eagles Dare/1968)

Today as I was on my way through the Presidio to Crissy Field to scope out some stuff for my Crawfish boil that’s coming up, I spotted the Presidio Pet Cemetery that you see here. I had heard about this small plot a few years ago, but had forgotten about it. This resting place has been around for over 50 years, and is the final home for not only dogs and cats, but pigeons, rabbits, macaws, hamsters, goldfish and lizards.

Alot of the markers resemble military style epitaphs, and given that the Presidio was once a military base, it makes sense. There was something really calm about this little area in the park, but it was also right underneath the highway leading to the Golden Gate Bridge.. so you could hear the “tha-thump….tha-thump…..tha-thump..” of the cars passing overhead. At least it wasn’t a thwack over the head like you might receive in some other pet cemeteries… uGh!

Now in some cities it may get you in minor trouble and hassle to have barnyard animals running around. Today I spotted a notably different sighting of a guy out “walking” his pet. A double take was definitely in order. This lamb is only a month old. I would think raising a lamb would be a tremendous responsibility–way more so than rearing a dog — and stink considerably more as well

I was talking to someone today about Indonesian food, I guess particularly since I have been day-dreaming a LOT about travelling again. I told them I would post a few pics of some food related experiences I had while in JKT

The weather here in the Bay has been very warm and pleasurable these past few days—Ocean Beach has been teeming with beach-goers. But what’s really getting me is I’m just craving another vacation so I can check off one of my must-visit spots from my list. This sunset here is just making me reminiscence badly for exotic beach locations such as this snapshot from the beach in front of Kudeta . I will definitely return to this spot one day…. ahhhhhhhh Dreamland how I miss you :(

So far since starting this new job, I’ve been getting more & more used to not working in downtown SF anymore. Although I do miss certain aspects of it, there are things I am growing to like in the Mission. It is definitely a neighborhood full of color and intrigue

HHAHAA. I feel right at home, see…….. ;)

I am not sure how this guy would score but back in da’ Souf’ this might get classified as a Tennessee Waterfall.

bErdERp!

dayyyyuummmm me lovez dem sev chequex.

chA-ching!

These days with images of skrilla rainin’ down, lambo’s and eschulay’s it’s rare to see the ol’ skool pimp rides floating around town. When you do, it’s these nice special moments that lets you relive for a brief fleeting moment the glory days of mid-20th century ballerz

Today after lunch we were strolling back to work when we stumbled across this mid-1940’s issue Cadillac. I wish the lighting would have been better, but you can get an idea of just how blingin’ this ride was in its day.

Plus you get a passenger for the ride.

Of course you want to pick your babe up in a Caddy instead of these wheels……

Today I took a journey up to Muir Woods, in Marin County. Even though I have been there many times it is always refreshing and breathtaking to take in these gentle giants. Almost feels like an Ewok forest though, with the trees climbing over 350 feet and the forest floor covered in ferns.

The first thing I must say when travelling up to Muir woods, along the highway before you get there, you will encounter the Nut Guy. You must stop and at least get something. The honey roasted almonds and his macadamians are excellent and out-of-this-world. Especially the macadamians…. they literally are like butter and melt in your mouth.

p.s. you may think the cars are parked here just for the view, but they came to see the Nut Guy….. trust me ;)

Muir Woods can often be very crowded, and parking can be a nightmare (especially during long, beautiful or holiday weekends). The admission to the park is $3. There is a tiny cafe there which was great on Saturday because I was fre-e-e-e-e-zing and some coffee came in really handy.

Essentially there is main trail area that does lead to some other longer trails, but for the most part, you will just stay in this main area.

The scent of the redwoods, the sound of the purling brook, and rays of sunlight streaming between the trees is truly a site to behold.

Last night I was introduced to “Deus, Brut des Flandres” by a friend who happens to know the owner of a particularly famous bar in SF. This bar specializes in carrying an assortment of microbreweries that even the most heavy drinker has usually not heard of. But I digress.
What makes Deus so special is the way that it is made.
First it is brewed in Belgium, consisting of very old Trappist origins. Next it is then shipped to France, to undergo a unique and special procedure. The word coming from the owner is that the people in France who assist in the second part of this process actually provide the specially selected yeast that is used by a very famous champagne manufacturer. Once this additional batch of yeast is added, the bottles then undergo a process called riddling; this process has been around for about 200 years. Essentially the bottles are put into racks, at a 45 degree angle, and then consistently turned over a period of time. Traditionally, a good riddler could turn as many 40,000 bottles in a day. As this process continues the angle is increased more and more. Ultimately at the end, the neck of the bottle is frozen and the plug of yeast is removed being pushed out by pressure in the bottle. Once this occurs a few final steps remain before it is finally corked and ready for consumption.

Well, you may be asking.. How does it taste? Delightful, light, and radiantly bubbly. A nice blend of beer and champagne effervescence on the back of the tongue. How much does it cost? $35 for a 750ml bottle. Where can I try this at? I could tell you, but you won’t be able to order it. Only friends of the owner are allowed to order it, or even know about it, as it is not listed on the menu of this bar. Truth be told, only 12 bottles of Dues made it into the states recently, and this bar received 9 of them. Dues is made one 55 gallon barrel at a time. Last night, my krew consumed 2 in one sitting.

Only in the South can you find such a combination as Poboys ‘n’ Chinese under one roof

I thought for this posting I would just show some side streets, southern architecture and how this city also characterizes French-influences.

This is one of the early larger mansions built when only the downtown port areas were initially the main inhabited portions of the city. What does that mean? You were a big-balla-shot-caller if you lived this far away from the water.

Next, take a look at some of my cities oak trees. These giants have been around sometimes as many as 200 years

Downtown view points closely resemble the French architecture of another well known port city 200 miles away

Finally, spots to sip lemonade from and enjoy a slow breeze

For many, many years my mother has been cranking out her famous desserts: blueberry delight, cream cheese pound cake, and banana nut bread to only name a few. One of these highly coveted items is her Poppy Seed bread. Dozens of people have all tried this bread in SF and not one has been able to resist or suppress the urge to go back for more, ask for the recipe, mutter “mmmmmmmmm soooo good” or simply ” oh my gawd… this is delicious”. I keep telling her she should open up shop and start pumping these things out. It makes it really hard to try other poppy seed breads anywhere else because they always pale in comparison to hers.

Today I was here on site, rather than receiving them in the mail in one of her famous care packages, as some loaves came out of the oven.

Behold.. ;)

Friday my parents and I decided to grab lunch at one of the best known BBQ joints in my home town, J.R.’s. The food here is great, and the service is just as good — warm and friendly like you would expect Southern hospitality to be.

Before we paid our bill, I asked our server to let me take a picture of her shirt. Before turning around she gave us a quick story of how recently while at Wal-Mart a random stranger tapped her on the shoulder and told her “that she was doing a good job“. Initially thinking that maybe he had been a customer at J.R.’s, when he repeated his, err..*ahem*..compliment, she realized he was giving props to her own set of buns ;) Sorry guys, I promised her not to feature them in the picture below

This morning my dad & I decided to stroll out to the local Flea Market so I could find some “souvenirs” to bring back to a few people in SF. It had been years since I had set foot down these aisles. Most of the items featured at this outdoor market are simply cheap goods, e.g. tools, clothes, knick-knacks, even food. But if you look close enough, you can find some interesting antiques, Americana relics, and Jim Crow era items. Check out a few of these sightings …

I see you eyeing the shrimp can. Yeh. I thought so. I am NOT by any means condoning this, so please don’t take this posting like that. I am simply showing you what is still floating around. I would have bought this for my friend but it was priced at $100. I got home and looked this up and was able to find other similar food items . Turns out there is a Jim Crow museum in Big Rapids, Michigan. Comically enough, the manufacturer misspelled Biloxi

Tonight at my friend’s house we gobbled the last few pieces of pralines he had made a few days ago, and proceeded to prepare another batch with the leftover ingredients he had.

Now, many of you don’t know what a praline is, and that’s Ok. Southern Cooking 101 is now in session.

While this sugary confection originally started in 17th century France, the pecan-creamy version rose mainly out of the New Orleans area, and is simple & easy to make.

On another note, if you find yourself roaming around Nawleans, be sure to stop in to the Praline Connection

Praline Connection found in the French Quarter features some of the best down south creole-home-style cookin’ that you can find. period. Trust me on this one.

You can get other regional specialities there, like turnip greens, po’ boys, gumbo and some of the best french fries in the city. If you order a regular coke, it still comes in a bottle.

Today as my family & I headed through some backroads to my aunt’s house for our annual Christmas event, we found ourselves meandering through some fields. Now southern Alabama is known for several crops, but the region is widely recognized as yielding some of the biggest “bumper crops” of a plant deeply associated with a dark slice of American history — cotton.

Cotton’s presence and different varieties have been found in civilizations ranging from ancient India and Peruvian cultures going back 10 to 12,000 years ago. However, being an American, we automatically have the tendency to naturally draw images of African slave workers toiling from sunrise to sunset to cultivate this plant that literally transformed not only a region but a country.

Today as the sun rode high in the cloudless sky and a light breeze blew, I couldn’t help think of the hours upon hours that thousands of cotton pickers spent hunched over with a bag on their back. Truly an experience no one in this day and age can ever relate to.

This “white gold” was able to make the Southern states hold the 12 richest counties by 1860 exporting around 190$Million to mainly European countries. As you can imagine, this made a lot of people, not just in the South, but in the North also, a LOT of money. Interestingly enough this played a major role in fueling the beginnings of the Civil War. Many think it started over slavery, but it did not. Lincoln didn’t introduce the slavery element into the Civil War until 2 years after it started.

Okay.. history lesson is over.. read here for more info on this.

I figure that since I am travelling home soon for the holiday season, I will post some sightings and insightful stuff while I am there. The South has it’s pro’s and con’s, just like every where else. But all in all, for me, it’s still my roots

Whenever I am travelling I always like to venture off and explore things that aren’t always featured in the glossy travel brochures or found right outside of your hotel doorstep. This fall when in Bankgok, I did just that.

As I was moving up and down the Chao Phraya river I decided to pay a visit to the Pak Klong Talat, aka Flower Market, located in the Chinatown district of BKK. The Thai people have a a great appreciation for fresh flowers, both for the beauty and the fragrance. This is where those who have the time and the florists come to buy their flowers at wholesale prices, e.g. armfuls of orchids for 20 baht = less then $1 USD.

As much as the commercialism and commoditization of Christmas has overtaken Western society, I guess part of this season still appeals to me when you can feel the chemistry, people are smiling more than usual, the air is crisp and you wish somehow deep inside that this energy would last all year ’round

so…

you made it here to berderp®
.. maybe by accident of keystroke, maybe by email, maybe by word of mouth… what matters is that you’re here.

Where is Here for me?

What lies ahead..or how this will turn out, or where it will take me, or who I will meet on this journey.. well… who knows

the focus is here and now..

As Alfred Lord Tennyson said.. “Tis better to have Berderp-ed and lost than never to have Berderp-ed at all..”

so…. Berderp