FIERCE.

With the weather getting cooler, my thoughts turn to delicious homemade goodness, and I realize that I haven't posted a kickass recipe for a while.

When the seasons change and baby, it's cold outside, I want what everyone else wants -- rich, satisfying stews and soups, and homestyle favorites like mac and cheese and casseroles. I definitely can't make that kind of stuff all winter long or I'd be 300 pounds, so luckily for me I also crave...Chinese food.

No better than shepherd's pie or mac and cheese, right? Not necessarily. Rather than fill up (and fill out) on my favorites like spicy orange chicken at my favorite Chinese restaurant, Holly's Mandarin, I like to make a little something that is -- *surprise!* -- healthy and good for you, and that can be easily changed up for my vegan friends.

Spicy Orange Tempeh with Brown Rice, Kale, and Red Peppers















1 bunch dinosaur or red kale, chopped
1 large red bell pepper, cut into small strips
3/4 cup brown rice or whole wheat cous cous
olive oil to taste

Note: I like my veggies warm and crunchy, so I refrain from heavily cooking them in this recipe. You may wish to blanch or saute the kale and/or red peppers until they are to your desired consistency.

Place kale and red peppers in the bottom of a large mixing bowl. Cook rice or cous cous according to package directions. Place hot grains in bowl on top of kale and peppers. Add olive oil and mix. Cover and set aside.

Combine:

1 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon grated ginger
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
2 minced garlic cloves
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (may omit)

Cut into flat, bite-sized pieces:

1 package of tempeh (I particularly like LightLife Three-Grain)

Heat in a large frying pan:

2 tablespoons olive oil

Add tempeh and fry until golden brown, about 4-5 minutes. Turn tempeh and cook the other side until golden. Pour the orange juice mixture into the pan and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the sauce has reduced and thickened. (You may add up to a 1/3 cup of water to the mixture before adding to the pan in order to create more sauce and/or make less salty.) Turn tempeh once more to coat.

Place grain and veggie mixture in shallow serving bowls. Top with the tempeh and any sauce.

Note: You can also gently mix the tempeh and sauce into the grain and vegetable mixture, as I did in the picture above.

Russian Circles, 11.15.2009, Bottom Of the Hill, San Francisco















They are promoting their new album (Geneva, which we bought at the show), and because of that I thought it strange that it didn't seem like they played much new stuff. A friend said afterward that is because the new songs make use of a string section (!). Very excited to take a listen.

Anyway, as per usual, they ROCKED. Their sets are unbelievably tight and full of intensity, and they play their songs like they haven't played them a million times before.

Okay, and I've said it before, and I'll say it again -- this guy is a complete badass on the bass:



















Excellent night!

Pixies, 11.08.2009, Fox Theater, Oakland.



















They were AWESOME.












Kim Deal's bass skills, up close and personal: AWESOME.















Black Francis' voice: AWESOME















Joey Santiago and David Lovering were also AWESOME, but we were on Kim's side, and drums obscure David's face, so the pics we have of them are quite limited. But if you're interested, see more of Trevor's excellent photos here.

Anyway, the awesomeness was in large part because I think they are getting along, and happy.



















Even Joey Santiago smiled a couple of times. Really!

Terrific show. Well worth the $30 t-shirts (!) I know, I felt kind of like a sucker buying one, but it had a crab on it! And the band's gotta get paid, yo.

They were also offering "USB sticks" (or flashdrives) that you could buy after the show with video and recordings of the performance. I've never seen that before, but what a cool idea. I didn't get one, but then lo and behold, your friendly Bad Librarian posted how you can get an official and totally Pixies sanctioned live recording of Doolittle.

P.S. -- I wore my David J shirt because Black Francis is playing with David 12.08.2009 at the Echoplex in LA. I thought he might say something, but my big surprise instead was Kim Deal cheering at my shirt when they did their farewells after the last encore. Badass (Fender) bass players unite!

For shame.

Maine Gay Marriage Law Repealed

We prevailed because the people of Maine, the silent majority, the folks back home spoke with their vote tonight.

Silent majority -- but how funny is it that the word "silent" speaks volumes. These voters are silent because denying gay people the right to marry is hateful and unconstitutional. These voters are silent because the last time there was so much hatred and fear and religion-mongering around marriage in the US it was because people of two different races -- like my mother and father -- wanted to marry and be recognized and have their lives, their liberty, their happiness.

Some knew what was right then, and thanks to them, anti-miscegenation laws were overturned. The people who worked to overturn anti-miscegenation laws are heroes.

We all know how history has looked upon those who opposed mixed-race marriages.

These voters are silent because no one wants to go down in history as full of fear and hate, and as someone who would strip rights from another human being. They know how it looks, how it's wrong, and may they be shamed enough to do what is right someday soon.

Recipe for happiness:

One beautiful 1968 Wurlitzer jukebox:



















A questionable, but free, pool table:



















$1.50 PBRs, and it's not even happy hour:



















Courtesy Servente's.

Under the Macarthur overpass, Telegraph and 36th, 2 a.m.