Search Results for 'lB'

[Puppyluck]

I’m back to talk some more about my favorite place, Fresh Bistro.

They started out with a BANG for me, so I now expect alot from them. My first 4 meals were really fantastic and I still love them but I’ve had a couple dishes that were not all I hoped.

I’m happy to see that they no longer have the Kalbi Flank Steak on the menu, it had a Funky smell but tasted good.

Last week I had the Gnocchi which was good but a little oily. I have not had all their deserts but I have not been too impressed with the ones I’ve had. Last week I had the Spiced Apply Crisp, just the name alone sounds tasty, but I found it quite bland. Remember I said, I expect alot from them, so to find something bland was disappointing. It need a little zest or zing OR to be made with a different kind of apples. Today I had the Cranberry/Orange bread pudding which was a nice finish to my meal but not Fantastic. I had for lunch the Jerk Chicken sandwich which was Very tasty though messy, but I can deal with that. The goat cheese was a wonderful addition to the sandwich and I would have it again.

Keep it up Fresh Bistro, I’ll be back. :)

[Mike D.]

I empathize with the OP. The Westwood Branch of the USPS has staff members and supervisors that are anything but stellar, and frankly, plenty that are incompetent.

I recently placed a call to Westwood to inform them that they were cramming mail into an overflowing mailbox of a house near ours that is no longer occupied and that the cramming was likely to attract mail theft as the mailbox door kept falling open. Call taker at Westwood said they would see to it that the Carrier clean out the mail and stop delivery. Two weeks later the mailbox has yet more mail crammed into it and the mailbox door continues to come open.

A neighbor, who is quite diplomatic, tried to have a conversation with a supervisor at the Westwood branch about a developer who was without any kind of notice installing a large 16 unit locking mail box to serve his new housing development. The box was being installed in such a way that it would be blocking access to a parking place on another elderly neighbors private property. There were PLENTY of other options to install the box elsewhere that would not have any impact on anyone, but the Westwood supervisor wouldn’t hear anything of it, said he had made up his mind and live with it. The developer expressed zero interest in trying to pursue the multitude of other options. Needless to say he has not won any points with neighbors if and when he makes attempts to develop yet more housing in the neighborhood.

This posting of mine is not a condemnation of the USPS as a whole, it is intended to focus attention on the Westwood branch which needs to clean house.

[ToolShare]

Do you ever borrow your neighbors’ tools?

Do you wish they had a better selection?

Have you ever heard of a community tool library?

Sustainable West Seattle is currently looking into creating a community-led tool library here in West Seattle that would provide low-cost, community access to a wide range of tools, training, and expert advice.

As part of our planning process, we’re asking for some feedback from the active audience of the WSB forums. And we’ll take as much as you’re willing to give us!

We’ve even put together a survey to make it a little easier. Here’s the link:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=4nFv7Wx8bTBno5CxUlBLLw_3d_3d

If that doesn’t grant you all the voice you desire, and you have other comments you’d like to share, we’d ask that you please feel free to give us an earful through our website at:

http://www.sustainablewestseattle.org/2009/10/tool-library-questionnaire/

Since the feedback we receive will help us design the tool library to meet the true needs of our West Seattle community, we look forward to hearing all your thoughts.

We ask that, in true Forum form, you not be shy about sharing them.

Thanks for all the help!

[luckymom30]

Try this link:

http://www.usps.com/customerservice/welcome.htm?from=global_footer&page=customerservice\

We had problem with mail delivery quite frequently afew years ago, the carrier would stay inside his truck and drive from house to house never getting out of the truck then I would find him the block behind us sleeping under a shady tree. Finally after not receiving several bills we were expecting I contacted the Post Office at Westwood, the name of the supervisor was not Freddy as you state and long story short what we discovered was the mail carrier was tired of doing his job so he took our mail and many of our neighbors mail home night after nigt until he had over $100,000 pieces of mail inside his home that did not belong to him. I was then contacted by Postal Security and they told me they would place an envelope with a $5.00 bill inside to see if the mail carrier would take this bait. He did! House after house he collected the envelopes, left the empty envelopes on the street and took yet another nap. Then shortly after afew ays days later I went out to get the mail, the mail carrier was next next door deliverying to my neighbor and he left our mail outside and on top the mail box so I asked him to please place our mail inside the mailbox and if there is more mail than can fit the mailbox to please place it behind the scree door. He then ran over and started yelling at him, cursing. I felt threatened and so did my neighbor. My daughter was home with me and her and the dog went inside our bedroom and called 911. Good thing as the mail carrier parked his truck across our driveway totally blocking us in. Soon later I received a call from Postal Security that they were outside in my driveway had arrested the mail carrier and that I could come out the house. Our neighborhood has had 2 former postal carriers in prison for emblezement.

[Aim]

(Apologies in advance for length)

.

We haven’t received mail in a week, other than the Tuesday Junk Mail that always comes, and a circular on Monday. We normally receive quite a bit of mail (+/-3 pieces of first class mail a day – very unusual for us not to have mail), so I was a bit suspicious when the carrier hadn’t delivered any “real” mail for a week. Today, I received notification from our insurance company that a letter, confirmed to have the correct address, was returned to them as “undeliverable.”

.

So I called the Westwood Post Office, and spoke with Freddy Tapuro, who told me he was the supervisor there. He asked our carrier (who apparently just happened to be standing next to him at 9:30am, a time when he’s normally delivering to our street) and the carrier supposedly told him that he’s been delivering our mail daily for the last week. Freddy suggested that our mail is being stolen.

.

But here’s the rub: I was home for 4 days over the weekend, taking some time off work. I was home when the one circular was dropped in our box on Monday, and I was home when the carrier did NOT come to our door the other days. In fact, because I was waiting for something, I was watching for him on Saturday morning as we did yard work in the front yard. The house is small enough that if we’re home, we know that someone has come to the door. In fact, Irukandji would tell you that a couple of times when she has dropped something off on our porch, I’ve opened the door and startled her.

.

Freddy, supposedly the supervisor, tells me that our carrier says he’s delivering all the mail. So how is it I don’t see the guy, we haven’t had any regular first-class mail in a week, and we have confirmation our mail is being returned to the sender? The supervisor refused to help, suggested I get a locking mailbox, and refused to consider that the carrier may be slacking or that our mail is somehow being waylaid along the way. (He also told me there were items in our slot at the post office today, so if there isn’t mail today, I definitely have a few more things to say to him!) In addition, he was incredibly rude and not the least bit concerned that we weren’t getting our mail.

.

My question, after all of that: to whom do I complain about the supervisor refusing to take a complaint? How do I file a complaint about the carrier as well as his supervisor who refused to take my complaint?

[Lurleen]

We need your “APPROVED” vote on R-71 which will preserve the domestic partnership law. If you haven’t voted yet, please mark the “approved” bubble for R-71 then drop that ballot in an official drop box by 8 pm or have it postmarked today. Note: dropping a ballot in a mailbox is NOT the same as getting it postmarked! Best bet at this late hour is to deposit it in an official drop box. Locations listed here http://www.kingcounty.gov/elections/voting/ballotdropboxes.aspx

[JenV]

for everyone grousing about Amazon: Please remember they’re also a local employer, albeit not a small one – but they do keep plenty of your friends and neighbors employed!

[JanS]

so, instead of longwinded local news shows with the results on Tuesday evening, they’re scheduled for a week from next Sunday? If the majority of ballots are mailed in on Monday and Tuesday, they arrive on Wed. and Thursday, and then have to be opened and counted…patience is a virtue, isn’t it? I feel soooo sorry for the postman who has that route…hehehe.

Catlbob..I just know you’re looking forward to the next two weeks ;-)

[JoB]

I have no idea how many we had. Trick or treaters really upset the dogs so i put a bin of snickers by the mailbox and lit it with a flashlight. it lasted less than 20 minutes. We didn’t see who took it, but they took the bin, the candy and the flashlight:(

they had to have had a knife handy since i had ziptied everything to the chain link fence.

trick or treat was both at my house:(

[In2theknight]

2 words…

Mortal Kombaaaaaaaaaat!

http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u279/in2theknight/Azifwekare/Picture009.jpg

[JustSarah]

LB, looking at that domain name, I can’t tell if it’s supposed to be “The Peer Age” or “The Pee Rage.” Does this make me immature or simply creatively-minded? ;-)

P.S. I prefer the latter interpretations of both the domain name and what it says about me!

[HMC Rich]

Advocating hanging! Eugenics at work again! I should be appalled but I am not surprised ;-). JoB it is not but you can dream.

Ken, I agree that certain regulations need to be enforced by the government on corporations. Corporate greed is so prevalent among some of the businesses out there. (Did you read what WAMU was doing to people in the Times?) Although some might argue when an industry becomes too regulated, more dangerous schemes to make money might be hatched causing even more havoc.

I don’t disagree that it seems odd the health insurance companies financial goals are not in line with people’s health. God forbid you have a pre-existing condition. Although a small few people think that being human is a pre-existing condition! As Metallica said on their first album. KILL ‘EM ALL. (I am now a eugenicist!) KAHN!!! God help me.

Concerning the insurance agencies that deal in health it seems that what is available in one state is not in another. I like interstate commerce. I think that would help keep the price down a bit more if all could compete.

Look, the Daily Kos writer had a nice rant but no credibility. That author was more impressed with their rant and style of writing his clever insults instead of giving solutions. Since 40 percent of Americans now consider themselves CONSERVATIVE, his low brow rant just might want them to consider liking net neutrality.

The other article was more civilized and showed a problem from the issue we are speaking about. I would love to see that change. It could happen to me all too easily.

I am concerned about costs and what the future might hold.

PriceWaterhouse did a study about the costs of insurance at current and congressional reform. I found it interesting.

http://www.politico.com/static/PPM116_pwc2.html

DHG your point is sharp but interesting. Can you point to a solution that fits into helping people and allowing the best companies to survive also? It is easy to scream at CEO’s about corporate greed and ignore the greed of our congressional members in their retirement and healthcare. How I wish they had to live and die with what we have to use.

Furthermore, those companies employ thousands of people and they were basically on board with the administration until the Public Option was pushed hard by Pelosi, Reed, and yes the President (although he denies it). The insurance companies are not complaining about mandatory participation in healthcare but a public option would hurt them. If you were them you would fight too and they and their lobbyists are. All too effectively too. I am not defending them.

I don’t want mandatory healthcare forced on me by the government who will not live with it themselves. I want affordable healthcare for all. I do not want employers dealing in healthcare. I am for a single payer system but not what is proposed by Baucus and crew.

Also, the projections of a deficit neutral healthcare plan not adding to the deficit and debt doesn’t seem reasonable. History has shown the opposite. Full healthcare reform with the inclusion of all parties (not being locked out by the Dems) would be better. With Medicare, Medicaid, SCHIP, and Social Security already in debt, what makes anyone think that this will be any better if this upcoming vote passes? I hear the flawed Prescription drug plan is in the black. What makes that “profitable” and the others not?

I don’t believe this plan is right, but like many others I fear nothing in the future will be done just like Social Security etc.,

So, we need a regulated industry that allows some competition and covers our healthcare needs. What will work best? I asked our pediatrician and he is for a public option or affordable private option as long as they can help people. Our GP would agree. I think their staff would like any option that did not have so much paperwork and hurdles.

[BilboBaggins]

To quote John Stossel, Give Me a Break. Such feigned offence. I have been confronted with the baggy for 2 years in a row now and I’m going to give them a call for quote. I think that they are clever and trying hard to connect their business with the neighborhood. What’s the difference with junk mail, spam, telemrketing, billboards etc? It’s part of our world. At least this is creative, entrepreneurial effort in this tough economy. Come on West Seattlites, take a chill pill and treat yourselves to a cinamon roll at Alki Bakery…

[BilboBaggins]

To quote John Stossel, Give Me a Break. Such feigned offence. I have been confronted with the baggy for 2 years in a row now and I’m going to give them a call for quote. I think that they are clever and trying hard to connect their business with the neighborhood. What’s the difference with junk mail, spam, telemrketing, billboards etc? It’s part of our world. At least this is creative, entrepreneurial effort in this tough economy. Come on West Seattlites, take a chill pill and treat yourselves to a cinamon roll at Alki Bakery…

[Cait]

I just want to publicly declare my love for Steven Colbert. Nobody says it (or wears a bow tie) better.

[dawsonct]

Colbert skewers the hypocrites with the best of them!

–

VOTE, VOTE, VOTE, VOTE, VOTE!!!!

One week to go. Don’t forget 1033, in the lower left-hand corner of your ballot. Think of how nice public services are too, before you vote on it. Sounds fairly straight-forward, but I think it would be another fiasco creating more hoops for our ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES to jump through.

–

I don’t like the initiative process, we elect people to make these big community/state/nationwide decisions for us. Direct democracy doesn’t work on these scales. I hope someday we abolish them, or at least create very stringent standards so running initiatives doesn’t just become a form of employment for lazy and greedy frat-boy types.

[datamuse]

Just to lighten things up a bit, here’s Colbert’s take on the issue.

:D

Approve Ref. 71!

[Ken]

Mine is a service pack none cd and it cannot be used to install on a 500g drive due to the change from 24bit to 48bit lba for drives over 130gb.

Desktop preferably since I think some of the laptops have special drivers.

Nearly all Dell xp cds can be used on other dell similar computers since it verifies the dell bios before allowing activation.

I am trying to fix a computer for someone who lost their originals and I don’t have a slip-streamed disk made for that oem. Their restore partition is hosed or non existent as well and Dell doesn’t want to talk to anyone whose warranty has expired without a credit card number.

call me if you can help.

206 801-0349

[Cait]

Tamping is such a huge deal with the espresso community you could drown yourself in tamping tutorials. There are many schools of thought, but 30 lbs of pressure is usually standard. Get out the bathroom scale OR you can get an Espro click tamp that clicks at that weight (available at Visions Espresso in SODO.) http://www.visionsespresso.com – the sales folk there will also make you some awesome espresso and show you how they did it.

The gadgets are half the fun – burgeoning baristas are the EASIEST people to shop for for Christmas…

Also I assume you’ve done the coffeegeek.com thing? Those folks are a hoot and most of the time know their stuff (or have interesting advice that is worth trying at least once.)

[Ken]

I recently acquired an espresso machine that coffee heads call a “starter” machine. It is a starbucks “Barista” from 2004 which seems to be a Starbucks branded version of a Saeco Via Venezia

http://www.amazon.com/Saeco-Via-Venezia-Espresso-Machine/dp/B0026BZLBE/ref=pd_sbs_k_2

I have owned a couple of cheap machines that made strong coffee with a lot of assembly, disassembly and danger of steam burns and explosions, but this is the first one that seems actually designed to make espresso.

This online tutorial seems to be correct as far as I can tell:

http://www.ineedcoffee.com/00/barista/

And yet the original shipping manual

http://www.starbucks.com/ourcoffees/Barista_Final_011305.pdf

has statements like:

The Rapporto™ filter (O) uses water pressure to pack your coffee to the correct point for optimal

flavor. There is no need to pack your coffee, unless you are using a coarse ground coffee.

and yet has several step by step idiot proof procedural walk throughs that seem very well made.

While the manual for the current generation is a minimalist CYA legal document.

http://www.starbucks.com/retail/ViaVenezia%20Manual.pdf

What coffee wisdom can the ex- baristas (Baristi?bariste?) or espresso lovers shed on this process from personal experience?

Do you tamp? How important is it? Is it ok to keep using a plastic red pepper jar as a tamper since it fits to millimeter tolerance in the basket?

The only way I can get the pull to look and taste normal is to tamp it, disregarding the original manual. What is strange is I recognize the Americano I make without tamping as the same weak tasting stuff I get at the grocery store SB stands.

Is there a current no tamp manual at Starbucks that the trained employees at the company stores are ignoring?

How important is a burr grinder really. I have had them in the past and they always jam, get out of alignment or take heroic measures to clean. Maybe they were just cheap but that is usually what I can afford.

Looking at the results of my rotary grinder under a microscope shows that while the fine particles are not as uniform as a burr grinder (when it works) there is not as much variation in particle size as the web self proclaimed coffee nuts seem to imply. (That could be another feature of a cheap burr grinder…)

It makes a mighty fine high powered double quad cuppa coffee as good as any I got at Monorail espresso, with deceptive smoothness that can lead to posting long winded rambles on local blogs before dawn.

:)

[celeste17]

Beef and pasta casserole:

1 lb ground beef

1 onion

2 or 3 cloves of garlic

1 Jumbo can of whole tomato

Italian Spices

Pasta (I have used Macaroni and Penne and Ziti) anything with a hole in it

Olive Oil

8 slices of Provolone Cheese

Salt and Pepper

I am not good at measuring so I can’t give exact measurements.

Brown beef and then I rinse it

In a big pan (I use a stew pot) add one chopped onion and garlic add a couple teaspoons of oil (enough to coat the bottom of the pan

After onions are soft and translucent add the can of tomato (I crush the tomato with my hand)and italian spices (I usually throw a handful)a little salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and add browned beef let simmer for 20 minutes

Add 2 to 3 cups dried pasta (I do half a box)

Simmer for about 5 more minutes

Scoop about a third of the mixture into a casserole dish and cover with cheese (I use provolone (but what ever cheese you like)

Put 2 slices on top of this mixture

Pour another third repeat with cheese

Pour remainder of beef mixture and cover with 4 slices of cheese and then Parmesan (if I have it)

Cover with foil Bake at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes. Remove foil and brown.

Let cool for a few minutes and then serve with a salad and bread if like. Much better next day. For two of us we usually get 3 or 4 meals.

I made this when my Mom was in the nursing home and took it with me and my brother, who is a picky eater, tried it and ate almost the entire serving. My sister-in-law called me a name and said what did I feed him that he won’t shut up about it. :)

Can use ground turkey and its just as good.

[bertha]

I am not a natural/instinctive cook and have always relied on recipes. So I get stuck when I haven’t planned & I need to come up with dinner from what I have on hand. So I picked up a great cookbook called ‘How to Cook Without a Book’ by Pam Anderson. Anderson converts recipes into basic formulas such as soup needs approx 1 lb meat, 1 lb vegetables, 1 qt broth, a starch, onion & herbs/spices. She then explains how to expand on the basic formula. This book has really expanded my ability to throw together dinner with what I have in the cabinet and fridge rather than looking in a cookbook for ideas & then eating out because it’s easier than going to the store, buying all the ingredients, coming home & cooking when I’m already tired & overwhelmed.

[RainyDay1235]

Crispy Ranch Chicken

Ingredients

(3/4 c) crushed cornflakes

(3/4 c) shredded parmesan cheese

(1) envelope ranch salad dressing mix

(4-6) boneless chicken breasts

(1/2 c. melted butter)

Method

Combine crushed cornflakes, cheese, dressing mix inot large ziplock bag – seal and shake.

Dip chicken breast in butter, place in bake and shake. Place in greased shallow baking pan. Repeat. Bake uncovered for 350 degrees for :45 or until chicken juices run clear.

***********************************************

Crazy good meatloaf

Ingredients

(2lb) ground beef *not lean

(1) diced onion (2 tbl onion flakes)

(2) eggs

(1/2 c) milk

(1/4 c) worcheshire sauce

(1) roll of RITZ crackers – crushed good

salt and pepper to taste (1/2 tbl is good)

TOPPING

(1/2 c) ketchup

(1/2 c) maple syrup

*mix together in bowl

Method

Mix all ingredients together by hand

Place in greased loaf pan @ 400 degrees

Cook for 1/2 hour

Pour topping over top

Cook for another 1/2 hour

***********************************************

Easy Curry Chicken & Rice

Ingredients

Jasmine Thai Rice

1/2 can coconut milk

*spoon out the creamy top half

2 Tbl red chili paste

1 clove crushed garlic

And Choose one:

1 cup thawed frozen shrimp

1 cup diced chicken

1/2 box thawed spinach

Method

Cook shrimp or chicken first (salt and pepper)

Saute sauce ingredients in frying pan, simmer a few minutes (adding spinach if you want) and add cooked shrimp or chicken and pour over rice.

[add]

A favorite and easy one in our house – Turkey Chili

1 lb. ground turkey

chopped onion

Brown these together

Add:

1 large can tomato sauce

4 T chili powder

1 T oregano

1 T cumin

Stir/blend together

Add:

1 can black beans

1 can kidney beans

Let simmer for a bit. Serve over rice if desired! Easy, healthy, and yummy.

[CMC]

One of our favorites and one that makes great leftovers is pasta bake. It’s not fancy but it’s definitely tasty and probably averages to less than $2 a serving and you could probably make it less expensive if you played around with it a little.

Brown 1 lb. extra lean ground beef

Cook 3 cups dried pasta (we usually use macaroni)

Mix meat and pasta with 1 jar (26 oz.) spaghetti sauce and some grated Parmesan.

Put in a 9×13 baking dish, sprinkle more parmesan and 1-1/2 – 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese on top and then bake at 375 for about 20 min.

I have made a veggie version that tastes just as good. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do and I’m looking forward to seeing what other people post.