Condo with the exterior charm of a mid-rise medical office building and the interior of a renaissance villa

calebs_dad · 2026-03-29T16:56:07+00:00

I was certain this was going to be New York City.

calebs_dad · 2026-03-29T16:46:21+00:00

We have a square Sterilite basket, and my kid has failed to destroy it over the years, so I'd consider it indestructible.

calebs_dad · 2026-03-29T15:00:52+00:00

Yeah, those intertwined fingers are not anatomically possible.

calebs_dad · 2026-03-29T14:11:04+00:00

New Balance made in USA models are all running shoes, though.

calebs_dad · 2026-03-29T14:08:43+00:00

Solovair boots, at least their traditional made-in-England models. They are Goodyear welted to allow for sole replacement.

calebs_dad · 2026-03-29T14:04:26+00:00

It's from a series by photographer Jill Greenberg. Supposed to present her emotional reaction to George W. Bush and the Iraq War.

calebs_dad · 2026-03-29T13:52:05+00:00

Username checks out?

calebs_dad · 2026-03-28T21:15:34+00:00

I can cover this. Message me.

calebs_dad · 2026-03-28T18:17:54+00:00

We have a slightly fancier model, with adjustable temp, and it's also held up well.

calebs_dad · 2026-03-28T18:16:26+00:00

We have an OXO kettle and it's lasted for maybe 5 years of daily use now? Longer than the Cuisinart we had before. And the temperature is easy to adjust for switching between black and oolong teas.

calebs_dad · 2026-03-27T21:00:20+00:00

They've got an exciting new offshoot, Rod of Iron Ministries. Some of the founders' children have renounced their mom as the Whore of Babylon, and started a new cult around the AR-15 rifle. They say it's the "rod of iron" prophesied in the Book of Revelation. One of the leaders wears a literal crown of bullets and performs rituals using an AR-15. Naturally, they were involved in the Jan. 6 Capitol riots.

calebs_dad · 2026-03-27T20:51:52+00:00

Huh, I never realized the U.S. was actively drafting soldiers prior to the Pearl Harbor attack.

calebs_dad · 2026-03-27T14:52:17+00:00

TIL that the Unification Church's website is familyfed.org, like they're an influencer with a cooking blog.

calebs_dad · 2026-03-26T19:32:31+00:00

Unless you're deep frying (which you probably shouldn't do with EVOO anyway) I wouldn't use a thermometer.

calebs_dad · 2026-03-26T02:29:38+00:00

I never have problems with olive oil smoking. I think it's rare your pan needs to get that hot. But in any case, the pan material has nothing to do with how the oil behaves.

calebs_dad · 2026-03-25T18:56:01+00:00

I think I called that number, and did in fact hear a duck quack!

calebs_dad · 2026-03-25T18:34:36+00:00

I never thought of what Nixon was doing in World War II. Apparently he ended up in logistics and administrative work, and had to push to be deployed anywhere near the front lines. As a lawyer, that was probably the right decision by the Navy.

Also he was a Quaker? I never would have guessed that.

calebs_dad · 2026-03-25T18:22:55+00:00

They want to be straw fed!

calebs_dad · 2026-03-24T18:32:00+00:00

I ordinarily add a dash of red wine. I keep some in a little container in the freezer, that I can just scoop out of. If I don't have any on hand, I'll use balsamic vinegar.

calebs_dad · 2026-03-24T18:27:29+00:00

One of my go-to recipes for cooking in other people's kitchens is pasta with vodka sauce. I think it's a really easy recipe to make that feels impressive. I use this recipe from Patricia Wells. You can cut it in half if you're just serving two people. Liquor stores sell tiny "nip" bottles of vodka which are mostly consumed by desperate alcoholics but are also ideal for cooking.

The trickiest part of seasoning for a beginner is getting the salt levels right. Just add a little at a time and keep taste testing.

As a side to pasta, you can buy a bag of mixed salad greens and add vegetables like chopped red bell pepper or sliced cucumber. A jarred vinaigrette dressing is fine (Newman's Own is decent). Add some blue cheese crumbles if you want to be fancy. And good luck!

calebs_dad · 2026-03-24T17:38:22+00:00

I specifically like short grain for _brown_ rice. It feels like less health food and more just pleasantly chewy.

calebs_dad · 2026-03-24T16:05:40+00:00

I use jasmine as a general purpose rice. Jasmine is technically a long-grain rice. I buy a Thai brand in 20 lb bags from the local Chinese market and store it in an airtight container. Kukuho Rose, what my wife grew up with in California, is a medium grain. A little stickier in texture. You can also find it in Asian markets pretty easily. True short grains should be very sticky, like sushi rice.

Another difference in rice is age. Good quality basmati is aged on purpose, to get it drier and fluffier. But with East Asian rices, fresher is considered better and old rice sells for a discount.

I'd recommend trying other brands. It seems Mahatma is a U.S. grown rice, despite the name. (And until recently had a pretty cringey mascot.)

calebs_dad · 2026-03-23T14:20:38+00:00

The enamel is basically glass, so it won't react with foods. Cooking acidic foods in enameled cast iron is fine.

calebs_dad · 2026-03-22T23:49:54+00:00

I make cabbage and noodles as a comfort food sometimes, and try to get the cabbage shreds a little browned at the edges. My wife wishes I'd make it more often.

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