Random Bites: Boulder Canyon, Sriracha Love and One Surreal Circus

Ahh, the bites are more random than ever, so ride all over the map with me as I run down my latest loves:

Sriracha and Oatmeal- Ha, made ya look! No, I'm not drizzling the Thai hot sauce over my oatmeal...but that's about all that I'm not using my new favorite condiment with. I love it on eggs, in soups and mixed with a light ranch as a dip or salad dressing. I'm told the sauce makes for some marvelous hot wings as well. This "bite" is a twofer as I'm also singing the praises of yukfest website The Oatmeal. They have a best-of collection humor book called 5 Very Good Reasons To Punch A Dolphin In The Mouth. This book by comic artist/genius Matthew Inman features some hilarious cartoons on every subject and in fact, I'm using their ode to Sriracha as I couldn't possibly have said it better. Check out The Oatmeal here and look for the entire ode to Sriracha there. Then buy the book at your local bookstore and some Sriracha sauce at your local supermarket!

Fall Entertainment- The Pop Culture Geekdom that has been my life meant that there were always two critical times in the span of a single year: the beginning of the summer movie season and the beginning of the fall TV and movie season. Now, as I age ever so disgracefully, I'm a tad more leery about the summer movie season and way more psyched about the fall season. For many years, about the only thing that took the sting out of returning to the school year was the arrival of that fat Fall Preview issue of TV Guide in its original digest format. These days, I get a tad more excited for the New York Times Fall Movie Preview, but nonetheless, its something to luxuriate in. I actually sell and in fact, am a fan of e-readers, but those fall preview issues are one thing I revel in holding and poring through on a crisp, cool fall day.

Boulder Canyon-Hello, my name is Greg and I am a snacker. I love to munch and Heaven knows that can be hell on the hips, so its a grand thing to find a healthy snack that..well, doesn't taste like it's healthy. The K-Man found Boulder Canyon Hearty Cheddar Vegetable Crisps at Sam's, and brought them home. We've tried many a veggie chip and found some to be lacking; others not, but nothing that necessarily excited me. These babies taste like a wonderful potato chip to me, but are gluten, cholesterol and trans fat-free and are a good source of fiber. Even the sodium levels weren't high. I loved these and instantly craved more...and they were vegetable crisps! That's a first. Having explored the website here, I found that Rachael Ray had apparently named them best-tasting potato chip, and there were other flavors that also sound amazing. Rice and Bean Chipotle. Red Wine Vinegar. Balsamic Vinegar and Rosemary. Oh, my. I can't wait to try them all!!

Saul Bass Movie Posters-this is where I'm really feeling random, but the fall film season gets the imagination running wild, so what the hell? If I were building my dream home theater and had unlimited funds for decor, I would adorn the walls with classic, retro Saul Bass film posters. Bass's signature look has graced many a Hitchcock film and also inspired the Mad Men title sequence and I think they are first class. My friend Linda and I worked together yesterday and when not learning healing energies from a Swami from Mystic Tiger Ashram whom we encountered there; we were discussing our love for all things retro. She got the design juices flowing and sure enough, Saul Bass is a leading image in all of the imaginings.

The Night Circus- This debut novel by Erin Morgenstern is one of the best books I've read in a long, long time. I lucked into an advance copy of The Night Circus at the store that Jo had read (and raved about) and was soon under its spell. Centered on a surreal circus that comes to town only at night, its a magical, mesmerizing fable that I was reluctant to finish as I didn't want to leave the stunning world that Morgenstern created. I'm a longtime fan of Cirque du Soleil (four shows and counting) and this book wraps you in a dreamlike state, not unlike the feeling of experiencing one of those astounding shows. My love of food had me particularly tickled over the Midnight Dinner sequences in The Night Circus as they were as imaginative as anything else associated with the book's circus Le Cirque des Reves. I highly recommend this book and here is an excerpt speaking of a dessert course served at one of the Midnight Dinners:

The dessert course halts the conversation entirely. Globes of thinly blown sugar sit on each plate and must be broken open in order to access the clouds of cream within. After the cacophony of shattering sugar, it does not take long for the diners to realize that, though the globes appeared identical, each of them has been presented with an entirely unique flavor. There is much sharing of spoons. And as some flavors are easily guessed such as ginger with peach or curried coconut, others remain delicious mysteries.


Finally, I've come across a singer that I find quite cool: UK singer Ed Sheeran. This ginger fellow's youthful look seems an unlikely match for his lush vocals. Check out this soulful take on American folk spiritual Wayfaring Stranger.