#jordan culver

[getoutofthisplace]

Dear Gus & Magnus,

Today is Sunday, but I had to work all day, from about 9am until 9pm. It was a long day. With Mom working all day yesterday and me working all day today, and both of you are fighting colds, so Magnus isn't sleeping, and Gus is lying all the time for no reason whatsoever, and it's cold outside so we're mostly staying inside -- all of it is smothering us under a blanket of stress. This morning Mom and I got into an argument brought on by the weight of all those things. I'm not proud of what I said to perpetuate that argument, and I'm not proud that Gus heard us arguing, but you both need to know that Mom and I are not flawless people. You also need to know that we love each other, we're in love with each other, and we're doing our best to keep all the plates spinning all the time for our little family.

Anyway, we shot the Christmas card video today, which was set in Santa's workshop. The annual task of making the Christmas card video -- as we've trained Gus to say -- is not my cup of tea. Just the same, it turned out well after some creative editing. You can see it here.

Dad.

Little Rock, Arkansas. 12.11.2022 - 3.42pm.

[thevindicativevordan]

Any thoughts about the recent Dawn of DC announcements ?

Let's see if the new DC is the same as the old DC.

DC's official press release says that 20 new books are coming, and they only revealed 10 (one of which was last year's Round Robin winner), so 10 more books are coming that have yet to be revealed. Let's take a roll call:

Unstoppable Doom Patrol by Dennis Culver and Chris Burnham - Burnham has me excited, Culver has me skeptical. All of Culver's DC work thus far has been lousy. His Justice League Incarnate book with Williamson was the weakest of the Infinite Frontier trilogy, his Future State Gotham book was really bad, and Doom Patrol is a great team that demands unorthodox writing. Rooting for Culver to surprise me here because God would I love to have a good Doom Patrol book with Way never coming back at this point. Can't believe it took DC this long given the success of the DP HBO Max series. Jane having a new alter that places her in the role of the Chief is a cool idea at least.

Superboy: Man of Tomorrow by Kenny Porter and Jahnoy Lindsay - I voted for this, I'm glad it won, I've enjoyed DC Mech, I expect I will enjoy this. I'm praying Lindsay gives Conner a new costume, it's time to ditch the 90s look for something new. No more looking back for Conner, that terrible Fitzmartin YJ mini was right about one thing: we can't live in the past. He needs a new modern costume, and a story that reestablishes who he is in a post Jon Kent world. This and PKJ Action are seemingly going to accomplish that, both in terms of who Conner is on his own, and who he is in the Superfamily. Given the long wait between when this series was announced as the winner and when it is finally coming out, there shouldn't be any delays at least.

Green Lantern: Hal Jordan by Mariko Tamaki (Artist TBA) - Tamaki is mostly good with a few misses, her Tec, Supergirl: Being Super, and (apparently I haven't read it) Crush & Lobo books were good, her Wonder Woman run not so much. In fairness that was blatant movie synergy and didn't leave her much freedom to work with. I liked her Tec run and this appears to be aiming for something similar. Hal back in Coast City on Earth, rebuilding his life here is exactly the kind of thing they should have done after the Johns era's nonstop cosmic epic. Give me revamps of old Hal Earth villains beyond Hector Hammond that we haven't seen in a while, Hal struggling to make friends with the neighbors the way Tamaki had Bruce do in her Tec run, and put Hal and Carol back together again, and I'll be happy.

Green Lantern John Stewart by PKJ (Artist TBA) - Now this has my attention. Giving PKJ another book means they trust him, giving him a John Stewart book - who may end up being the main DCU Lantern if that HBO Max GL series actually gets made - means they view him as one of their up and comers. He's expressed a lot of love for and desire to work in GL before, he's set up plot threads for GL such as the Revenant Queen threat that would give John his own Rogues which John desperately needs, and I obviously am a huge fan of the cosmic storytelling over in Action which I fully expect will be repeated here. DC Cosmic has been crying out for a worldbuilder to flesh it out more for ages, this is an exciting choice. My hunch is that John will be dealing with another Aspect of Olgrun, since there are six more out there unaccounted for. Inject some of that Warworld Saga storytelling into Green Lantern, let's get John a love interest, and maybe Stewart will finally get that equivalent to Johns run on GL with Hal which his fans have been begging for. Sampere is a huge GL fan who has history with PKJ before, I would say he's a natural choice for this book, but he likes Hal more so I could see him ending up on Tamaki's book instead.

Cyborg (Creative Team TBA) - Wish I could be more excited for this, but I have to know the team and the pitch before being interested. Too many Cyborg stories rehash the same "am I a man or a machine?" crap for me to pull this sight unseen.

Batman: The Brave & The Bold by Tom King and Various Artists - King got robbed of his 100 issue Batman run so I guess he's going to make up for it by doing secondary Batman books forever. Does Batman really need another team-up book given World's Finest already has him teaming up with Superman and the rest of the DCU? I'll be reading this so I guess I'm part of the problem, but I really wish King would take on another of the A-Listers. All he does is Batman books, C-Listers, and the occasional dabble in the Superman sphere. I want to see him tackle another Justice Leaguer's ongoing, give him an Aquaman or Martian Manhunter book since everyone else seems to be claimed. Apparently he's shifting back towards the mainline DCU ongoings after spending a couple years doing minis of dubious canonicity. Looks like creative teams will rotate and since Rob Williams is here and he's a writer not an artist, guess he's next up after King.

Green Arrow by Josh Williamson and Sean Izaakse - Williamson has been building up to this since the start of Infinite Frontier, cool that he's finally announcing the book. I'll admit I'm annoyed it's opening with a "we have to find Ollie who is lost out in the Multiverse!" arc, I'm sick of the Multiverse and I'm tired of DC "building up" to doing what everyone is asking them to. Just write a damn Green Arrow back where he's in Star City/Seattle interacting with the Arrow Family! Maybe Williamson doing a Multiverse story with a smaller cast will be more palatable, I did enjoy his Flash run after all.

Shazam! by Mark Waid and Dan Mora - Other than Superman proper this is probably the book Waid has been dying to write the most. He, Morrison, and Gail Simone pitched to take over the Marvel Family way back when, I bet he's got loads of ideas on how to revamp the character, and his ideas will probably be better received than Johns' revamp was. Solicit sounds great, Mora on art (and apparently still doing art for World's Finest, dude is a machine) is perfect, and Waid's handling of the Fab Five over in WF has shown he can handle younger characters still. Should be fun in the same way WF is.

The Penguin by Tom King and Stefano Gaudiano - Hah that's a pretty great team for a synergy book. King's Penguin in his Batman run was... well he seemed to be teasing that Penguin had sex with actual penguins, so clearly his take on Penguin is untraditional to say the least. Pitch seems interesting enough, Penguin back in crime because the government forced him back in as their agent is intriguing.

Steelworks (Creative Team TBA) - On one hand hell yes a new Steel book! Tell me Greg Pak is writing this and I am there day one. If it's not Pak however then I have qualms. The brief description in the press release makes it seem like John Henry is giving up on being Steel and handing over the role entirely to Natasha, and I've got no interest in that. S&L make me into a Nat fan but I love John Henry more, and I am not going to be happy if DC's idea of celebrating his 30th is him handing over the role to his niece. He better be the main protagonist and he better get to suit up and be Steel. Glad that DC has enough faith in PKJ to start spinning new series out of what he's doing.

Only two Bat books so fuck it, let's call it a win. Satisfied overall with the creative teams announced, for those that were actually announced, DC is playing it safe but after Infinite Frontier took risks and bombed that's exactly what I expected to happen. I guess the next event is going to be called Knighttime and will be another Batman event. Ugh. Also is that red circle with a bird supposed to represent Penguin, because it sure looks a lot like Hawkman’s symbol. Maybe a new Hawk book will be announced as part of the second wave? For the second wave I want books for Zatanna, Aquaman, Vixen, Justice League Dark (use the Shadowpact name if we're keeping the JL on ice for a while), Suicide Squad, and Legion of Superheroes, but as an opening lineup? I'm pretty happy with this!

[graphicpolicy]

It's the "Dawn of DC" starting in January 2023

It's the "Dawn of DC" starting in January 2023 #comics #comicbooks

[xhxhxhx]

I'm trying to write these earlier in the day.

I used to put off writing until I finished the smaller, more tractable tasks I set for myself. But by the time I finished the little things, I had no energy for writing.

Now, though, I find I don't have the energy for the little things if I start writing too late in the day. If I start writing late enough, I don't have the energy to exercise.

It's 10:15 a.m. Let's see if I can't finish this with energy to spare.

I.

I write to you from San Francisco, a small town on the Pacific Coast of California, servicing a patchwork of commuter suburbs around what we call the "San Francisco Bay Area."

Back in the 1950s, they called the City "Baghdad by the Bay," after its profound ethnic and religious divides, low-intensity urban warfare, and decrepit public infrastructure.

It's awful. Even here in the Green Zone.

II.

Americans like to say that San Francisco has a "Mediterranean" climate. And it's true that it has a Köppen climate classification of Csb, which we call a "warm-summer Mediterranean climate."

Köppen is a three-tier classification scheme. It designates climates by three-letter labels, with each letter dividing the world into finer and finer categories.

The first Köppen letter divides the world into five parts, each designated by the first five letters of the alphabet: tropical A; arid B; temperate C; cold D; and polar E.

Four of the five letters separate the world into mutually-exclusive categories by mean temperatures in the hottest and coldest months, making for a neat algorithm.

If it's above 10ºC in the coldest month, it's tropical A, else:

If it's above 0ºC in the coldest month, it's temperate C, else:

If it's above 10ºC in the hottest month, it's cold D, else:

If it's below 10ºC in the hottest month, it's polar E.

Arid B is an irregularity. It's based on a precipitation threshold, not mean monthly temperatures. It's also hard to characterize in a single phrase, since it varies with the seasonality of the precipitation. It's higher if the precipitation comes in warm months.

But never mind that. It's not arid in San Francisco. That's part of the problem.

In San Francisco's Csb, C stands for temperate, s for dry summer, and b for warm summer.

Temperate means it averages above 10ºC in the hottest month and between 0ºC and 18ºC in its coldest; dry summer means it gets less than 40 mm of precipitation in its driest month; and warm summer means it averages below 22ºC in the hottest month, but above 10ºC for more than four months each year.

Now, is that Mediterranean? It's not obvious to me that it is. Let's go to the map.

III.

Here's beautiful California, in all its climatic variation, courtesy of our friends at the Köppen-Geiger Explorer:

Let's start in the Los Angeles basin, along the borderlands between the yellow and sienna towards the bottom of the map.

Los Angeles divides into three primary climate regions, which provide a useful key to the California experience.

The coast of western Los Angeles, from Santa Monica down to Palos Verdes, and continuing along the coast of Orange County to the south, is a cold, semi-arid steppe, or Bsk.

It's a climate it shares with Colorado Springs, the Texas panhandle, and a swathe of the Eurasian steppe lands, from Crimea to Volgograd to Inner Mongolia.

South and central Los Angeles, south of the 10, but extending northeast to a frontier in Culver City, Mid-Wilshire, and Koreatown, and south through Anaheim and Garden Grove to Irvine, is a hot, semi-arid steppe, or Bsh.

It's a climate it shares with Gaza, the West Bank of the Jordan, Mosul, the Zagros foothills of Khuzestan, Amritsar, and the northern, or Turkish, part of Cyprus.

North of that, extending from downtown across the mountains into the San Fernando Valley, and east across the river to El Monte, Pomona, and Rancho Cucamonga, is the last part of Los Angeles, the hot-summer Mediterranean, or Csa.

This climate, the climate of Glendale and Pasadena, of Burbank and Sherman Oaks, of Van Nuys, Encino, and Calabasas, is what I think of as the actual Mediterranean climate.

Because it's the climate of the actual Mediterranean.

It's a climate it shares with Athens and Rome, Syracuse and Tunis, Jerusalem and Jaffa, Florence and Naples, but not, significantly, a climate it shares with San Francisco.

Because it's too warm for the city by the Bay.

IV.

Now let's look north, to the Golden Gate.

Here you can see that the Bay Area is, as you might have guessed, a homogeneous and indistinct stain on the map of California.

Does it have semiarid steppe lands? No. Does it have hot summers? No. From the South Bay to the Valley, from the West Side to the East Side, everyone has the same climate, and nobody's very happy.

San Francisco shares a climate with Oakland which shares a climate with Mountain View which shares a climate with Sausalito which shares a climate with San Jose which shares a climate with Berkeley and Richmond. It's a climate that stretches, like an open sore, down to Santa Cruz and Monterey.

It's all the same fucking climate.

It's called, as you may recall, the warm-summer Mediterranean climate, or Csb. Not hot summer. Not the summer of Glendale or Pasadena. No. A warm summer.

How warm is a warm summer? Is that a Mediterranean kind of summer? Is that the kind of summer you get in the south of France or the Greek islands? Well, no.

You know who else has a warm summer?

Fucking Galicia, that's who. The Parnassus Mountains. Mount fucking Lebanon.

You know who else has this fucking climate?

The Pacific fucking Northwest. Because it's cold and wet there. Just like San Francisco.

VI.

San Francisco: It's cold and damp!

I fucking hate it.

[smashpages]

January sees the debut of another EC Comics five-issue miniseries that will follow the science fiction anthology Cruel Universe.

Cruel Kingdom will contain dark fantasy stories by Cullen Bunn, Al Ewing, Justin Jordan, Leomacs, Chris Condon, Dennis Culver and more, as they conjure “tales of magic, myth and murder from forbidden realms long before our own.” Adam Pollina did the cover.

Read more

[amirnaji]

Media Selection 1: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

For my movie, I chose to watch and discuss Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. The movie follows Miles Morales, whose father is an African American police officer and whose mother is a Puerto Rican nurse. Miles is heavily influenced by the hip-hop culture, from the posters in his dorm, the music played throughout the movie and the graffiti that Miles creates around the city.

 Throughout the movie, Miles learns a valuable lesson about being true to himself and not trying to pretend to be someone he is not. The director and artists did a good job of showing this in the suit that Miles wears. For much of the film, when Miles is trying to be like Spider-Man he wears the iconic red, white, and blue Spider-Man suit. Once Miles stops trying to pretend as if he’s the Peter Parker version of Spider-Man and takes the “leap of faith” into becoming a hero, he becomes inspired to put his twist on the suit, spray-painting it black and red and wearing Jordan 1s shoes with the suit rather than going shoeless like the original Spider-Man. This shows character development and Miles’s blooming into who he is, not who he wants to be.

The conversation of making an “Afro-Latino” Spiderman started with Donald Glover campaigning to play a live-action Spiderman back in 2011.  Marvel writer and creator of Miles Morales, Brian Bendis took inspiration from Glover’s campaign and created the biracial character according to an article written by USA Today’s Brian Truitt. By making Miles the next spiderman rather than a sidekick, he quickly gained popularity to the point where Marvel was forced to keep him as a permanent Spider-Man alongside Peter Parker’s character.

The movie reminds me of the Young and Mixed in America video we watched. In the video, the students talked about not being black or white or whatever race they were but just being human. Similar Miles doesn’t talk about being the only dark-skinned Spider-Man. He just wants to be like the rest of Spider-Man from other dimensions. It’s the same viewpoint as the students from the video in my opinion. The movie gives representation to everyone, regardless of gender, race, and ethnicity. They had everything from an Afro-Latino lead to an Asian female Spider-Man and even one of Spiderman’s most famous villains, Doctor Octopus played as a female character.

Work Cited

Persichetti, Bob,, et al. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Blu-ray + DVD + Digital. Culver City, California, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, 2019.

Truitt, Brian. “Spider-Man 'Can Be Anybody' - and Now He's Donald Glover.” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 26 Aug. 2014, https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/tv/2014/08/26/donald-glover-ultimate-spider-man-exclusive/14559815/.

[jasmineway]

Vespertine // 7-20-2024

This is the story of Vespertine, a polarizing, mesmerizing, and fantastic meal of intrigue hidden in the heart of a lesser known corner of Los Angeles.

This is also the story of one of my most treasured evenings in no small part due to my fantastic company, the kind and beautiful Nicki.

Architecture

The setting was as much as a character as the meal itself, and we began our adventure in awe as we pulled up to our destination.

Set in the Waffle Building in Culver City, the entire space is devoted to Vespertine, and our evening's ups and downs where just as much metaphorical as they were physical as we changed floors and settings throughout our meal.

Despite the urban, office-park coordinates, the obligatory Fine Dining Garden still had a presence, though one well in line with its industrial surroundings. Florals later debuted in our meal were inlaid in concrete; bamboo curtains darted across brutalist structures; babbling creeks subbed with puddles jutting through white limestone. This is herb sanctuary a la Rian Johnson's The Last Jedi.

Reception, Seating and Welcome

The team had accommodated our demanding work schedules, and they had even sat us a few moments early when we arrived in advance of our 8pm seating. The waiting area is on the ground floor, and there seemed to be exactly enough seats for the parties currently queued. We would have three different seats throughout this evening, none of which were uncomfortable, but all of which were distinctively 'weird' or unexpected in some way.

We were shortly recruited into the a paradoxically claustrophobic yet large elevator (given the unfriendliness of the otherwise metal stairs to heels often worn to fine dining, our hostess commented on her surprise that so many people decline this option...), after which we exited to the top public floor, the kitchen.

Catching no sight of his signature hairstyle in the open floorplan, I'd later confirm ours was only the second dinner since reopening without Chef Jordan present. This means I'll have tentative descriptions of the three courses in which Nicki's pescatarian menu diverged from mine, until my (soon to be signed) menu finds its way back to me.

This building has the privilege of being uniquely tall vs. its surroundings, and the panoramic views of the city were breathtaking at the cusp of sunset. After a brief kitchen tour (and photo), we descended aforementioned metal stairs to the Mezzanine, where our first seating took place.

I can't say I've ever been seated at a gliding acrylic plane before, but Nicki and I shared the first of many laughs when they tucked us in for the ride ahead. While every seat had a light-filled view, I cannot feign envy for any of those seated in the middle.

As the sun set, ambient lighting created shadow puppets on the ceiling, which added an extra visual enhancement to the impassioned course announcements.

Service and Experience

Our main server was Brian, who was by all means, an entertaining and attentive host. Our speakers painted visual storytelling on our plates with spoken histories that imbued upon lived memories; at a certain point, I felt I was paging through a scrapbook filled with treats and fondness experienced throughout the chef's life. It is a testament to the clear admiration and commitment to vision by the entire team that no part of this or the intense atmospheric tones (that were not overpowering - looking at you, Avengers Campus) came across corny, or condescending, as could be easy to occur. All this is to say that the servers were excellent, when it comes to food, inquiries, and helpfulness. We felt welcomed, respected, and enjoyed our interactions.

That being said, for a $400/plate meal, I do think it should not have been necessary for my friend to have to ask for a (filtered) water refill, much less the subsequent two times. What the team is trying to accomplish is very deserving of its Michelin accolades--the creativity in the meal was evident--but I could see some small misses in hospitality* causing disproportionate challenges in their pursuit of a third star; food notwithstanding.

(*not offering by default the elevator to ladies wearing heels and dresses vs. the see-through glass / metal staircase, not scoping for empty glasses proactively and filling them without being asked, the bathroom soap situation... more on that one later)

Beverages

Nicki opted for the Dynamic pairing, which included a mix of unique spirits, wines, and zero-proof pairings throughout the meal. These were all fantastic selections, and the most interesting and thoughtful beverage pairing I have ever had the joy to taste throughout a meal. As a non-drinker I was a bit disappointed that no soft drinks were available for purchase (I'm not a big juice person outside of brunch, and learned my lesson from overdoing liquid calories at Melisse), and opted out of a ceremonial tasting bubbly (they do not provide a beverage list to choose from, but the verbal report marked the cheapest by-the-glass beverage starting at ~$70, which is more than I am willing to invest in something I would not have opted for). That being said, having tried tastes of all 10 of Nicki's curated pairings (2 of which were served to us both and integrated in the base meal), I have a great deal of deference and encourage entrusting the team via a pairing (though I still think all juice will be Too Sweet for a 12 course meal).

As a side note: I can understand not providing a written menu at the start of a meal to keep the surprises ahead--but if you are going to preface the meal with written supplements, this becomes a tacky practice. Diners (at least me) will feel much better reviewing the long list of everything they are getting, rather than immediately being confronted with what they will not, lest they opt to heavily enrich their entry fee.

The Meal

While the above may be the longest preamble to the dining experience itself yet in this blog, it serves to show just how much of the Vepsertine experiences transcends the food alone to a whole body experiential album. You are visualizing; smelling; hiking; seeing; thinking; being asked to go on a journey and soon, initiating one. We are in the Waffle House; and the storm is just beginning.

Be warned the menu descriptions are minimalist ("they didn’t list out all the ingredients or anything. It’s more vibes" - N), and thus many descriptions are things I either tasted or vaguely remember being rattled.

Course 1: WILD SCALLOP

“passionfruit, aji amarillo”

This is the first of many plates that opened with us being presented a bowl of flowers. Still traumatized from the Alinea vase, I was pleasantly surprised to learn all flowers were edible and the meal began with one of the greatest fruity concoctions I could not begin to tell you the ingredients for. The flowers were soft and supple; the horseradish below. The cold stoneware was perched in what felt like wet, white kinetic sand perched on top of another plate, and the concoction paired perfectly with the light champagne presented to Nicki.

Pairing: CHAMPAGNE AUBRY 'a jouy-les-reims’ brut, premier cru, champagne, French nv

Course 2: SUMMER

"peas, wildflowers"

These hipsters, I'm telling you. Nicknamed 'Chef Jordan's Flower Pot,' he forages all of the florals himself, which have been painted on the walls of the stoneware with almond paste. The center base holds kiwi, crunchy 'puffs, 'or texture,' and green jelly made of reduced pea pod exterior to help everything stick together on the spoon. This one was just fun, and I enjoyed every bite of it.

Pairing: KIWI WITH OXALIS AND VERBENA [NA; that's it, no description]

Course 3: DEEP OCEAN

“sweet prawn, quince”

Yes, this was served in a hand-relieved ice block with a wreath that would make even a Christmas door jealous. The shrimp in these are apparently from a very very deep trench, so deep that you don't need a permit to fish there, and just one father-and-son boat even dare to try. The visual was beautiful. The flavors, tart, sweet and tangy. The fish was cold and raw. This was the first plate that perhaps wasn't quite there in its harmony, but I enjoyed it nontheless.

Pairing: KUHEIJI ‘kyou den’ junta daiginjo, okayama, japan 2022

Course 4: OBSIDIAN MIRROR

“smoked mussel, plum”

They said when the Mayans discovered obsidian, it was the first time they had seen their own reflection, and believed they were looking into the eyes of the gods (or perhaps their ancestors). I am willing to overlook the existence of fresh water for this storytelling, and chose to look unto myself in the void.

This dish was made sparkling by crushed iridescent kelp, and the oil slick broke like wet volcanic sand as we were invited to breach the surface with the provided polished muscle shells.

There is something very carnal about eating an animal with its skeleton made pretty, an oxymoron glamorizing the violent nature of our place in the food chain. As I broke into the surface of mussel whipped into panna cotta to eat, I carved, breaking into my image of my self.

Pairing: WENZEL ‘alte Reben’ furmint, Burgenland, austria 2021

Course 5: DEEP SEVEN

"red papaya, indian mallow"

The shell was a transition to even stranger utensils; our hands. The story of this fish is that it is a rare fish, a very fatty fish, fatty to the point that it inevitably catches fire in the process of cooking and rare in the sense that they definitely definitely weren't trying to catch this fish intentionally and just one or two get caught in the traps when fishing other fish and we just happened to get to eat some as it's almost never for sale. Sure.

The akamatsu was indeed the closest thing to what I can call the wagyu of fish so while I hope my conscience can survive, 10/10, would eat again.

Pairing: RHUBARB KOMBUCHA WITH RED CURRANT

Course 6: COTURNIX QUAIL (for N: CABBAGE*)

"heather, sacred pepper"

This was a breast of quail, served on a bed of herbs, cooked excellently and meant to be eaten as tiny cutlets dipped in an emulsion featuring the quail egg. It was soon to be followed by a quail dolmeh, with leaves revealing a mixture inclusive of the rest of the quails less supple meat. Sustainably, even the au jus produced in cooking would be used to flavor the following course. This was delicious.

Pairing: COMTE ABBATUCCI ‘ministre imperial’ corsica, France 2020

Course 7: PORRIDGE BREAD (for N: OAT PORRIDGE BREAD*)

"heirloom peel corn oats" (for me: quail fat-fried crust*)

What can't I say about how much I love bread? This was delicious. Classically, made with ancient grains, but they did not tell us which. A bit rich and I wish I had had the option of butter and no meat fat as a palette cleaner, but this was more a fritter than a bread course. A crispy, meaty donut if you will. Delicious, spongy and crisp, I still missed a true-neutral bread course but wouldn't trade this one.

Pairing: BRASSERIE CANTILLON gueze 100% lambic anderlecht, france 2020

Course 8: PINE FED LAMB (for N: MOREL MUSHROOM*)

“yeast fudge, magnolia” (for me: lamb, cherry, emulsion*)

This was an exceptionally sweet cut of lamb, but one of my three bites was so tough no amount of chewing would rescue me from my suffering and it finished its evening gently tucked into my napkin. It was tasty, but the chewiness took me out of the meal and I think was the only 4/10 dish as a result. Nicki's mushrooms looked excellent.

Pairing: HEIWA SHUZOU ‘Aka kid’ wakayama, japan

Transition

At this point we were whisked to settle in one floor deeper, and descended from the mezzanine to the ground floor once again, this time enshrouded in velvety benches and spinning coupe chairs. From this point on, we would experience the sweet back-end of our tasting menu, warm in a setting evocative of 'dark and sexy gala,' and 'night at the Natural History museum' with sweeping ceiling elements that sang an ode to paleontology. All pairings from here forth were shared with all diners. (be proud, I resisted a dino-rs pun)

Course 8: RED EARTH

“heirloom corn, strawberry, temescal”

This was earthy, smoky, spicy, flowers, berries? I gazed into the void once again, to meet my own eyes.

Pairing: DOUGLAS FIR TEA INFUSION [NA, no description, served throughout dessert] Mine: fantastic natural non-caffeinated tea refined as Christmas Tree in a Cup. Authentic in the way of Persian preparations of mint tea, with fresh mint. No springs in site. We drank many, many cups of these]

Course 10: CARAMELIZED PANCAKE

“scotch, woodruff”

Sourdough pancake cooked in lamb fat (for Nicki: browned butter) served with fresh whipped cream, a pool of unfiltered maple syrup, and pink raspberries, which had all been painstakingly separated without managing to get crushed.

I loved eating this, but I'm not sure I loved eating this right here. It's everything I could want at brunch, but it was a bit heavy and incongruous with the rest of the meal, which had otherwise so thoughtfully dialed the intensity in proportion to the weight of the courses. I liked this one the most of all the deserts, but I do think no individual desert was a home run on its own. Without the tea it could be obtrusive and heavy.

Course 11: ICY BIRCH

“parsnip, reduced milk”

Despite its appearance, this time the bowl was not ice, though the hat topping the bites were. Frozen aloe vera invited you in to crack the glass ceiling and drop into a rich, gelatinous jam with nutty flavor. The texture of this cream, panna-cotta, what-have-you was distinct in American dining in its nod to bastani, and Nicki and I both had a laugh upon discovering the name the next day and now insist on calling it "Chef Jordan's Ex."

I hope you are happier now, Chef.

Pairing: SPARKLING REDWOOD [NA, cold, 'redwood shoots?' - another delicious juice drink]

Course 12: LAYERS

“black currant, sheep’s milk”

You didn't think you would get out of this meal without yet another reflection into the void, did you? The final course was yet another spectacular display of culinary engineering albeit at the slight expense of mouthfeel and taste. Despite the descriptor, many flavors adorned the wall of this stoneware, from almond butter to Tonka bean (think vanilla, cinnamon, and caramel in flavor), all of which generally worked together but could be overwhelming. One ring had the texture of fresh coconut but was frozen to a degree that both our teeth hurt with a small bite; going from frozen ice to 'peanut and jelly swimming pool' with the recommended all-layer eating style was a bit jarring and this may have worked better had I waited a bit longer.

The purple coloration was butterfly pea tea reduced and powdered along each layer as it was built. It was stunning, but I can't say I enjoyed eating it (even if it was not a negative experience!).

Closing and Quirks

They served the above before asking if we needed anything else and dropping the check, after which there was no further standard interactions. I did pop to the ladies room to discover some extreme nonsense in terms of hand hygiene (there was a powdered mix next to the sink, which I thought may have been dehydrated soap, but upon closer inspection seemed to be salt...), and thankfully the staff were happy to oblige when I requested their health-code-compliant kitchen soap instead (there was no natural place to comment on this, but I think there's a boundary between provocative and weird, which should firmly err conservative when it comes to a bathroom much less a restaurant that encourages eating with your hands).

I also reached out asking if I could come back later to get my menu signed, which the team could accommodate but only by mailing me my menu some time later. I hope it finds its way to me.

Final Impressions

This was, all said and done, a spectacular meal. It was one of the most memorable dining experiences I've had in my life, and showed solid potential to grow into an even tighter experience with even greater acclaim.

Would this be a meal I would suggest to an entry-level patron looking for a superb food experience? No. The interesting concept and structural creativity asks for a lot of audience participation, and that can be a lot for first-time diners. Would I encourage any fine dining enthusiast who has done standard fare and wants cutting edge and evocative in the vein of Chef Achatz but a younger, modern twist? Yes, without hesitation. This is not the crowdpleaser meal I could find at JR or TFL that strays safe but impeccable with their menu. Vespertine asks you to stray from that comfort with avant-garde, bold, and innovative decision making, at the start of what I hope will be a standout run in the SoCal dining scene.

At $400 per person, I'm not even sure it yet offers comparable value in terms of dining experience relative to more established peers, though it makes a solid case as a total package.

With some refinement of the savory / dessert cohesion, and some strides in the good-but-not-exceptional service, I can see myself smiling fondly as I spot Vespertine on future Michelin lists.

Overall 8/10, would return in a few years as they continue to grow but still enjoyed the amazing experience we had last night.

[formeryelpers]

Destroyer, 3578 Hayden Ave, Culver City, CA 90232

I’ve had Destroyer bookmarked for years. Known for inventive, seasonal New American cuisine, the café has a casual chic, minimalist feel. Love how the menu is projected on the wall (e.g., avocado confit, crispy chicken schnitzel, smoked fish, delicata squash tart, French toast, sweet potato waffle). There’s also a case of tempting pastries (cookies, financiers, Danish, cake, croissants).

Chef Jordan Kahn calls himself the creative director. His restaurant, Vespertine, earned two Michelin stars.

Order at the counter, get your own utensils, and find a table. They’ll give you a number and bring your food to the table, but you have to pick up your own drinks.

Sweet corn porridge ($24) of sweet corn, pearl couscous, squash blossom, poached egg, crispy chicken skin, brown butter, and urfa chili. First, the porridge was gorgeous and the portion was satisfying. It was creamy and had lots of textures and flavors like the brown butter, charred onion, squash blossom, fresh corn kernels. The egg was hidden underneath but had a runny yolk. It was rich and sweet. It was a little too sweet for me but still delicious. The urfa chili wasn’t spicy enough for me. Would love hot sauce on the side.

Sweet corn cookie ($5) with urfa chili: Excellent cookie with crispy edges, softer towards the middle, the urfa chili doesn’t seem spicy?

Lemon ginger tonic ($5): liked that it was tart and zesty, not sweet

All the seating is outdoors. I only spotted small tables. As I was waiting in line, I noticed that they sell stoneware dishes and housemade condiments like cranberry vinegar, spicy peanut butter, caramelized milk jam, and lemon thyme elderflower honey. Parking was difficult to find in the area.

They include a Healthy LA fee to provide healthcare to their full-time employees.

4.5 out of 5 stars

By Lolia S.

[mikethemovieguy]

Prime Video Reveals THE WHEEL OF TIME Season Two Premiere Date and First Look Images

The acclaimed hit fantasy series, based on Robert Jordan’s series of best-selling novels, will premiere on September 1 CULVER CITY, California—May 24, 2023—Today, Prime Video released first-look images from the second season of The Wheel of Time. Season Two of the Amazon Original series will premiere exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories around the world on…

[graphicpolicy]

Preview: Flash Gordon Quarterly #1

Flash Gordon Quarterly #1 preview. An all-new Quarterly special featuring a multiverse of stories! #comics #comicbooks

[naturecoaster]

Ten Students Given Citizen Honors by East Pasco Chamber Foundation

Ten Students Given Citizen Honors by East Pasco Chamber Foundation The East Pasco Chamber Foundation in partnership with the Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce recognized ten students. They are from the following schools: - Academy of Spectrum Diversity - The Broach School - The Broach School Elementary Campus - Chester W. Taylor Elementary - East Pasco Adventist Academy - Heritage Academy - Raymond B. Stewart Middle School - West Zephyrhills Elementary, Woodland - Elementary, Zephyrhills Christian Academy - Zephyrhills High School The students were honored asthe Greater Zephyrhills Student Citizen of the Month for May 2023. The ceremony took place at Venue Sponsor, Chick-fil-A in Zephyrhills on May 17 th at 8:00 am. Students are chosen by the teachers and administration of their individual schools for exemplary effort,achievement and contribution to their school, family, and community. This is the 25th year in which theZephyrhills Chamber of Commerce has recognized students with this program each month during theacademic year. The students receiving honors were: - Iva Kellerman (6th grade, Academy of Spectrum Diversity) - Dakota Shattuck (6th grade, The Broach School) - Alexander Sosa Cuza (3rd grade, The Broach School Elementary Campus) - Ashley Montoya (1st grade, Chester W. Taylor Elementary School) - Jayci Hoogewind (3rd grade, East Pasco Adventist Academy) - Nehemiah McClammah (6th grade, Heritage Academy) - Jordan Mitsch (8th grade, Raymond B. Stewart Middle School) - Christopher Le (5th grade, West Zephyrhills Elementary School) - Evelyn Kamau (5th grade, Woodland Elementary) - Siya Patel (12th grade, Zephyrhills High School) East Pasco Chamber Foundation Chair, Dr. Randy Stovall commented “Citizen of the Month is an upbeatevent that has been showcasing successful youth from our Zephyrhills schools for 25 years. The GreaterZephyrhills Chamber of Commerce and the East Pasco Chamber Foundation are very proud to continuethis wonderful event with the generous support of our sponsors.” Sponsors and supporters of this year’s program are as follows: - AdventHealth Zephyrhills - The City of Zephyrhills - Chick-fil-A of Zephyrhills - IR Staffing - San Antonio Citizens Federal Credit Union - Suncoast Credit Union - The event is supported by U.S. Congresswoman, Laurel Lee; Senator Danny Burgess, District23; Florida House of Representatives Randy Maggard, District 38; Pasco County Clerk of Court, NikkiAlvarez; Zephyrhills Mayor, Gene Whitfield; Pasco County Sheriff, Chris Nocco - Bahr’s Propane Gas & AC - BGE, Inc - Culver’s - East Pasco YMCA - Faithful Friends Pet Cremation - Jarrett Ford of Dade City - Kona Ice - Pasco-Hernando State College - Pin Chasers Zephyrhills - Pioneer Florida Museum & Village - Sonny’s Bar-B-Q - SouthState Bank - The Zephyrhills/Wesley Chapel Ministerial Association - Trax Credit Union - VITIS Realty If you are an area business and would like to support this impactful program, please contact Vicki Wiggins at the Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce at 813-782-1913. The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce advances economic growth and prosperity for thecommunity. The Chamber of Commerce is incorporated in the State of Florida as a 501(c)6 nonprofit organization. Membership is comprised of businesses, government agencies, public-private corporations,nonprofit organizations, and individuals with a shared interest in preserving and enhancing the quality oflife in Zephyrhills.  The Chamber seeks to promote a vibrant and active business climate supporting economic growth through leadership and active involvement by the membership.The East Pasco Chamber Foundation is incorporated in the State of Florida as a 501(c)3 nonprofitorganization. The East Pasco Chamber Foundation is dedicated to advancing the quality of life in EastPasco through education, leadership, economic development, and community enhancement. Read the full article

[smashpages]

Out this week: Flash Gordon Quarterly #1 (Mad Cave Studios, $5.99): 

Mad Cave’s Flash Gordon line continues to grow with this anthology title that features stories about supporting characters as well as completely new takes on the Flash Gordon mythos. This issue features a King Vultan story, as well as a Western take and a detective take on Flash Gordon. Creators for this first issue include Dennis Culver, Louis Southard, Jordan Thomas, Pasquale Qualano, Nuno Plati, Russell Olson and more.

See what other comics and graphic novels are arriving at your local comic shop this week.

[college-girl199328]

The owners of one half of a Vancouver duplex being sued by the owners of the other half of the property deny a claim that they scuttled a $1.8-million real estate sale following a “toxic” dispute over common property.

Late last year, Maria and Panagiotis Pappas, 3257 West 2nd Ave., filed a lawsuit against their neighbours, Jordan Mark Bower and Maureen Culver Elworthy. These neighbours own 3255 West 2nd Ave., the other half of the duplex.

The plaintiffs said they had lived next door to their neighbours for more than a decade until January 2021. A dispute arose when Bower and Elworthy proposed what the plaintiffs called a “comprehensive” redrawing of all common property space in the ground-floor outdoor areas of the home.

The plaintiffs say they consider the proposals to be completely one-sided and beneficial to the defendants. As a result, say the plaintiffs, they offered. They also sent Bower and Elworthy to negotiate any changes to common property with the new owners.

They say that after putting their home up for sale, they received an offer on October 8 for $1.85 million. The deal was partly contingent on the buyers receiving confirmation from the defendants that a civil resolution tribunal case that had been filed against the plaintiffs would be, or already was, discontinued, says the plaintiff’s lawsuit.

The plaintiffs alleged that Bower and Elworthy displayed a confrontational attitude with the buyers, and as a result, the sale collapsed the lawsuit. The defendants say that the proceedings concern what they consider to be the plaintiffs’ unauthorized use of common property in violation of the corporate bylaws.

The two properties are collectively a strata corporation, although the corporation has never complied with strata laws and has never held an annual general meeting. There are no budget or council meetings.

Bower and Elworthy say in their response that the first discussion of property issues occurred in April 2019 when they tried to perform a home inspection. They say they attempted to negotiate with the plaintiffs to find an amicable solution but were unsuccessful and commenced proceedings in the civil resolution tribunal.

Bower and Elworthy deny that the plaintiffs were selling their home to get away from them and were instead selling it for financial reasons. They reject the claim that they were unreasonable or confrontational with the prospective, causing the offer to be withdrawn or the contract to collapse.

The defendants say the contract between the prospective buyer and the plaintiffs is to be completed.

[metodologica]

El número de años ovulatorios se relaciona con un mayor riesgo de cáncer de ovario

Un reciente estudio realizado con datos de más de 47.000 mujeres, sugiere una relación entre el número de años ovulatorios y el desarrollo de cáncer de ovario. Los resultados también indican que el uso de anticonceptivos orales y los embarazos pueden tener un efecto protector más fuerte del esperado en el desarrollo de esta enfermedad.

En este estudio se buscó evaluar la relación entre el número de años ovulatorios en la vida (LOY) y el riesgo de desarrollar cáncer de ovario epitelial (EOC). Para ello, se utilizaron datos de 26.204 controles y 21.267 pacientes con EOC, provenientes de 25 estudios diferentes. Se calculó el LOY utilizando 12 algoritmos diferentes y se estimaron los riesgos de OR y los intervalos de confianza del 95% para evaluar la relación entre el LOY o los componentes del LOY y el EOC.

Los resultados mostraron que el LOY estuvo asociado con un aumento del riesgo de EOC (OR por aumento de 1 año: 1.014 (95%CI 1.009-1.020) a 1.044 (95%CI 1.041-1.048)). Los componentes individuales del LOY, excepto la edad en la menarquia, también se asociaron con el EOC. Además, se encontró que el uso de anticonceptivos orales y los embarazos tuvieron un efecto protector más fuerte de lo esperado. El LOY se asoció con los histotipos de cáncer seroso de alto grado, bajo grado, endometrioide y de células claras, pero no con los tumores mucinosos.

En conclusión, este estudio sugiere que el número de años ovulatorios en la vida está relacionado con un mayor riesgo de desarrollar cáncer de ovario epitelial, y que el uso de anticonceptivos orales y los embarazos pueden tener un efecto protector más fuerte de lo esperado. 

Sin embargo, es importante señalar que estos hallazgos deben interpretarse con precaución, ya que son resultados observacionales y no causales. Es necesario realizar más investigaciones para entender mejor las implicaciones de estos hallazgos y para desarrollar estrategias de prevención y tratamiento eficaces para el EOC.

Referencia:

Fu, Z., Brooks, M. M., Irvin, S., Jordan, S., Aben, K. K. H., Anton-Culver, H., Bandera, E. V., Beckmann, M. W., Berchuck, A., Brooks-Wilson, A., Chang-Claude, J., Cook, L. S., Cramer, D. W., Cushing-Haugen, K. L., Doherty, J. A., Ekici, A. B., Fasching, P. A., Fortner, R. T., Gayther, S. A., … Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium. (2023). Lifetime ovulatory years and risk of epithelial ovarian cancer: a multinational pooled analysis. Journal of the National Cancer Institute, djad011. https://doi.org/10.1093/jnci/djad011

[chefjordankahn03]

Chef Jordan Kahn Reviews

Website: https://thebestchefawards.com/2021/05/27/jordan-kahn/

Address: 3599 Hayden Ave, Culver City, CA 90232

Chef Jordan Kahn is an entrepreneur and chef with creative ideas in restaurant tourism. Chef Jordan Kahn created Vespertine, a collaboration with Eric Owen Moss, an architect. Chef Jordan Kahn’s vision is to re-imagine and re-explore the dining experience. Chef Jordan Kahn’s vision is the converging of food, art, music, and sculpture for a multi-sensory experience.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/chefjordankahn

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordan-kahn-8656a05

[midnightfunk]

“The Star Tribune also reported on May 30 that a white lieutenant was granted special access to Chauvin’s cell, where she allowed him to use her cell phone.” 

I bet Sandra Bland would’ve preferred to have all non-poc barred from having had contact with her. Certainly would’ve been nice to access a cellphone.