Shoji Project: Are We Done Yet?

By now you're probably wondering, "What the hell happened to you? Did you die or something?". No I didn't die. Work and a faulty memory chip in my brain happened. But there is good news. I finally finished the shoji screen! Pictured below is the finished product. Note that this was a 5-panel screen but the very first panel is folded back...

Developments at the Ho Wagon

Ho Wagon? What happened to the other name that you used to use? Well as of today, out of respect and Ho's tried and true status, the former name will no longer be used and this place of mobile delights will now be referred to as the Ho Wagon. Also, according to Ho himself, out of 80 something truck inspections in Fremont for this year, he...

Roach Coach: Take Two

Alright, it's a week later and I bet you're wondering, "What happened to the chorizo burrito?". Well it turns out that Ho was out of stock of chorizo that day and I ended up getting Pho`. Well I should rather call it beef noodle soup. I don't consider it pho` if theres no choice for tripe and tendon. But anyway, the beef noodle soup was actually pretty good. But I'll get to more of that...

Developments at the Roach Coach

Well people, it was inevitable. My ever growing laziness has gotten a firm foothold on me and I find myself taking more and more trips to the lunch time roach coach at my work parking lot. After trying a few different item, including cutom items, I find the food in the "not-bad" to "hmm.. suprisingly good" range. I can't rate anything yet because I haven't fulfilled the consistency requirement...

I'm Back!

Sorry for the long hiatus folks. I suddenly got really busy and haven't had time to update. Still, there isn't much new to report. Chillis getting taller, chillis making fruit, etc etc. Here's one of my ripening anaheims...

Update

Here's an updated pcture of the whole bunch. That tall one in the back corner is the basil. This is the last picture I took of that before I found myself picking off leaves to eat with some vietnamese takeout food. It was gooooood... Anyway, a couple of the anaheims are now flowering. I've hand polnated them so they should be on thr way...

Just Cuz

Spanish Spice about 24 hours later...

Update

The Spanish Spice is flowering and peppering everywhere. Here's a cool pic I took of a flower and a starting pepper. Remember that pepper from a couple post back? Here it in now....

Crowding

Hmmmm... we have a problem again. With 11 plants at least 1ft tall and spreading out, and one set of sprouting Poblanos in the front, the plants are getting crowded. I'm thinking that the best method to resolve this issue is to build an identical frame and stack it on top of the existing one. Of course this new structure will stand on the...

Pepper Sightings

The Spanish Spice is growing at a good rate. Friday this particular pepper was still a flower. Now it's about an inch long. There are other peppers forming and more flower buds growing in.The Habanero has flowers everywhere but no pepper formation yet. I've even pollinated the bloomed flowers manually to try and speed it along. But it's...

Falafel Etc.: Meat Shwarma Plate

Falafel Etc. 39200 Fremont BlvdFremont, CA 94538(510) 795-7170 http://www.falafeletc1.com/ Alright so I realized I still had a picture of a dish sitting in my phone memory that haven't reviewed yet. Right now I'm sitting around in my folk's house for the weekend, bored as heck, so I've decided to take the opportunity to get the review out...

Habanero News

It looks like the habanero was the first to flower. It kind of suprised me when I came home from work....

Upgraded Enclosure

I told you guys last time that I was going to upgrade my system because my Spanish Spice pepper plant was outgrowing the of one. Now, after minutes of planning, a short trip to OSH, and about 6 bucks later: Here you can see my new box from the side with a mylar curtain pulled down so we can see inside. This shot is from another angle looking...

Good Excuse for Another Upgrade

My Spanish Spice hybrid plant is getting taller than the walls of my grow... thingy. It's not really a closet or cabinet. I guess it's just pieces of wood with mylar arranged into a box. Anyway, when I closet the lid the top of the plant touches it. I need to do something to raise the top a few inches. I'll probably do something like a table...

Sprouts Coming Along

Here are a couple more poblano sprout pictures. They seem to be growing trouble free in the hydro system. Of course I still have to see if they damp off but I don't see it coming from the looks of things. ...

Sprout!

Poblanos!!! The first 4 seeds I started from the border bowl germinator are now starting to sprout. The picture directly below is one of the my mini pots with 2 poblanos just coming to the surface. About 12 hours later here they are again. You can see the one that's about a centimeter high starting to unfurl its cotyledons(first pair of...

Even More Germination... and More

I seriously have to order more border bowls from taco bell. When I came home from work today almost all the poblano seeds had tap roots sticking out. There were only 3 left. I decided to use the space left over from planting out the started seeds by popping in some jalapeno seeds I saved. Those seeds are fairly fresh but I hope I get something out of them. Also the pumice planting media...

Germination and More

Well another seed germinated in my patented Taco Bell border bowl germinator. I forgot to mention in the last post that these seeds are poblano peppers. What, another pepper? Yep, cause I like em. I also checked on the seeds I already planted and moved into my hydroponic system. The tap roots are about twice as long as they were yesterday...

Jack's Brewing Co.: The Knockout

Jack's Brewing Co.39176 Argonaut WayFremont, CA 94538(510) 796-2036 I've been going to Jack's for a little over a year now. I was surprised a place like this existed and in my own city no less. Before the guys at work took me here I always thought the place was some kind of expensive steak house. Well I was wrong on both counts although...

Another Update

Here are 2 completely stained and clearcoated panels. No paper yet. I'll fill you in more as things come alo...

Lots of Changes(continued)

I upgraded the flow tray to a 3 gallon transparent tupperware type container. It took me a while to find one that sat perfectly on top of the existing reservoir. Actually I found the same reservoir container at OSH and set different containers on the lid until I found one that was perfect. Sure I got some weird stares from the staff but its...

Lots of Changes

Phew, a lot of changes and additions have happened since the last update. There's so much in fact that I have to separate everything into 2 posts. This first post shows my Taco Bell Border Bowl germinator. Yes, a Border Bowl from Taco Bell. I used the paper towel germination method in which seeds are placed in between or on top of a folded...

Shoji Project: Day 5, 6, 7.....??

Alright, as you can see I've finally laid down 2 coats of the sedona red on a panel. This one's ready for the clearcoat. Another panel is propped up in my living room drying its second stain coat. Let me tell you now. Laying stain on the lattices is a bastard. I put at least 3 or 4 coats on those damn things just to get the color to match...

Erik's Delicafe: Chicken Pesto Sandwich

Erik's Delicafe2551 San Ramon Valley BlvSan Ramon, CA 94583(925) 743-0101 I've been to several of these restaurants all over the place, from Redwood City, to Fremont, to San Ramon. Everything is pretty much the same except for the serving sizes. I may or may not get into that later though. This place is usually packed at lunchtime, which...

Stain Selection

Well it looks like I didn't get a lot of support from the poll. Those who did vote ended up evening out. So I went to the store and bought a couple sample stains: Natural Cherry and Sedona Red.Natural Cherry:Sedona Red:After a day of thinking I've decided to go with the Sedona Red. What pulled me that way was the similarity of the shade with...

Thinning, Separating, Upgrading... Peating

The chili plants have blasted off and some of the pots were getting crowded so I picked up a plant tray at OSH and some of those little peat pellets that expand when you dunk them in water. The latter was because I realized that I didn't have enough net pots if I put each plant in its own pot. One of the basils wilted after I moved it but...

Shoji Project: Day 4

I woke up at 9 this morning and routed out the remaining frame pieces. After a putting the last 2 frames together and a having a blooper with one of them I'm taking a break. I don't even know if I'll do the lattice work today. I'm bushed after working a straight 5 hours and not getting enough sleep the prior night. Well, at least the Sharks...

Just Something for You to Read

No new reviews today unfortunately. I ate at 2 new places this week which I've yet to build up a consistency rating for. The other 3 days I ate at places I've already rated. What was that Mexican place we at at with Joe and Noah, next to the porn shop, Mike? Bah... Hopefully I can rate Jack's Brewing Co. next week. I can't believe I forgot to put that on the list. Not just good burgers but...

Dual Updates

I have 2 pieces of news to report today, as I watch game 5 of the SJ Sharks and Dallas Stars series. GO SHARKS! Anyway, I just noticed this morning that a few of my chili plants have gotten taller than my basil. The basil was the tallest just a day ago. I had to rearrange my pots so the now taller chilies don't block the shorter plants. ...

System Upgrade

Well I switched out the reservoir with a roughneck bin. I used the existing flood trays and just rerouted the water pump line through the sides so they could be set on top. The solution drains though the bottom of the trays and through holes drilled into the lid of the reservoir. The main water line runs up through the lid and is split with...

Shoji Project: Day 3

Well, not much of a day at all but it's coming along slowly. All I managed to get done today was the lattice work and pick up some more hinges at OSH. I estimate that I'll be able to get the other 2 panels complete with lattice work this coming weekend. Sure I have 3 panels already and some probably want me to paint, finish, and paper/fabric...

Spinach Again

Since the temperature of the solution went up over 70 degrees there has again been noticeable growth, this time, with the spinach. The burst in growth, I think, was probably caused by a combination of the warm solution, a new clay growing media, and extra time to adapt to that media. As you can see, I've thinned out most of the withering...

Shoji Project: Still Day 2

Another update. I just finished another frame. I'll do the lattice work maybe tomorrow. I'm tired. BAH....