Smokes and Booze Christmas

 

Ok everyone….I know it’s been awhile since I posted.  After my Amsterdam trip, I was back into London for a Corp. Strategy Meeting.  Talk about making me want to drink.  But at least I got to drink some Cobra again (Review HERE) and I have a new review coming out (London Pride).

Anyway, I should be back in the saddle again until my Berlin trip in January, to be followed by KC in Feb and LA in March.  None of these trips will be as demanding, so I should be able to continue to post.

So to kick off the few days left before Christmas, I’ve found some videos for everyone to enjoy……Starting with Bob and Doug.

Bob and Doug McKenzie singing the 12 Days of Christmas will always be a staple of my childhood memories.  Who can forget riding Bus 21 with Jeanie Larkey and or Bus 9 with Jim Barnes and this song coming on.  It was Pure 80’s…..and is (IMO) the 2nd greatest Christmas song ever.  What’s number 1?  You’ll just have to tune in later to find out….but until then, enjoy these two drunk Canadians (I’ve posted about them before) and the other videos below.

 

How about some vintage smoking commercials for Christmas while we are at it?  I love the blatant commercialism of the first two (Camel and Lucky Strike), where they even leverage that the boxes have Christmas decorations.  Awesome.  The Dutch masters is just classic.

 

Meanwhile, Jack Daniels goes a more tasteful route….bringing Christmas to Lynchburg.

How about a Japanese Gin (Suntory) Commercial?  That’s what I thought too….and the tune is catchy….in a satanic, load a gun and start greasing people sort of way.  Leave it to them.

Finally, leave it to the true artists at St. James Gate….where only Guinness can create something so subtle.  You can almost imagine everyone going home and pouring a pint of the black, sitting in front of a fire and relaxing.  Merry Christmas.

Happy Thanksgiving from S&B

I want to wish everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving.  This is the first year I am not doing a turkey ( remember THIS and THIS?), but instead….I am doing Duck.

It should be interesting, as this is my first attempt…..what can go wrong?

Supreme Cut Duck Breast in Grand Marnier

Serves 4

Prep: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Oven Preheat: 350 degrees

Supreme Cut Duck Breast

• 4 Supreme Cut Duck Breasts
• Grand Marnier Sauce
• 1 Cup Orange Juice
• 1 Teaspoon Orange Zest
• ¼ Cup Sugar
• 1 Ounce Gran Marnier
• 1 Tablespoon Corn Starch

Season duck breast with your salt and pepper.
Cover wing bone with foil.
Bake in oven at 350 degrees for ½ hour.
Brush Duckling breast with Gran Marnier Sauce and continue baking until done. Internal Temperature should be 140 to 150 degrees.

Gran Marnier Sauce
Heat orange juice, orange zest, and sugar. Bring to boil on medium heat. Add Gran Marnier. Turn down to simmer. Thicken with corn starch. Mix with wire wisk until smooth.

Serving
Serve with Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Fresh Asparagus

I am varying the recipe by doing a whole duck vs just the breasts.  Should be interesting.

Of course, it wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without the WKRP TURKEY DROP.  Enjoy and have a great Holiday Season.

 

 

WKRP Turkey Drop - Watch more Videos at Vodpod.

Traveling PSA

The TSA has issued a list of Thanksgiving food that won't make it through the checkpoints

There are certain Thanksgiving foods you won't get through the airport checkpoint. The Transportation Security Administration says no to cranberry sauce; creamy dips and spreads; gift baskets with salsa, jams and salad dressing; gravy; jellies and soups. Also on the list are wine, hard liquor and beer. You can avoid a problem by putting those items in your checked bag. Pies and cakes are ok ... but may face additional screening. You can find out more at the TSA website.

Classic Johnny Carson (Ed McMahon)

I know some of you younger whipper snappers have only grown up with cable/satellite TV.  When I was younger, there were only 3-5 stations: ABC, NBC and CBS…..plus an independent (we had Channel 55) and/or PBS if you were lucky.

Anyway, they had a captive audience then…and programming was much better.  Case in point, Johnny Carson.  Forget Leno & Letterman, who cares about The Daily Show or Jimmy Kimmel…back in the day, Carson was KING.  His shows were funny from start to finish….and it was a special thing to be able to stay up and watch him with my Dad after the evening news.

Here is a classic clip featuring Ed McMahon…..

Star Wars PSAs

I was a really big Star Wars fan as a kid.  Still am.  The prequels had their moments, although some of it was killed for me then (a pox on you JarJar)….the rereleases also had some good and bad.  I remember a time when you couldn’t watch an hour of TV without something from Star Wars being run out in front of you…..including these two PSAs -

The first is pretty funny….a droid smoking.  What was Lucas thinking?  Oh wait, I’m sure he got a big tax write-off for that one.  The second looks like they just used cut footage and then suited a few guys up for the end….add voiceover and there you have it, a commercial.

In reality, if you are going to have a PSA….you need to do it like this-

Aging Tobacco to an Extreme

2.5m-year-old tobacco found

PALEONTOLOGISTS in Peru have discovered fossilised tobacco in the northern Amazon that dates back to the Pleistocene Era 2.5 million years ago, the scientists said today.

The compact block of tobacco, about 30 square centimetres was found by scientists from the Meyer-Honninger Paleontology Museum earlier this week in the Maranon river basin in northeastern Peru.

"This discovery allows us to establish that the plant dates back to the Pleistocene Era, and confirms that it originated in northern Peru," the museum said.

Tobacco was smoked and chewed by Native Americans long before the arrival of European explorers in the 15th century, the scientists said.

It was also used for therapeutic purposes - in everything from eye drops to enemas - and for rituals, such as blowing smoke into the faces of warriors before battle and on women before intercourse, they said.

Read more: http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/m-year-old-tobacco-found/story-e6frfku0-1225957251494#ixzz15q21ZEGe

http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/m-year-old-tobacco-found/story-e6frfku0-1225957251494

Goat Night is approaching

Ok, who remembers our last Goat Night?  It’s that time of year again….Debi has bought the meat for us and I just got the order of wine.  Now we are just starting to settle on night.

Stay tuned for more information.