RECIPE: Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeño Thingies

Still need something for that Super Bowl Party tonight? Well, this ZONINO! treat will be the guaranteed talk of the town; even better than any commercial Budweiser puts out. And a lot less expensive.

I must still be salivating from the January's Bacon Explosion (which, by the way, work wonderfully and tastes great - a few friends and I tried it last week) because I went looking for other delicious bacony treats and found these Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeño Thingies. (Click the link for the recipe.)

The kick of the jalapeño peppers balanced with the cream cheese and saltiness and grease of the bacon create a fantastic flavor fiesta in your mouth. These are best if you can keep them bite-sized so try and use small peppers. Though simple, preparation can be tedious, but the end result is worth it!

Sergio del Limónar

MUSIC: "The Man Who Can't Be Moved" (live performance)

Get me a time machine and plane ticket to Ireland ASAP!!! C'mon move people, move! Make it happen! Go! Go! Go! STAT! (sigh...)

Well, at least I can watch The Script's magical performance of their mega-hit "The Man Who Can't Be Moved" at the 2009 Oxegen Music Fesitval in Ireland over and over and over again.

Seriously, I can't believe no one knows H.G. Wells...

Buzzy

WEBSITE: Everyday Loopholes

When I was little, my dad had a big do-it-yourself book called something along the lines of "How To Fix Just About Anything". He would pull it out whenever there was an issue with the furnace, a leaky pipe under the sink, or the air conditioner that he didn't immediately know how to solve.

I have no idea what happened to that book, but it certainly solved a lot of problems around our house back in the day. Somehow I don't think it would do us a lot of good now though, in the technology saturated era we live. I also don't think it included any helpful advice on dating, consumerism, or transportation.

That's why we need websites like Everyday Loopholes to get us through or help us avoid the pitfalls that so often cause things to not go smoothly in the 21st century.

Take, for example, this tidbit about renting a car abroad:

"Think like a local citizen when traveling abroad and save lots of money in the process. For example, when traveling to Spain, don't use www.hertz.com , use www.hertz.es , and save significant Euros."

Or this piece of advice about city driving:

"Have your spouse drive the car registered in your name and you drive their car. If a traffic camera takes a picture of a man driving a car registered in a woman's name (or vice versa), they send a "nomination" instead of a ticket."

Take a few minutes to peruse the site; you never know what you might learn or, better yet, use! If you have a secret tip you don't mind giving up to the masses, submit it for the rest of us. Happy loophole jumping!!!

Sergio del Limonar

MUSIC: "Ghost In This House"

With the Grammy Awards just this past weekend, it seems appropriately timed that the most winningest woman and tied for second place overall, with 27 statues in total, gets a ZONINO! today. While cleaning the apartment the other day, I popped in an old mixed CD recently and the incredibly heartbreaking and powerful ballad, "Ghost In This House", by the infinitely talented Alison Krauss, came streaming from the speakers.

Off her 1999 album, Forget About It, the Queen of Bluegrass sings of being a veritable ghost in her life. Feeling abandoned emotionally in her relationship, she sings, "I don't live in these rooms, I just rattle around." The metaphors are simple and beautiful, yet strike powerfully to the pain and sense of being lost in your own life. Krauss's unmistakable vocals also elevate the haunting and desperate feeling of the song.

Written by Hugh Prestwood ("A Song Remembers When" and "Hard Rock Bottom of Your Heart") and originally recorded by country band Shenandoah, my favorite lyrics include the ending of the second chorus:

"I'm just a whisper of smoke
I'm all that's left of two hearts on fire
That once burned out of control
You took my body and soul
I'm just a ghost in this house"

Alison Krauss is guaranteed to go down in music history. If you are not versed on her incredible catalogue, do yourself a favor and start with this one. It never fails to impress and is perfect for those grey and rainy days.

Sergio del Limonar

WEBSITE: Smugopedia

"Smugopedia is a collection of slightly controversial opinions about a variety of subjects. We offer you the chance to buy a fleeting sense of self-satisfaction at the small cost of alienating your friends and loved ones."

So introduces Smugopedia, a website that offers people the chance to be anonymous pompous egomaniacs online. Postings range from literature, to politics, to sports, to food, and music, but all are guaranteed to be arrogant in the best possible way.

An example of a food-related posting (on the pretentious sushi, nonetheless) reads:

"It's only worth bothering with sushi if you're going to go to the Tokyo Fish Market. Nothing else is really fresh enough to capture the perfect simplicity of toro or uni."

Another, inspired by some stuck-up travel states:

"Everyone goes to the French Riviera. The Italian Riviera is just as lovely, and so much more exclusive."

Memorize a couple of these and you'll be well on your way to being the ass of the party!

Sergio del Limonar

YOUTUBE: The Midnight Beast

I have some new heroes. Yet another clever bunch of chaps from England calling themselves The Midnight Beast have taken to song/video parodies with bloody fantastic results. (What can I say, I wish I was British.)

My favourite (yes, I threw in a "u") of the moment is the parody of Ke$ha's "Tik Tok" song in which the guys sing:

"I' m mad, really bad
But dont tell my mum & dad
Pucker up kiss my but
'Cause I'm bloody f***ing nuts
Hear the bass, skinny waist
Now lets copy "Pokerface" like.... whoa!"

Another in their collection to check out is the Jay Sean parody of "Down" where they sing "They'll never know your trousers just fell down...Down, down, down" For some reason some things are just funnier in British accents.

Buzzy

WEBSITE: Charity Navigator

With the recent tragedy in Haiti and the plethora of relief organizations and charity drives popping up to "help" in the crisis, it's often difficult to know which are legitimate and which are less so. Personally, if I donate a certain amount of food or money to an organization to benefit a particular cause, I would like to think that close to 100% of my contribution is going to the people or situation that needs it. Unfortunately, misappropriation of fund and resources is often a problem in these situations.

The website Charity Navigator is here to help. Along with a rating system, Top 10 Lists, articles, and "hot topics," the site keeps readers up to date on developing crisis and causes around the globe. Bookmark this one for your research needs the next time you desire to give to those in need.

Sergio del Limonar