Lazy Sunday at the Book Store

8/5/07 -- Since Saturday was spent in the sun volunteering with Habitat for Humanity, we decided to spend today relaxing with some good reading.

Once or twice a month we really enjoy going to either Borders or Barnes and Noble and spending a few hours with a frappuccino, a deli sandwich and a stack of magazines and books we're too cheap to buy.

While Vickie paroozes an assortment of women's magazines and investment books, I dive in to videography, Photoshop and marketing magazines.

Vickie has always wanted me to do an Andy Warhol type poster of her to hang in our front room (which is very retro).

While going through a Photoshop magazine I read an article on how to replicate Warhol's famous Marilyn Monroe painting.

I took the above photo of Vickie and decided to try to use it to create some pop art.

You can see the results didn't turn out too bad. I can't wait to take this to Sam's tomorrow and have them print a poster size print to hang on the wall!

After a few hours of literature, we stopped by my folks' house to pick up a couple of koi that had outgrown their patio pond and transfer them to our larger pond (photos coming soon).

Once home it was the perfect time to snuggle up on the couch and watch a few movies... 300 (4/5), Ghost Rider (2/5) and PathFinder (2/5).

It's Another Habitat for Humanity Saturday!

8/4/07 -- Though Vickie and I have enjoyed volunteering for Habitat for Humanity for awhile now, Devin was always too young to join in. Well, not anymore.

Since turning 16, Devin can now swing a hammer and tote a load like the rest of us.

I'm proud to say he wasted no time getting to work and even managed to keep up with the regulars.

Within an hour of arriving, Devin was on the roof and decking it like a pro!

I gotta say, it was not the best day for manual labor. With barely a cloud in the sky, the temperature quickly reached 90-some-odd degress.

By the end of the day the entire house was decked and ready for the roofers.

Also, the house Vickie and I framed several months ago was recently dedicated to a new family.

Devin enjoyed the work so much he plans to volunteer again soon and thinks he may even look for a construction job next summer.

An Evening at a Parking Lot Carnival

7/19/07 -- OKC, OK - My wife's nephew, Dalton, turned 5 today so we decided to make a day of it.

The day started out with a trip to the Oklahoma City Zoo, then dinner at Pizza Hut and finally a trip to a local parking lot carnival.

I haven't been to one of those traveling carnivals since I was about Dalton's age.

This one was setup on SE 44th near S. I-35 in a grocery store parking lot.

I don't know which was more fun, watching Dalton's smiling face while he rode the kiddie rides or the look of shear terror on Vickie's face when Devin talked her into riding the "Whirl Wind."

Even at $3 per ride, it was a fun hour or so and capped off a great day.

Devin Turns 16

7/12/06 -- Devin turned 16 this summer (more to come).

Dinner for Two!

6/22/07 -- As any parent knows, finding time for a romantic dinner for two can be almost impossible.

But, Friday night was our lucky night!

I like to consider myself the cook of the family.

While Vickie and Devin both enjoy whipping up a meal from time to time - I tend to be the one that cracks open the cook book to find something special for the dinner table.

Tonite it was shrimp with homemade mango salsa, sushi and marinated steak!

Pay attention fellas, this not too difficult dinner can make you a hero whether you are married or not.

The shrimp were of the larger variety, bought and steamed at the local grocery store. The sushi can also be purchased at nicer grocery stores around town.

Here is my recipe for fresh mango salsa;

1. First, pick out a fresh mango. If you don't know how, let me give you a few tips - Pick up a mango and softly press your thumb against its flesh. It should give just a bit. Most importantly, a mango should smell very fragrant. It should seem heavy for its size and should not be green if you plan on eating it right away.
2. Now, peel, pit and dice your mango (see how here).
3. Chop/dice a small red onion.
4. Finely chop 1 Jalapeño chile (leave the seeds if you want it spicy).
5. Peel and dice 1 small cucumber (need about 1 cup).
6. 3 tablespoons of cilantro (chop fresh leaves if at all possible).
7. 3 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lime juice.
8. 1 medium avacado peeled and diced.
9. Dash of salt and pepper.
10. Combine all the ingredients and chill in the frig for about 30-minutes. Tastes great on the shrimp or even on tortilla chips or a fresh salad.

Now to my favorite steak recipe;

Purists are going to crindge, but believe it or not, this steak is cooked in a skillet on the stove!

1. I buy the tri-tip cut from Sam's Club. This cut will come in long narrow pieces that are about 1.5 inches think. You will need to probably cut each strip in half.
2. Place the cut of meat on a cutting board and pound with a tenderizing hammer until about 1/2 inch thick. This will tenderize the meat and the reduced thickness will make it cook very fast.
3. Let the meat marinate in Allegro (available at Sam's Club) for at least an hour in the refrigerator.
4. In a skillet, place a pad of butter and a spoon full of minced garlic (also available at Sam's Club).
5. Place the steaks into the butter and garlic and allow to cook for a few minutes over medium-high heat on each side (for medium rare - my personal favorite). Remove from the skillet and serve promptly.

That's it - enjoy!

KFOR Ch4: Oklahoma YouTube Super Stars!

5/7/07 -- OKC, OK - (*Note: This article will be updated over the next few weeks) The other day my step son was commenting that he had been studying inventions in the past and that nothing exciting had been invented during his lifetime. "You've got to be kidding!" was the only thing I could think of to say.

According to CNN, there has been a long list of innovative inventions and advancements over the last 25 years. I have to concur that the Internet is probably No. 1.

When Devin was born (1991) the Internet was still in its consumer infancy.

Today, every 10-year old has their own website, you can read the news headlines from around the globe, and everyone with a video camera can enjoy their 15-minutes of fame on the Internet.

Here in Oklahoma, we have our own YouTubers gone wild and they are being featured by Oklahoma's own News Babe, Ali Meyer with KFOR News Channel 4.

Ali is doing a four part series called "YouTube Super Stars!"

Ali scoured YouTube and found four Oklahoman's who invite millions into their lives via videos posted the the internets most popular video sharing Web site.

And the winners (or is that wieners?) are...

1. The Famous Stacie: (aired 4/30/07) "The realest housewife on the planet." Residing in Tulsa, this mother, wife and aspiring actress is always on the go and she brings you along for the ride.
2. Billy Julio: (airs 5/7/07) A criminal justice student living in Elk City. Billy Julio describes himself as "a full time student, because it sounds better than unemployed." Billy Julio invites viewers to ride, walk or just pull up a chair an sit a spell as you get a front row seat to his fight with obesity and upcoming gastric bypass surgery.
3. To be announced before the segment airs 5/14/07.
4. To be announced before the segment airs 5/21/07.

The first episode , FamousStacie, was excellent. The second episode, starring Billy Julio, is set to air tonight and the third and fourth episodes will air the following two Mondays ~ You don't want to miss a single one.

As many of you know, I too utilize YouTube in both my family life and activism.

I post family videos to my account at BatesFamily and my anti-street prostitution activism at VideoVigilanteOKC (support site to JohnTV.com).

I currently have 43 videos on YouTube that have been watched over 1-million times in the last 6-months.

My favorite 5 videos that I have shot and posted are...

1. Prostitution in Oklahoma City - Robinson Minute 03/2007 (9,000+ views).
2. Segment from Video Vigilantes Special (470+ views).
3. Hypocrisy of Oklahoma City Vice - Caught in a Lie! (31,000+ views).
4. Interview with Yvonne; Oklahoma Street Prostitute (30,000+ views).
5. Interview with "Fire," a Street Prostitute (16,000+ views).

There are literally hundreds of Okies who post to you tube, and they include...

1. Rob Hedrick, aka TVWeatherGuy: KOCO News Channel 5 videographer.
2. West Moore High School Band, aka WHStubachick: Like the name says, these are clips of the West Moore HS band.
3. Parker Best, aka ckyguy420: From Edmond, this 18-year old films local rock band performances.
4. UCO Chemistry Club, aka UCOCHEM: Like the name says.

If you have a favorite Okie YouTuber, post a like in the comments section of this article.

Restaurant Review: Falcone's Pizzeria & Deli

5/6/07 -- OKC, OK - What to do on a Sunday afternoon? Why not some authentic Italian pizza at a locally owned pizzeria! And there is no better place for pizza by the slice than Falcone's Pizzeria & Deli in NW OKC (and coming this week to Bricktown).

Owner Danny Falcone (see photo) is a 2nd generation Italian American, born and raised in the Little Italy district of New York City.

Danny brought his secret family recipes and techniques to NW 67th and N. May Ave. in August of 2006.

Within a couple of months Falcone's (pronounced Fal-coneys) was a hit. The lines were to the door and tables were being turned several times a day for pizza pies, pasta and fat deli sandwiches.

Personally, our family favorites are cheese pizza, pepperoni pizza, any of the fresh salads and the chicken cutlet parmigiana sandwich. For dessert you can't miss with any of the flavored Italian ice (cherry, lemon and chocolate) or tiramisu!

To top it off, how many restaurants do you go to in OKC where the owner serves you and even walks around the tables and genuinely seems interested in the dinning experience of his patrons.

Today I did two slices of pizza (cheese and pepperoni), a house salad and lemon ice. The wife, mom and dad each had cheese pizza, house salad and Italian ice.

As always the pizza was hot and fresh.

Danny sat down for a second and shared the progress on the new Bricktown location.

The new location will open this Friday and promises the same high quality foods with just a slight increase in prices over the original Falcone's.

Danny seemed particularly delighted in the outdoor dining and canal view the Bricktown location will offer.

Best of luck to Danny and we can't wait to try the new restaurant on one of our weekend trips to the movies.

Falcone's Pizzeria & Deli
6705 N. May Ave.
OKC, OK
405-242-2222

2nd Location set for Bricktown
In front of the Harkins Movie Theatre (next to Sonic).

Falcone's Pizzeria & Deli Review:
Service: 5/5 (You can't beat a restaurant where the owner serves and greets each and every guest.)
Atmosphere: 5/5 (Laid back, very clean, family atmosphere.)
Food Quality: 5/5 (The best authentic Italian pizza by the slice in the city. Very fresh ingredients and secret recipes.)
Price: 4/5 (Huge pizza by the slice for $2-$3 and sandwiches $6.25-$7. A whole pie can run $24.)
Recommendation: Excellent authentic Italian pizzeria. Great casual restaurant for a great lunch or relaxed dinner date.

Heads Up - Mother's Day is Around the Corner

5/6/07 -- OKC, OK - May means lots of things to different people; time to plant summer flowers, school is almost out, the weather is warmer and the year is almost half over already.

But there is something else very special about the month of May that cannot be ignored ~ it's Mother's Day on Sunday May 13th! (yep that's my mom and me in the picture)

That's right all you sons and daughters, only 8 days to find that perfect gift or gesture that tells mom how much you love and appreciate her. Also, husbands and fathers out there, lets not forget the wife for being such a good mom to the kiddos.

I've already done my shopping for the wife (can't reveal what I'm doing as she sneaks peeks at this blog). I'm still trying to figure out what to do for a mother that already has everything, but I'm getting close.

I thought I'd share some ideas I've done in the past that might spur some creative juices out there;

1. Probably one of my favorite gifts I've given my mom in the past was a poem I wrote. I know, I know, how sappy is that ~ but hey, it works.
   
   
2. If you have lots of old photos laying around from when you were a kid, and you are even a little bit handy with a computer and printer, then you must make that favorite mom in your life a Epson StoryTeller photo album (see some pages from my album here). Trust me guys and gals, this one brings a tear to their eyes! If you don't have the time and patience for the full Fledged photo album, gather up your photos and take them to a local retailer that has one of those walk up photo processing units. Often these have scanners and you can scan all your photos and create a CD or DVD that has a slide show of all the family photos.
   
   
3. If you've got a camera (digital or film) then there are several mom friendly gifts you can create. Personally, I love family photos, and with the great May weather what better time to take an up-to-date family photo than on Mother's Day. Gather mom and the rest of the family in a living room, neighborhood park, backyard or wherever. Plus, if you are using a digital camera, you can print 8x10's at most pharmacies, Sam's Club, Target or Wal-Mart for a just a couple of bucks in only 5 minutes (film cameras in about an hour). Buy a picture frame and walla, instantly you're mom's favorite kid!
   
   
4. If all else fails, just make a day out of spending time with mom. Bring the whole family, cookout on the grill and just enjoy being together. I find moms enjoy those times most of all.

Restaurant Review: Cinco De Mayo at Hacienda Don Elias

5/5/07 -- OKC, OK - Today is Cinco De Mayo (5th of May), a Mexican holiday which celebrates the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. A battle in which French forces were defeated by the Mexican army and temporarily delayed (by 1 year) in invading Mexico City.

Many people in America falsely believe Cinco De Mayo is Mexico's Independence Day.

To commemorate the day we decided to visit our favorite locally owned Mexican Restaurant, Hacienda Don Elias (HDE).

HDE is one of the few locally owned Mexican restaurants in Oklahoma City in which the food is not only authentic Mexican fare, but actually identifiable with a specific state in Mexico - Michoacán (translates: "place of those who have fish").

HDE opened in April of 2005 and is a bit off the beaten path. Located on SW 24th, between South Robinson and Harvey, you would never know it was there unless someone gave you directions.

The wife and I discovered this great little hideaway a little over a year ago and we have been regular guests ever since. Often we bring family and friends in hopes of spreading the word of this truly enjoyable restaurant.

We've tried about everything on the menu, and find we are particularly fond of the beef soft tacos (lots of cilantro, yummy!), beef tostadas (see photo above), enchiladas, and shrimp cocktail.

Family owned and operated, every meal starts off with homemade chips and salsa.

If you are visiting on a hot summer day, be sure and try a glass of their fresh cantaloupe juice, lemonade or even Horchata (a sweet rice drink).

An excellent complement to any meal is their made-to-order guacamole.

If you have room for dessert, you can't go wrong with the Pan de Tres Leche (3 milk cake).

Hacienda Don Elias

221 S. W. 24th St.

OKC, OK

405-601-9010

Hacienda Don Elias Review:

Service: 4/5 (Mostly young female Hispanic waitresses without much food service experience. Don't be in too much of a hurry as orders are made fresh to order.)

Atmosphere: 4/5 (Laid back, very clean, quite nice for the area and usually not crowded.)

Food Quality: 5/5 (The flavor and use of spices is truly unique with virtually every item on the menu from the chips to dessert being homemade.)

Price: 5/5 (Very affordable. Often the least expensive items on the menu are the most popular. Be sure and try the beef or pork soft tacos!)

Recommendation: Excellent authentic Mexican restaurant. No free queso or sopapias, but real food at a really good price.

TacoVille; Mexican Fast Food Hideaway in S. OKC

5/2/07 -- OKC, OK - I'm one that loves to eat at those out of the way tiny places that most people wouldn't bother to stop at.

I find these mom and pop type establishments are a real treat and the atmosphere often cannot be beat.

South Oklahoma City is literally overflowing with small locally owned restaurants.

One that I recently discovered is TacoVille.

Locally owned, I believed they opened in 1967, and have been serving up South OKC's best burritos, tacos and their signature hot sauce ever since.

I was introduced to TacoVille a couple of months ago, by my mechanic, and have made it a regular spot for a quick lunch.

TacoVille is located in a strip mall area in SW OKC where Newcastle Road and SW 29th intersect; 3502 Newcastle Road to be exact.

Looks to have originally been a small convenience store as an entire wall still contains a long row of refrigerated coolers full of soda-pop and beer.

I personally prefer the hard tacos and the burrito supreme. Their hot sauce is unbelievable and should be used with caution.

Speaking of caution; two words of warning.... One, the neighborhood is a bit scary (okay it's downright dangerous) and two, get there early as patrons tend to be lining up the walls at lunch waiting for a seat.

If you are ever in the neighborhood and your looking for an adventure, give TacoVille a try and you'll be hooked.

TacoVille Review:
Service: 4/5 (You order/pick up at the counter, but the mostly female staff is great.)
Atmosphere: 4/5 (Laid back, loud and packed with blue collar types.)
Food Quality: 4/5 (Hey, it's Mexican fast food at its finest.)
Price: 5/5 (Most everything on the menu is from $.99 to $3.00.)
Overall: 4.25/5
Recommendation: TacoVille is a great hole in the wall Mexican fast food treat.

Family Game Night; Skip-Bo anyone?

5/2/07 -- OKC, OK - Today's 'modern' family has replaced the 'family night' with takeout in front of the TV and individuals retreating to their room of choice in the house with little or no family interaction and reflection of the day's events.

In many ways my family is no different. Between work, school (all 3 of us are in school) and the never ending to-do lists, there seems to be less and less down time - let alone family time.

However, as I like to show in this blog, we make every attempt to make a family retreat out of simple things, like a visit to the zoo or a night out to dinner.

Another fun family tradition is 'game night.'

Game night for us can be duking it out blasting each other in rounds of Halo or Call of Duty (XBOX 360), or, more preferably a classic board or card game. Our favorite board games are Risk, Clue, and Monopoly. On casino nights we breakout the Roulette Wheel and/or go through several hands of Texas Hold'em.

The other night ,while enjoying steaks and great conversation at my uncle's home in Edmond, we were exposed to the apparently popular card game Skip-Bo.

Skip-Bo is by the same people who brought us Uno.

Skip-Bo quickly had me hooked (maybe that is because I won the first hand!).

The other day I bought a deck of Skip-Bo cards at Target to add to our growing collection of board and card games.

Last night we decided to play a round (about an hour with 3-players, 30-cards each).

It was close with Vickie leading most of the game. However, in the final stretch it was Vickie and I with one card left (Devin was still sitting on about 9 cards).

That's when I decided to play dirty and offered Devin $10 to set me up to win (I had a 7 card left and I needed him to play his 6 and stop there). Devin, being a teenager and perpetually on the search for money, gladly sold out his mother.

The most memorable parts of the game where the friendly jabs back and forth and a tussle that erupted when Vickie rescinded a placed card and we invoked the "a card laid is a card played" chant. To no avail though, as mom bullied her way. The best part though is that the tirade was caught on tape! Possibly to be posted in the near future.

If you know of any other must play games, let us know in the comments section.

FYI, you can find Skip-Bo cards at most any toy retailer or on Amazon for about $7.

Well, since I seem to like to post reviews, here goes it...

Skip-Bo
Price: 5/5 $6.99 - $16.00 (depending on where you buy and if you go for the board game or card only version - no difference in play)
Age Suitability: 5/5 Game says 7yrs and up. That may be true, but I'd say 10 and up.
Playing Time: 5/5 Takes us an hour for 3-players with 30-cards each.
Learning Curve: 4/5 Easier to understand if someone explains it. I found the included instructions confusing. A person can explain it in about 5 minutes.
Fun Level: 4/5 As far as card games go it has a good mix of luck and strategy without having to put too much brain power into it.
Recommendation: I highly recommend this card game for families with wide age ranges that want an easy to setup and play game that can go from shuffle to victory in an hour's time. Perfect game to take on vacation or trips to the lake!

Weekend Wrapup; Festival of the Arts, Zoo & Yard Work

4/29/07 -- OKC, OK - Today marked the final day of the 40th annual Festival of the Arts in downtown Oklahoma City. So, naturally we had to take it all in.

Saturday we spent the entire day catching up on yard work and relaxed that evening in front of the television watching Blood Diamond(4/5/).

We woke up bright and early this morning with a plan to take in an early movie in Bricktown, lunch in Bricktown to follow and then desert at the Festival of the Arts.

To our disappointment, there was not a single movie playing at the Harkins Bricktown Cinema 16 that either, one, we wanted to see, or two, was family appropriate (we are pretty strict on what we allow our 15-year-old son to watch).

Whatever happened to the summers where you could always count on a family friendly movie by Steve Martin, Robin Williams or the like? Today the movie choices are one extreme or the other - either too young (Meet the Robinsons in Disney Digital 3-D), or, too adult (Vacancy).

I like to always check the website Kids in Mind when deciding on a movie that is appropriate for the family. While I don't always agree with their reviews, I like that they tell you exactly what to expect as far as nudity, sexuality, violence, etc.

With our movie plans no longer a go, we decided to just head to the Festival of the Arts.

We got to the fest about 10am. There was plenty of parking within a short walk and the temperature was about 70 degrees.

Thousands attend this 6-day event that celebrates the visual arts, performing arts and culinary arts.

While attendees look forward to the returning artists and vendors, one guest that seems to always make an unwanted appearance is the rain. This year was no different, with the first half of the festival a virtual flood.

When we got there we bypassed the culture and headed straight for the cuisine.

All together we shared a chipotle burrito (3/5), fried dill pickles (4/5/), funnel cake (3/5), sweet potato fries (4/5) and fried peaches with ice cream (3/5).

With full bellies we perused the artist's tents.

To be truthful, I usually see very little that is in my taste or budget, though I am often drawn to the photography and I particularly like Burt seabourn's paintings.

By noon it was getting hot and we had, had our fill of food and festivities.

With an entire day ahead of us we decided to take in the Zoo. As always it did not disappoint; The grizzly bears were cooling off in the water, the gorillas were playing and the big cats were basking in the sun.

Later we enjoyed steaks, strawberry shortcake and a few rounds of Skip-Bo at my uncle's in Edmond.

All-in-all a very good weekend indeed!

This will mark our first family review of a great state annual event experience;

Oklahoma City Festival of the Arts
Atmosphere: 4/5 (Very festive and family friendly atmosphere. Very clean and safe.)
Value for the money: 4/5 (Admission is free! Food is the average cost and taste for this type of event.)
Fun factor: 4/5 (Whether or not art is your thing, there is something for everyone, young and old alike.)
Overall: 4/5
Would we return: We do every year!