I can't imagine paying that much for a home... of course, my IT job would pay a lot more in other areas. I own a 6 bedroom, 2 bath historic house in the middle of my hometown, within walking distance of shopping, the university, and only a block from BOTH a liquor store and an awesome bagel shop. I've got room out back for a decent vegetable garden, and my neighbors are mostly cool and middle-aged - the type of people you can ask to take care of pets overnight without worrying the house will burn down while you're gone. My mortgage is ~$450 per month. Real estate prices have gone up quite a bit since we bought a decade ago though.

but isn't this supposed to be a cheezburger thread?

I dunno. I'm happy paying extra to NOT live in places that don't have fresh crab.

availability of fresh crab is probably worth at least a grand a month to me, so i feel ya

Right, because with modern transportation, and refrigeration, we are all deprived of so much. Right out of the ocean? Maybe not, but a day away like everything else you eat on every level? Yeah, you can get Ahi fucking Tuna on the top of Pike's Peak.

No, I understand the give and take of living in BFE Amerikuh. To me, the downside has less to do with fresh seafood and more the local lack of quality museums, theatre, and cultural events. It sometimes gets awfully dull around here. But, as the goood senator points out, this is a mobile society. Great things are easily within anyone's reach. I'm a short car-ride from Chicago, and our local airport connects us to the wider world. My kids have been up Pike's Peak (sorry, no tuna for us) and may even appreciate it more, it being a singular experience for them. If we lived near such grandeur, and they saw it every day, I doubt they would think much about it.

Damn, I need a cheeseburger.

Nothing down and $700 a month gets me a 1920s all brick totally rehabbed 2 bedroom place in a mixed neighborhood that's pretty safe as far as being in the City of St. Louis goes. Honestly, I only get the appeal of living in bigger cities if you make at least 6 figures plus. Otherwise you end up like several people I know who have moved to the coasts and basically pay to live in places where there is a shit ton to do none of which they can afford because they exist to make rent. That's the one dirty little secret that's nice about the midwest. Any schmo off the street can still get half a job and carve out a little piece. Hell, I know cocktail waitresses and day laboring guys who have their own homes and can afford to go out drinkin' a few nights a week. And I'm just lazy enough that that appeal is way more important to me than feeling like I live someplace where a bunch of shit I'm not a part of anyway is happening. The easy life is often the good life.

Same.

Boston / Cambridge is a mixed bag. There's a lot to do, good enough food, and the surrounding area is beautiful, but the people largely suck. If I had a decent job lined up in Portland, Seattle, Vancouver, or Madison, I would move next week. And I love my job. But the Mrs can't bike to work every day without near-death experiences, and we've kinda gone through the usual places looking for like-mided folks and come up with a small handful... no great new friends out here I didn't already sorta know. I pay, yeah, over 4x what toots does, just to rent, and on top of that a nanny, and cleaners every 2 weeks, but I don't make car payments, I barely buy any gasoline for the 8 months a year I'm on the motorcycle, and we don't eat out much. I'm thinking I need to parlay 4 years at this gig into the next step up somewhere on the upper west coast, somehow.

I'm sorry Toots, how was that crab burger?

it was delish. review forthcoming.

if either one of us ever ends up in the NW, let's pave the way for the other'n

That I will do.

THE CAMELOT

<onward, steed>









From yon apothecary and the land of giants, an elixir which to the tongue and brain bringeth much zip and tang (aye, for not much gold), and mayhap causeth raiments be cast upon the floor, from time to time.



Camembert, given unto us by a strange wayfarer. In a Whole Foods bib.




The Camelot, upon which we did feast.




Scoreth: Camembert bringeth to mind brie when cold, yet bringeth to mind soiled tights of a bard when warm and melted into meat. Brioche is a bread that, would that I could marry bread, marry.

out of ten "Men of War."

Best one yet, if just for the rating system.

THE CRABBY LOUIE

<fais-do-do>












Monterey jack. A great example of an ingredient that finds itself being recycled throughout the week. On Wednesday, I used it on a turkey sandwich. On Thursday, I used it in an omelet. By Friday, I was slicing off the remaining chunks to eat Somali-style.





Pulled one of these off Shera's face before it could lay an egg. I think it was that damn android.





As a concession to the civil war raging in Shera's breadbasket, we'll be sipping wine with our burgs from here on out, such as this here délicieux twelve-dollar bo-yo-lay.




THE CRABBY LOUIE



Yet another gastronomic construction to join the ranks of the praised. The combination of onion'd mayo, avocado and crab gave this one a buttery smoothness that was not sickening, but utterly satisfying, especially against the sourness of the bread and monterey jack.


Score:
out of 5 hours of indigestSHONNNNN

I think that's the first perfect score, isn't it? I would not have expected that from a burger with crab meat on it...

man it was really good. i would eat it again for sure.

welp, i'm all caught up on reviews. i think femtoots and i have decided to take the rest of the year off. she's been sick lately, and with all the holiday chaos it just seems like the right thing to do.

this one's up for jan '11:




beef patty, aged swiss, sauteed wild mushrooms, cremini mushrooms, rosemary, bacon, garlic aioli, lettuce, sesame seed bun, rosemary

I'd hit that.

I can't believe you're following through on this whole challenge. I'm thoroughly impressed, sir and ma'am.

i still plan to do some major cleanse when all is said and done. if i post about it, it will have far fewer pictures....

man, No. 18 gives me a semi.

i like how they changed it up to square patties for once

Wendy's style...

Delicious nonsense.

Watch Penn and Teller's "Bullshit" episode on cleansing. Its on Netflix streaming (no pun intended).