My lady got me a very nice helmet for the holidays. I basically told her what to get me based on some research I did on the 'net. The problem is, it's so damn noisy!
My first helmet (HJC CL-14) had a lot of flaws, IMO, but for the price, it is a very good helmet.
I relied primarily on the reviews found on webBikeWorld. I have never been steered wrong by them. After looking at many brands, I went with the Shoei RF-1000. The fit is great. It has a lot of decent features, and it's very lightweight. I picked one of the new modes with a nice graphic (Artifact TC2). Based on what I read, the helmet was relatively quiet, and it would be a nice fit for my head shape. When I got it, I was very excited and couldn't wait to use it.
The first time I put it on and went for a ride, I immediately noticed the noise. Mind you, I wear earplugs while riding to help attenuate the noise, and I could still hear enough of it to be annoying. I immediately placed the blame on myself thinking that maybe I had my earplugs in incorrectly (which would cause more noise instead or reducing it), or I had the helmet chin guard tilted, etc. Unfortunately for me, none of that was true. I still have my old helmet, and I tried them both on the same day. The difference was very obvious, and definitely not what I wanted to hear (no pun intended). I noticed that the source of the noise is air entering the bottom of the helmet. This is a typical problem with motorcycle helmets. I have yet to compare the height of these helmet to see if that's the main difference. Regardless, I'm pretty bummed :(
It really sucks when you want (and expect) something to work the way you envision, only to be let down.
Naturally, since I waited so long to try it (I had no choice), I cannot return it. Now, my choices are to attempt fixing the problem with add-ons (there's a cover for the bottom of the helmet that acts as a wind diffuser), or give up and sell it.
Later,
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Sunday, April 13, 2008
On beers
I have a co-worker and friend who is a very good beer maker, and a little bit of a beer nut. I love beer in the summer, but I'm more of a wine and scotch kind of guy. But I'm up for whatever....
Some weeks ago, we were talking about what we think are good beers. The one thing we agreed was: mass produced American beers are just not that good. I find them too one-dimensional. I am very sure a lot of people would disagree, but I have this thing about flavor, and "general purpose" American beers have none that I could find.
In terms of style, I tend to like:
Paulaner and Spaten are my favorite German marzen. I have tried Sam Adams and Harpoon Oktoberfest, but I don't think they cut it.
Bocks are kind of a new thing for me. I find myself constantly going for Celebrator as my benchmark bock. Paulaner Salvator is also very good, but still not a Celebrator. I liked the Aventinus wheat doppelbock a lot, but with the current grain shortages couples with the ever-so-weakened dollar make it an expensive proposition at 4 dollars a bottle.
On a related note: while checking out opinions of bock, I stumbled into a review of an American double bock that was rated high by the pundits. It was the Thomas Hooker Liberator Double Bock. This took me a while to find, and I bought three. This beer (at 9 bucks a whack) made the Aventinus look like a bargain. While the beer is very well crafted, it is still not as good as the German ones, in my opinion. I found another Thomas hooker beer (American pale ale) while looking for this one. More on it later. My friend's benchmark is the celebrator also. He has not tried the Aventinus, and I hope he does. I gave him one the Thomas Hooker bocks to try, and I have not told him about my thoughts on it because I don't want to bias his mind.
On the British ale category, I love the Samuel Smith line, followed by Boddington's, Old Speckled hen and Fuller's. I prefer these on tap, but Sammi smith on tap in the US is close to impossible This is one category where the American handcrafted beers seem to do well. The Sam Adams isn't bad. the Anchor steam is pretty good, although is has that overly hoppy finish that makes it taste more like an IPA than a traditional Pale Ale. I like IPAs, but I don't like their taste when I'm expecting something else.
As I mentioned earlier, I found a Thomas Hooker American pale ale which looking for the bock. Not cheap either at 9 or 10 dollars a 6-pack, and I didn't think it was that great. It had the same bite at the end I associate with the micro-brews I don't like. Compared to the Samuel Smith Old Brewery Pale Ale, it's not that good. It reminds me of an expensive version of Sam Adams
This is another category where I find the originals doing better than the copiers. Even with the inflated prices (about $12 for four), they are still cheaper than anything you buy at the bar. The way I see it, I'd rather drink less good beer than more mediocre beer. :)
I'm not a stout expert, but I like some of the smaller kids on the block. I like Guiness on tap-especially while visiting the UK-but I like Murphy's more. Beamish is also nice, but a little harder to find. On the non-standard types, Samuel Smith's Oatmeal stout and Young's double chocolate stout in the can are great examples of each category. Besides micro brews, I haven't had a good American example. I hear the Brooklyn brewery dry stout is supposed to be pretty good.
My "mindless summer lager" beer is the lesser known Mexican lager called Sol. I can't stand Corona, but this stuff is drinkable, and very good on a hot summer day by the pool. I know that compared to the other stuff I mentioned, this stuff is still technically "crap", but to me, it still beats Bud and the other mass producers of mindless lager. Hey! Nobody's perfect! :)
I do wind up with some general purpose lager when I host parties and the like. Some people just like them. I wind up using them for Bratwurst cooking. The hops give the brats a great flavor. To me, that's the best use for mass-produced american lager.
That's what I like on beer these days. My taste changes from time to time, but overall, these are the styles I stick with. If you have a recommendation, drop a comment.
In fact, I think I will have my last Affligem while catching up on the last Formula 1 race!
Later,
Some weeks ago, we were talking about what we think are good beers. The one thing we agreed was: mass produced American beers are just not that good. I find them too one-dimensional. I am very sure a lot of people would disagree, but I have this thing about flavor, and "general purpose" American beers have none that I could find.
In terms of style, I tend to like:
- Belgian ales
- German Marzen (Oktoberfest)
- Double Bock
- English Ales
- Stout
Paulaner and Spaten are my favorite German marzen. I have tried Sam Adams and Harpoon Oktoberfest, but I don't think they cut it.
Bocks are kind of a new thing for me. I find myself constantly going for Celebrator as my benchmark bock. Paulaner Salvator is also very good, but still not a Celebrator. I liked the Aventinus wheat doppelbock a lot, but with the current grain shortages couples with the ever-so-weakened dollar make it an expensive proposition at 4 dollars a bottle.
On a related note: while checking out opinions of bock, I stumbled into a review of an American double bock that was rated high by the pundits. It was the Thomas Hooker Liberator Double Bock. This took me a while to find, and I bought three. This beer (at 9 bucks a whack) made the Aventinus look like a bargain. While the beer is very well crafted, it is still not as good as the German ones, in my opinion. I found another Thomas hooker beer (American pale ale) while looking for this one. More on it later. My friend's benchmark is the celebrator also. He has not tried the Aventinus, and I hope he does. I gave him one the Thomas Hooker bocks to try, and I have not told him about my thoughts on it because I don't want to bias his mind.
On the British ale category, I love the Samuel Smith line, followed by Boddington's, Old Speckled hen and Fuller's. I prefer these on tap, but Sammi smith on tap in the US is close to impossible This is one category where the American handcrafted beers seem to do well. The Sam Adams isn't bad. the Anchor steam is pretty good, although is has that overly hoppy finish that makes it taste more like an IPA than a traditional Pale Ale. I like IPAs, but I don't like their taste when I'm expecting something else.
As I mentioned earlier, I found a Thomas Hooker American pale ale which looking for the bock. Not cheap either at 9 or 10 dollars a 6-pack, and I didn't think it was that great. It had the same bite at the end I associate with the micro-brews I don't like. Compared to the Samuel Smith Old Brewery Pale Ale, it's not that good. It reminds me of an expensive version of Sam Adams
This is another category where I find the originals doing better than the copiers. Even with the inflated prices (about $12 for four), they are still cheaper than anything you buy at the bar. The way I see it, I'd rather drink less good beer than more mediocre beer. :)
I'm not a stout expert, but I like some of the smaller kids on the block. I like Guiness on tap-especially while visiting the UK-but I like Murphy's more. Beamish is also nice, but a little harder to find. On the non-standard types, Samuel Smith's Oatmeal stout and Young's double chocolate stout in the can are great examples of each category. Besides micro brews, I haven't had a good American example. I hear the Brooklyn brewery dry stout is supposed to be pretty good.
My "mindless summer lager" beer is the lesser known Mexican lager called Sol. I can't stand Corona, but this stuff is drinkable, and very good on a hot summer day by the pool. I know that compared to the other stuff I mentioned, this stuff is still technically "crap", but to me, it still beats Bud and the other mass producers of mindless lager. Hey! Nobody's perfect! :)
I do wind up with some general purpose lager when I host parties and the like. Some people just like them. I wind up using them for Bratwurst cooking. The hops give the brats a great flavor. To me, that's the best use for mass-produced american lager.
That's what I like on beer these days. My taste changes from time to time, but overall, these are the styles I stick with. If you have a recommendation, drop a comment.
In fact, I think I will have my last Affligem while catching up on the last Formula 1 race!
Later,
Thursday, April 10, 2008
'Tis the season to ride the bike!
Ahh... I'm so happy that the motorcycling season has started. I really miss riding my bike during the winter months. I try from time to time when the roads are dry, but riding in 20°F weather is just not fun at all. No matter how much you bundle up! Right now, the two biggest issues are:
I also admit that not all of us are nice enough either. I wish we all were better at it. Just remember: car beats bike every time. We don't have airbags or crumple zones. Just a helmet and (some of us) leather gear to help with the abrasions.
The one thing that annoys me the most is the people behind me with what I call "severe intestinal problems" that are basically riding my tail, as I can make the guy in front of me move any quicker. What they don't understand is that I can brake significantly faster (and shorter) than they can, so if something goes bad, they would eventually make it worse. I try to turn back and give them a look from time to time (sometimes they don't even notice what they're doing), and some react accordingly. Others don't, and that's too bad. Enough ranting :)
If you're a New England rider and are looking for an online place to meet others, I can suggest the Monster board and the rider forums. The first one is mostly Ducati oriented, but everyone's pretty friendly.
If you're considering joining the growing segment of drivers riding, do yourself a huge favor and take proper training. Riding is loads of fun, but it puts you at a disadvantage against car drivers. I know in some states it is optional, but believe me, it is money very well spent. I did and it made me a more aware and hopefully a safer rider.
Another fun thing (if you like to try that kind if stuff) is a track day or a racing school. My lady and I did the beginner school course from Penguin racing in Loudon, NH. We had a fantastic time! I wasn't even close to the fastest guy in our class, but I wasn't the slowest either. I learned a lot of good cornering techniques as well as a better understanding of bike settings like suspension, braking, etc. We're actually considering doing it again this year.
I'm also lucky enough to attend a MotoGP race this year at IMS. I'm really looking forward to it. The atmosphere is always great (from what I hear) and the accessibility to the racers is supposed to be very good as well. I which I could go to Laguna Seca also, but that's asking a lot :) I'll post some pics when I return from the trip (Sept).
I guess that's what I like today.
Later,
- Dirty (sandy) roads
- "Rusty" drivers that "forgot" about motorcyclists
I also admit that not all of us are nice enough either. I wish we all were better at it. Just remember: car beats bike every time. We don't have airbags or crumple zones. Just a helmet and (some of us) leather gear to help with the abrasions.
The one thing that annoys me the most is the people behind me with what I call "severe intestinal problems" that are basically riding my tail, as I can make the guy in front of me move any quicker. What they don't understand is that I can brake significantly faster (and shorter) than they can, so if something goes bad, they would eventually make it worse. I try to turn back and give them a look from time to time (sometimes they don't even notice what they're doing), and some react accordingly. Others don't, and that's too bad. Enough ranting :)
If you're a New England rider and are looking for an online place to meet others, I can suggest the Monster board and the rider forums. The first one is mostly Ducati oriented, but everyone's pretty friendly.
If you're considering joining the growing segment of drivers riding, do yourself a huge favor and take proper training. Riding is loads of fun, but it puts you at a disadvantage against car drivers. I know in some states it is optional, but believe me, it is money very well spent. I did and it made me a more aware and hopefully a safer rider.
Another fun thing (if you like to try that kind if stuff) is a track day or a racing school. My lady and I did the beginner school course from Penguin racing in Loudon, NH. We had a fantastic time! I wasn't even close to the fastest guy in our class, but I wasn't the slowest either. I learned a lot of good cornering techniques as well as a better understanding of bike settings like suspension, braking, etc. We're actually considering doing it again this year.
I'm also lucky enough to attend a MotoGP race this year at IMS. I'm really looking forward to it. The atmosphere is always great (from what I hear) and the accessibility to the racers is supposed to be very good as well. I which I could go to Laguna Seca also, but that's asking a lot :) I'll post some pics when I return from the trip (Sept).
I guess that's what I like today.
Later,
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Last trip to NYC
My lady and I just returned from our last trip to NYC. It has been quite a while since our last visit. The place is still a load of fun for us. We're "foodies", so the place's vast amount of dining choices are a paradise for us.
This time, we had plans to visit more places, but she was a little sick, so we had to cut down on some of the plans.
Our first stop was Junior's on times square. I heard of the place before, but never made it in. We tried their signature devil's food cheesecake, and it was very good. For those who don't know, it is basically a cheesecake inside a devil's food cake. It was a good thing we shared one piece, for it was huge! For actual food, I had one of their steakburgers, and it was done very well. It was a little to thick for my normal liking, but the preparations and seasoning were very good. Definitely worth another visit.
In the evening, we went to the Flute Champagne bar in Gramercy before attempting to head over to the Blue Ribbon sushi. I think we were there a little too early, so it felt like were were part of the "older" crowd. I have been in a grower Champagne kick lately, so I was hoping that they would have a decent selection by the glass, but alas, that was not to be. Their list focuses on all the usual suspects everyone knows and wants. There was one grower label that I tried, but it seemed average at best. The ambiance was nice, but a little too dark (it was hard to read the menus!).
We left there in the hopes of making it to the Blue ribbon sushi, but the lady wasn't feeling all that good, so we bailed.
The next day, we had a great time shopping around soho and the village, and we stumbled on an old standby, Balthazar's. I went there the first time we went to the city, and we had a fantastic meal. This time, we decided to go in (no reservations) for brunch. The place was booked until 3PM! Luckily, the wait for the bar was less than 15 minutes, and they serve the same stuff. The bartenders were great. Very attentive, and always available to answer questions.
Since Champagne goes so well with eggs, I decided to have some (after a great Bloody Mary) with breakfast. They had Pol Roger Champagne by the glass, and I decided to try it. This one is usually about 60 dollars a bottle, so any time I can try wines in this range by the glass, I'm there. It reminded me a little of the Pierre Peters I had a few months back (and I now like very much). I will try to get me a bottle of this for further evaluation :)
After a great brunch, we made the mandatory stop by their bakery for some chocolate bread, and some brioche.
Following a similar routine to the previous night, we met a friend at a local wine bar before heading out to dinner. I was trying to find out about this bar I saw in a podcast sometime around November/December, and coincidentally, it was a the Blue Ribbon wine bar (different from the sushi place). The space was sooo small, it almost felt uncomfortable. I think there are actually less than 15 seating positions in the entire place. You could probably fit 25 people crammed in before the fire marshal shuts you down! The menu was pretty extensive, and they had a flight of three grower champagnes (notice the trend?) .
Fleury Pere NV:
This was my favorite of the three. It had light notes of almond and apple. A little ginger. The finish was a little short, but I don't know if it was because it was an open bottle. I think the avg for this is in the 30-40 dollar range, so it it relatively accessible.
Laherte Freres:
This one seemed good also, but not as notable as the first one. It had more yeast on the nose, nut nothing crazy. Again, good but not great.
Larmandier-Bernier rose de saignee
This was the most intriguing visually (nice frosted bottle), but it found it uninteresting. Too subtle in my opinion for a rose.
I made reservations at BLT Prime for dinner that night. The place was fabulous! The Sommelier was very friendly, and the wait staff was very attentive. We shared a rib-eye with two sides. It was cooked to perfection and served in a cast iron plate that kept it warm, while not over-cooking it. The white asparagus wrapped in spanish ham was a great compliment to the steak. The Nuits St. Georges burgundy we picked was a great match to the meal. At one point we noticed other people staring at us. I think it was because we were enjoying our food a little too much, or people don't order 20 oz steaks (we share it) there...
The prices were very good (for a steak house). I would certainly recommend the place to anyone. Give it a shot if you go there.
We hope to go back soon to see a play (MacBeth with Patrick Stewart), and keep exploring the vast restaurant landscape of NYC.
Later,
This time, we had plans to visit more places, but she was a little sick, so we had to cut down on some of the plans.
Our first stop was Junior's on times square. I heard of the place before, but never made it in. We tried their signature devil's food cheesecake, and it was very good. For those who don't know, it is basically a cheesecake inside a devil's food cake. It was a good thing we shared one piece, for it was huge! For actual food, I had one of their steakburgers, and it was done very well. It was a little to thick for my normal liking, but the preparations and seasoning were very good. Definitely worth another visit.
In the evening, we went to the Flute Champagne bar in Gramercy before attempting to head over to the Blue Ribbon sushi. I think we were there a little too early, so it felt like were were part of the "older" crowd. I have been in a grower Champagne kick lately, so I was hoping that they would have a decent selection by the glass, but alas, that was not to be. Their list focuses on all the usual suspects everyone knows and wants. There was one grower label that I tried, but it seemed average at best. The ambiance was nice, but a little too dark (it was hard to read the menus!).
We left there in the hopes of making it to the Blue ribbon sushi, but the lady wasn't feeling all that good, so we bailed.
The next day, we had a great time shopping around soho and the village, and we stumbled on an old standby, Balthazar's. I went there the first time we went to the city, and we had a fantastic meal. This time, we decided to go in (no reservations) for brunch. The place was booked until 3PM! Luckily, the wait for the bar was less than 15 minutes, and they serve the same stuff. The bartenders were great. Very attentive, and always available to answer questions.
Since Champagne goes so well with eggs, I decided to have some (after a great Bloody Mary) with breakfast. They had Pol Roger Champagne by the glass, and I decided to try it. This one is usually about 60 dollars a bottle, so any time I can try wines in this range by the glass, I'm there. It reminded me a little of the Pierre Peters I had a few months back (and I now like very much). I will try to get me a bottle of this for further evaluation :)
After a great brunch, we made the mandatory stop by their bakery for some chocolate bread, and some brioche.
Following a similar routine to the previous night, we met a friend at a local wine bar before heading out to dinner. I was trying to find out about this bar I saw in a podcast sometime around November/December, and coincidentally, it was a the Blue Ribbon wine bar (different from the sushi place). The space was sooo small, it almost felt uncomfortable. I think there are actually less than 15 seating positions in the entire place. You could probably fit 25 people crammed in before the fire marshal shuts you down! The menu was pretty extensive, and they had a flight of three grower champagnes (notice the trend?) .
Fleury Pere NV:
This was my favorite of the three. It had light notes of almond and apple. A little ginger. The finish was a little short, but I don't know if it was because it was an open bottle. I think the avg for this is in the 30-40 dollar range, so it it relatively accessible.
Laherte Freres:
This one seemed good also, but not as notable as the first one. It had more yeast on the nose, nut nothing crazy. Again, good but not great.
Larmandier-Bernier rose de saignee
This was the most intriguing visually (nice frosted bottle), but it found it uninteresting. Too subtle in my opinion for a rose.
I made reservations at BLT Prime for dinner that night. The place was fabulous! The Sommelier was very friendly, and the wait staff was very attentive. We shared a rib-eye with two sides. It was cooked to perfection and served in a cast iron plate that kept it warm, while not over-cooking it. The white asparagus wrapped in spanish ham was a great compliment to the steak. The Nuits St. Georges burgundy we picked was a great match to the meal. At one point we noticed other people staring at us. I think it was because we were enjoying our food a little too much, or people don't order 20 oz steaks (we share it) there...
The prices were very good (for a steak house). I would certainly recommend the place to anyone. Give it a shot if you go there.
We hope to go back soon to see a play (MacBeth with Patrick Stewart), and keep exploring the vast restaurant landscape of NYC.
Later,
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