A Bloated Thought

Food on my mind

2011-02-03T10:21:00.000-08:00

Places where I am currently eating and loving (in no particular order):

1. Pho Lang Thang - okay I lied, this is my current #1. I think about their banh mi and goi cuon to an almost criminal degree. I love the Findlay Market location and friendly, casual atmosphere. You better use that Maggi sauce!

2. Senate - Currently one of the most fun places to eat in Cincinnati. I usually get the my wife's salad and either the lobster blt or one of the various hot dogs. Here is the move on a busy night: put your name in and then head down to the Lackman for some beverages. They will call your cell when the table is ready.

3. Wicked Wich - Are you downtown and want a dank sandwich? Go to Wicked Wich on Sycamore.

4. Rascal's - I know, I know, who wants to drive all the way out to Blue Ash? Well if you want the best Jewish deli food in Cincinnati, this is a must. Pastrami, corned beef, whitefish salad, matzo ball soup - all good stuff.

5. Boca - still one of Cincinnati's best restaurants. I am always impressed.

6. Nicola's - I couldn't mention Boca without mentioning Nicola's. You can occasionally find me here on Monday's bolognese night (one of the best deals in the city). Future home of my birthday dinner next week.

7. Mirabelle's - the food is pretty good but the atmosphere and patio (weather permitting) keep me coming back.

8. Rookwood - This Mt. Adams institution that has changed names and owners too many times in the past decade for comfort, has been putting out some really solid food recently. As a Mt. Adams resident, this is my go-to option for reasonably priced food in a cool atmosphere when I am getting tired of Mt. Adams Bar and Grill.

9. Mt. Adams Bar and Grill - Oh MABG, i could never really get tired of you. I eat here all the time.

10. Precinct - I just love the Precinct. The steak is consistently great and the atmosphere is wonderfully old school.

11. Zizi's Pizza - so close to Mt. Adams and definitely better than any pizza one can find on the hill.

Special mentions for old favs I haven't been to in awhile:
Otto's, Ando, JoAn, Pomidori's

Places I still need to try:
La Poste, Bombay Braziere, The Summit, Painted Fish

Library Hero

2010-10-24T09:51:00.000-07:00

There once was a boy at Chase Law School,
Who puttered around at the libs as a rule.
Get a snack here,
Read daily beast there,
He really is a procrastinating fool.

Final Stretch

2010-04-26T11:39:00.001-07:00

In anticipation of entering law school this fall, I started working with my employer last winter to develop an exit plan. We settled on May 5th as my last day - I wanted to take the summer off to travel and that date worked based on pending projects, and when it would make the most sense to train someone new. So, today marks the first day of my last full week of work at the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati. The job, which I began full time in September 2008, has been a fantastic experience. I have truly developed as a professional and learned much from my fabulous colleagues. I remain humbled by their passion and I look forward to a lifelong connection to the organization as a community member and future lay-leader.

My travel plans are coming together. Philly in mid-May for the bro's graduation from Penn and San Diego/L.A. for Memorial Day weekend and early June with Michelle. I'm also hoping to trek East Asia or Europe with the brother for 3 or 4 weeks. Other accomplishments that need accomplishing include: settling on a law school and, if that law school happens to be in Chicago (which looks likely), then I need to find an apartment.

Twitter

2010-04-23T08:43:00.000-07:00

Since I comment on Twitter much more often than post on this blog, I thought that incorporating my Twitter feed would be a nice way to prevent this blog from becoming stale.

Probably a fruitless endeavor but we shall see. On a side note, I had dinner at Vout last night and I broke my no-meat streak with a few bites off of the charcuterie board and a piece of John's pork belly. I think the exception was worth it and I will continue to limit myself to occasional indulgences when I trust the source.

re: Pescatarianism

2010-04-16T12:04:00.000-07:00

Still going strong!

Last night I instinctively reached for a pass-around hors d'oeuvre, but I hesitated and asked what it contained. When I was informed that there was beef, I passed.

Jill just sent me a copy of Eating Animals - http://www.eatinganimals.com/ - this does not bode well for my triumphant return to carnivorousness.

I am telling myself that once I establish personal guidelines for meat consumption (source, quality, etc.) then it will once again be part of my diet.

Attempt #2

2010-04-09T11:00:00.000-07:00

Okay, so my previous attempt to prevent this blog from becoming an orphan was followed by almost 4 months of inactivity. That is lame and I apologize.

As many of you know, I am a huge fan of all things meat. The words "charcuterie board" on a menu make me salivate immediately. However, I recently came to a conclusion that my overindulgence has reached a breaking point and my body is telling me that I need to reform. And thus I have undertaken a new personal challenge: I am temporarily going pescatarian (meaning fish and seafood are okay, but no poultry, beef, pork or game). I am very proud to announce that I have successfully held to my mission since lunch on Monday! After a delicious Reds Opening Day grill session with Lumen (which included flank steak and apple spiced sausages), I had my meat-hiatus epiphany. Who knows how my body will react to such a drastic change in diet. It honestly was rare that I would go a full day without some kind of meat, so I think all but the most fervent carnivores would agree that this is a good idea.

Fighting the inevitability of an orphan blog

2009-12-21T14:03:00.000-08:00

I do not want to abandon my blog, and therefore I am making a post. If I actually start posting content, then I might promote my blog and get some readership. I am sitting at Coffee Emporium right now in Hyde Park, enjoying my stay-cation and working on my law school applications. This is my attempt to reinvigorate my creative juices and refocus my effort to write a brilliant personal statement. Right now I am a little stuck but I think that writing about my situation will be helpful. Lumen and Sam are sitting here as well, working on various projects themselves. It is nice having Sam in town for the holidays. He has not been in Cincinnati very often in the past few years - living in various Arabic-speaking countries and now grad school in Cali.

Later this evening, some of us are going to see Avatar at the IMAX. I am personally hyping up this in my own mind to be a truly incredible experience.

Pesach: Beckoning with Matzo Goodness

2009-04-07T11:42:00.000-07:00

Pesach is near, so put away your chametz, break out your matzo, make yourself a Hillel sandwich and sit back in your seat. Last year at this time I was living in Jerusalem and so most of my area restaurants were cleaning out their kitchens and taking blowtorches to their kitchenware. As a member of the tribe who works for a Jewish organization, I certainly know that Passover is coming once again; however, its approach is far less apparent here in the states than it was for me last year in Israel. In Israel, one is consumed by the approach and arrival of a holiday. It enters into every conversation, it affects every business and it permeates the mood and spirit of the society. During the New Year holiday cycle this past year, I noticed the difference, but I had only been back in the states for a few months. Now, I have been back for as much time as I was in Israel. Purim flew by and thus I need to pause and truly allow the spirit of togetherness and sacrifice wash over me for the days of Passover.

Chag Sameach.

Chas

2009-03-12T10:07:00.000-07:00

So Chas Freeman has blamed the "Israel Lobby" on his way out. If you don't know what I'm talking about, read this article. I always enjoy the delicate position that the organized Jewish community holds in matters such as this. Groups such as AIPAC are comprised of incredibly savvy, motivated, intelligent individuals who are able to gain influence because the put forth a rational point of view in a successful manner. Throughout the centuries, the Jews have been accused of being "too successful." Every Jewish victory is cannon fodder for anti-Semites.

In a letter following his dismissal, Freeman wrote the following:

The libels on me and their easily traceable email trails show conclusively that there is a powerful lobby determined to prevent any view other than its own from being aired, still less to factor in American understanding of trends and events in the Middle East. The tactics of the Israel Lobby plumb the depths of dishonor and indecency and include character assassination, selective misquotation, the willful distortion of the record, the fabrication of falsehoods, and an utter disregard for the truth. The aim of this Lobby is control of the policy process through the exercise of a veto over the appointment of people who dispute the wisdom of its views, the substitution of political correctness for analysis, and the exclusion of any and all options for decision by Americans and our government other than those that it favors.

I don't want to get into a "he-said/she-said" squabble over why Freeman was dismissed, but even if it were merely his opinions that got him dismissed, and not his ties to Saudi and Chinese money, then so be it. The man has been described as a "walking opinion," and such a person should not be in position that demands objectivity.

A.B. Yehoshua's Response to Gideon Levy

2009-01-16T10:33:00.000-08:00

A.B. Yehoshua's piece perfectly represents the feelings of the everyman-Israeli, possibly on the left, possibly on the right, but right now supportive of his or her government's decision to utilize the mechanism that has been put in place to preserve the security of the citizens (the IDF). Gideon Levy's article in Haaretz, articulates a certain critical point of view, often valid, but at this time not representitive of the reality of the situation.

Yehoshua writes:
There is something absurd in the comparison you draw about the number of those killed. When you ask how it can be that they killed three of our children and we cause the killing of a hundred and fifty, the inference one can draw is that if they were to kill a hundred of our children (for example, by the Qassam rockets that struck schools and kindergartens in Israel that happened to be empty), we would be justified in also killing a hundred of their children. In other words, it is not the killing itself that troubles you but the number. On the face of it, one could answer you cynically by saying that when there will be two hundred million Jews in the Middle East it will be permissible to think in moral terms about comparing the number of victims on each side. But that is, of course, a debased argument. After all, you, Gideon, who live among the people, know very well that we are not bent on killing Palestinian children to avenge the killing of our children. All we are trying to do is get their leaders to stop this senseless and wicked aggression, and it is only because of the tragic and deliberate mingling between Hamas fighters and the civilian population that children, too, are unfortunately being killed. The fact is that since the disengagement, Hamas has fired only at civilians. Even in this war, to my astonishment, I see that they are not aiming at the army concentrations along the border but time and again at civilian communities. Please, preserve the moral authority and concern that you possessed, and your distinctive voice. We will need them again in the future, which promises further ordeals on the road to peace. In the meantime, it would be best for us all - we and the Palestinians and the rest of the world - to follow the simple moral imperative of Kantian philosophy: "Act only according to that maxim by which you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law."

Read the whole article here: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1055977.html

JCRC Statement on Recent Developments in Gaza

2008-12-29T10:33:00.000-08:00

In order to understand Israel's recent military response in the Gaza Strip - and why our own government has responded so quickly in support of Israel's actions - it is important to remember that Israeli citizens have for years been living under the constant threat of daily rocket fire emanating from Gaza. 2008 witnessed a record number of more than 2,900 rockets and mortar shells aimed at Israeli civilians.

In response to these attacks, and as a measure of self-defense, Israel targeted its response narrowly against Hamas security and operational headquarters, as well as smuggling tunnels, in the Gaza Strip. Israel's stated objective is to strike a blow at Hamas's ability to continue these unwarranted attacks on Israeli population centers. Early reports indicate that Israel has been successful in destroying 50% of Hamas's underground rocket-firing potential.

The White House called upon Hamas to "stop launching rockets against Israel." According to an Administration Spokesman, "The United States holds Hamas responsible for breaking the ceasefire. We understand that Israel is reacting to the hundreds of rockets that have been fired on the innocent people of Israel over the last few days."

The Government of Israel did not arrive lightly at the decision to respond with military action; however, it must carry out the responsibility all governments have to protect their citizens from terrorism and violence.

Whenever Israel's military is called into action, it consistently seeks to minimize civilian casualties. This objective is considerably challenged by the fact that Gaza is a very densely populated area, and Hamas cynically uses its civilian populations as human shields to protect terrorists from being targeted. Hamas should be held accountable for the loss of civilian life - which would not have occurred if Hamas had not initiated the daily rocket attacks.

Arab leaders have also spoken out against Hamas, warning them to cease the rocket attacks and extend the truce with Israel. Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit indicated that "Egypt warned (Hamas) for a long time, and someone who ignores warnings is responsible for the outcome."

Since Hamas - the terrorist organization in control of Gaza - declared an end to a six-month "State of Calm" agreement on December 19 - Palestinians have fired more than 200 rockets and mortars at civilian targets inside of Israel. These actions are consistent with Hamas's avowed goal of Israel's destruction.

Despite the ongoing threat from Hamas, Israel has demonstrated ample willingness to help avoid a humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Over the past several months Israel has risked the opening of key border crossings - which have often come under attack - to allow shipments of food and medical supplies to the residents of Gaza.

In 2005, the Israeli Government took a chance for peace and disengaged from the Gaza Strip. All Israeli military presence in the Gaza Strip was removed, and Jewish residents were forced to abandon their homes. Rather than respond with a reciprocal show of good will, Hamas turned the area into a launching pad for attacks on Israeli civilians. Since the Disengagement, more than 4,000 rockets and mortar shells have been fired from Gaza at Israel.

Israel is still committed to peace, but there can be no peace while an entire population is subject to terrorist attacks. We at the JCRC support the government of Israel and its people as they seek to defend themselves from the ongoing threats they face. We are grateful for the steadfast support and sympathy for Israel's plight shown by our own government. We join in the calls for Hamas and other enemies of Israel to stop their violent campaign against Israel's right to exist, so that peaceful resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict may finally be reached.

Arna Poupko Fisher                          Brian Jaffee
President                                             Director

The Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) is the public affairs arm of the organized Jewish community in Cincinnati. The JCRC is an address for information about Jewish communal concerns - including the security and viability of the State of Israel, anti-semitism, as well as threats and/or unjust actions directed against the rights of individuals, as guaranteed by the Constitution.

The Jewish Federation of Cincinnati brings our community together to care for Jews in Cincinnati, in Israel, and around the world, and develops opportunities for each of us to
embrace a Jewish life.

Contact: Brian Jaffee
              JCRC Director
              (513) 985-1501; (513) 502-7641 (cell)
              bjaffee@jfedcin.org

I was going to write something about this, but slate.com beat me to the punch

2008-12-17T12:26:00.000-08:00

So meta:

The Digital Slay-RideWhat's killing newspapers is the same thing that killed the slide rule.

By Jack ShaferPosted Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2008, at 7:48 PM ET

Hardly a day goes by, it seems, without some laid-off or bought-out journalist writing a letter of condolence to himself and his profession. TheColumbia Journalism Review and the American Journalism Review have harbored these self-pitying fellows, as have newspaper columns andblogs. The Web magazine LA Observed has almost made the unhiring of journalists its beat, with black-bunting dispatches about job cuts at the Hollywood Reporter, the L.A. Daily News, theVentura Star, and the Chicago Tribune in the last month alone.

http://www.slate.com/id/2206854/

Why I feel the need to broadcast my musings or confessions of a 20something narcissist

2008-12-15T13:46:00.000-08:00

After much poking and prodding from one Mr. Solomon Israel, I have created this blog in hopes that it will serve the dual purpose of entertaining the two to three individuals who will read it, as well as shutting Sol up.

I am not really sure what topic will emerge as the centerpiece of this weblog, so I suppose that I should give some sort of description of my interests as they stand right now. I have been obsessed with politics since before I was fully conscious. An earlier memory of mine is my mom explaining to me why she planned to vote for Michael Dukakis (I was four, her reason was "he is good on women's issues). I will not bore you with the details of how my mom answered my next question (what are women's issues, mommy?), but needless to say I was a pretty awesome kid.

I have since expanded my horizons from Presidential politics; my passion lies now with Israel and Middle East related issues. I am also a Jew, and this encompasses much of my daily life (I work for a Jewish non-profit organization).

So the real question becomes, will I actually touch on any of these topics? Is there something that I can say that has not already been said before? Probably not. However, redundancy will not hold me back.

I feel the need to say something about Bernard Madoff. Why wasn't I invited to invest with him? I feel kind of left out. All kidding aside, I am truly appalled by this man and his actions (though impressed he was able to get away with it for so long). The way that he recruited new investors is chilling:

Details emerged Friday of how Mr. Madoff ran the alleged scam, fostering a veneer of exclusivity and creating an A-list of investors that became his most powerful marketing tool. From New York and Florida to Minnesota and Texas, the money manager became an insider's choice among well-heeled investors seeking steady returns. By hiring unofficial agents, tapping into elite country clubs and creating "invitation only" policies for investors, he recruited a steady stream of new clients.
During golf-course and cocktail-party banter, Mr. Madoff's name frequently surfaced as a money manager who could consistently deliver high returns. Older, Jewish investors called Mr. Madoff " 'the Jewish bond,' " says Ken Phillips, head of a Boulder, Colo., investment firm. "It paid 8% to 12%, every year, no matter what."

The Jewish Bond! This is one of those situations that we say is "not good for the Jews."

I'll tell you one thing that is good for the Jews... my new blog!