In a Golden State 4: Big Sur, pt. 2

Missed Part One? You can find it here.

Kamping with Kermit

Unless you're doing serious back country camping--the kind where it pays to travel light--it's awful nice to bring a bottle of wine (or two, or more--perhaps a lot more) along on your camping trips. We happened to be staying in the East Bay for most of the time we were in Northern California, so not only did we have an impressive selection of top-notch wine stores to choose from, we were able to make a special trip to one of the very, very best: Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant.

fig. a: putting on airs

Michelle immediately went about putting on her wine-buying airs, but, the thing is, she didn't have to. Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant wasn't intimidating in the least. In fact, they were downright friendly.  Aided by our incredibly helpful wine agent (not Kermit, unfortunately, but we hit it off with this guy like we were long-lost friends) we picked out a really nice selection of wines (including some Rieslings and some Bandols), but when it came to choosing a camping wine, we were directed to a 2009 Pascal Janvier "Cuvée du Silex" Jasnières.  We love the Jasnières style, and we can get some nice ones in Quebec, but Pascal Janvier was new to us, and we were strongly encouraged to make his acquaintance.

Anyway, the nice thing about camping with wine, is that you're not in your own kitchen, you're not in a position to necessarily make everything perfect, and, generally, you have to improvise.  Most importantly, we had to try to find a way to chill our bottle of Jasnières.  Luckily, the stream than ran near our campsite came with a handy, dandy natural wine cooling contraption

fig. b: wine cooler 1

that looped around the bottle's neck and simultaneously kept the bottle wedged against the bank so that it didn't go tumbling downstream.

fig. c: wine cooler 2

Within 30 minutes, our bottle was sufficiently chilled and ready to quaff.

I don't think that Pascal or Kermit, or anyone else, for that matter, would have come up with the campsite meal that we had with that beautiful bottle of Jasnières,

fig. d: camping spread

but, like I said, that's kind of the beauty of camping with wine.  And you end up developing an entirely different appreciation for the wine.  Oftentimes you discover the wine's range.  You also discover the importance of setting.  And, let me tell you, Big Sur is a pretty ideal setting for wine-drinking.

Molera Time

fig. e: frigid

Our days began with an invigorating dip in the frigid waters of the Pacific. Real "Ice Bears"-style.

Most of the rest of our days were spent on a series of hikes. We saw all kinds of nice things--again, it's hard to go wrong in Big Sur--but our favorite hike of the excursion was Andrew Molera State Park, where we basically followed four trails (the creamery meadow trail, the ridge trail, the panorama trail, and the bluff trail) in order to form a nice loop that took the better part of an afternoon and that was also wonderfully varied.

It started off hot and dry.

fig. f: hot & dry 1

But as we moved from the Ridge Trail to the Panorama Trail we found a stand of redwoods.

fig. g: redwoods

When we got to the heart of the Panorama Trail things were pretty windy.

fig. h: windy

The vegetation on that part of the hike looked pretty other-worldly, too.

fig. i: other-worldly

We paused to take a breather,

fig. j: breather

and, off in the distance, we began to see evidence of a little Shangri-La.

fig. k: Shangri-La 1

The lure of the beach got us to pick up our pace a little, but the route was not only windy, it was also winding.

fig. l: long and winding

When we got close to the beach, we found a logjam blocking the way.

fig. m: logjam

No silly logjam was going to stop us, though.  Not for a beach this nice.  Plus, at the time we were there, this beach was totally private.  We had it entirely to ourselves.

fig. n: Shangri-La 2

Michelle started feeling a little territorial.  She had the idea that this stretch of sand should be named Marek Beach.

fig. o: Marek Beach

When we'd had our fill of Marek Beach, we moved on and found an incredibly lush little valley.

fig. p: lush

Up on the bluff, things got hot and dry again.

fig. q: hot & dry 2

We split up at a fork in the trail, but, luckily, eventually the two trails merged again, and we were reunited.

fig. r: reunited

When we finished our hike at Molera State Park, it was definitely Molera Time.  Actually, it was more like Pfeiffer Time, because we left Molera S.P., stopped in a convenience store to pick up some beers, and headed down the Sycamore Canyon Road to Pfeiffer Beach.

fig. s: Pfeiffer 1

There we sat on the beach and watched the waves crash through the natural bridge (and the tourists pose for photographs in front of it).

fig. t: Pfeiffer 2

Then we pulled out our travel Scrabble set and got to work.

Return to Big Sur Bakery

That very same night, we went for our only non-breakfast meal at Big Sur Bakery, the meal that we'd planned as the climax of our Big Sur trip.  Things got started right with a lola rosa & mâche salad, with peaches, pistachios, and feta, as well as a plate of "seven lucky oysters" fresh out of Big Sur Bakery's wood-fired oven, and they never let up.

fig. u: oysters & co.

Our favorite dish was the butter-braised halibut in white wine with herbs and caviar, but everything tasted absolutely perfect that evening on Big Sur Bakery's deck,

fig. v: Big Sur Bakery view

and the views didn't hurt either.  We really enjoyed our Big Sur breakfasts at the bakery, but dinner was where they pulled out all the stops. Easily one of our top meals of 2010.

Return to the Bay Area

The next day it was time to return to our base of operations in Oakland, but we took a bit of a roundabout way--we had to make a few stops along the way.

First of all, a stop at San Carlos Borroméo de Carmelo Mission (a.k.a. Carmel Mission) to smell the roses,

fig. w: rose

gaze at the stars, and soothe our souls.

fig. x: constellations

Secondly, a stop in Castroville,

fig. y: open

to pick up artichokes.

fig. z: 12 for $1

12 for $1. No joke. Lovely ones, too. (We had them later that night, braised, with pasta. And a steak.)

Thirdly, a stop in Morgan Hill,

fig. aa: Andy's

to pick up the best peaches and plums money can buy, at Andy's Orchard. (We ate plenty of them fresh, but the next day Michelle turned the rest into the best preserves.)

fig. bb: Andy's by Michelle

And, lastly, a stop in Pescadero,

fig. cc: Phipps' beans

to buy beans at Phipps Country Store and Farm, where they sell over 75 varieties of exotic and heirloom beans, many of which they grow themselves (check it out!). We were astounded by the selection. We bought a whole bunch of different varieties, but those Zuni Golds (pictured) were among our favorites. They made for some pretty tasty frijoles. (Many thanks to RP for the superb tip!)

Let me tell you, the fun never stops when you're in Northern California.

Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, 1605 San Pablo Avenue, Berkeley, CA, (510) 524-1524

Big Sur Bakery, 47540 California 1 (Pacific Coast Highway), Big Sur, CA, (831) 667-0520

Andy's Orchard, 1615 Half Road, Morgan Hill, CA, (408) 782-7600

Phipps Country Store and Farm, 2700 Pescadero Road, Pescadero, CA, (650) 879-1032

aj

Back in Blue

You asked for it, you got it.

fig. a: back in blue

This Saturday, August 27, Michelle will be hosting the last social of the summer social season: her Blueberry Social.

It all goes down at this week's Marché de FoodLab in Place de la Paix, off St-Laurent Boulevard, between René-Lévesque and Ste-Catherine, and adjacent to the S.A.T. (La Société des arts technologiques), from 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM.

Like our earlier socials, Blueberry Social will be a by-donation-only berry extravaganza ($10 suggested donation, but any amount of money will be accepted), this time featuring blueberry cobbler with lightly whipped cream, iced tea, and rhubarb lemonade, with all proceeds going to our friends at Dans La Rue.

Blueberry Social will be just one of the attractions at the S.A.T.'s Marché de FoodLab. There will also be plenty of organic farmers on hand selling fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as other products.

Come down and say 'hello.' Eat blueberry cobbler till you're ready to burst.

fig. b: "I feel funny!"

Think about it: this is our chance to take back the Quartier des Spectacles! In the most delicious way.

aj

Top Ten #42

1. Arthur Bryant's, Kansas City, MO



2. Sally's Apizza, New Haven, CT



3. swimming, hiking, antiquing, pizzaing, and picnicking in Vermont

4. The Trip, dir. Winterbottom



5. summer socials



6. Thurston Moore, Demolished Thoughts (Matador) + Bardo Pond, Whiteout w/ Thurston Moore, and Metal Mountains @ Le Poisson Rouge, June 18, NYC



7. Liquor Barn + Lynn's Paradise, Louisville, KY

8. hauling wedding cakes from Montreal to NYC + Fatty 'Cue, NYC + Hot Bird, NYC



9. Newsom's Old Mill Store, Princeton, KY

10. Fleetwood Sack @ Casa del Popolo, August 12, Montreal

aj

p.s. & Jack Layton. R.I.P.

In a Golden State 5: Street Food!

If you're as starved for street food as we are, and you happen to be in the San Francisco Bay Area on or around August 20, by all means, make you way to the extraordinary San Francisco Street Food Festival. The second annual edition was really one of our favorite food occasions of 2010. The third annual edition looks to be just as exciting, if not more. And it's all for a great cause.

Need further convincing? This is what it looked like last year:

The SF Street Food Festival had a full range of street food temptations, both high and low.

fig. a: on the grill

The grilled corn looked great to begin with, but it was even better all-dressed.

fig. b: all-dressed

Ritual Roasters had their mobile unit out for the occasion, in case you happened to be under-caffeinated. Philz was also just around the corner for those in search of a seat and a Philharmonic experience.

fig. c: Ritual in da house

There were so many options, so many different avenues of street food delight, that Michelle found herself at a crossroads.

fig. d: standing at the crossroads

We tasted a whole lot of tasty treates, but our favorite street food delicacy of the day was this totally outrageous Japanese fried chicken.

fig. e: oishii!

When we'd had our fill, we started to head back into the heart of the Mission when we saw an Aztec ride by on a Razor Scooter. We couldn't let that pass us by. So we turned back around and headed back into the heart of the Street Food Festival and came across this:

fig. f: sacred smoke

And the next thing we knew, the scene erupted into a full-on pre-Columbian frenzy.

fig. g: Montezuma's revenge

The performance was riveting, creating something akin to a time portal in the urban landscape.

fig. h: our lady

So if you happen to be in the San Francisco Bay Area this coming Saturday, if you're even remotely within striking distance, please do check out the SF Street Food Festival. We were warned that it would be "swarmed," "overrun" with "foodies," that the lines would be "a mile long," but we showed up early and found the whole experience positively convivial. And we had absolutely no problems scoring each and every delicacy we desired.

The moral of this story: don't believe the hype. Or, rather: the early birds get the street food.

aj

Postscript: The San Francisco Street Food Festival is much more than just a one-day street food extravaganza. The 2010 edition also featured a stimulating and highly inspiring two-day street food conference featuring practitioners, activists, public officials, urban planners, and academics. And there were brother and sister events all over town all weekend long, like Humphry Slocombe hosting NYC's Big Gay Ice Cream Truck for a special edition of Tranny Smackdown.

fig. i: un zoo la nuit

Jane Wiedlin (of the Go-Go's) performed, John T. Edge was fêted, a special sundae was concocted, and Humphry Slocombe was even more of a zoo (a wonderful one) than usual. We thought about trying the Tranny Smackdown Sundae, but ended up sticking with our very favorite Humphry Slocombe jam.

fig. j: shhh...

mission improbable

One of my very dearest friends got married earlier this week. She asked if Michelle would be willing to make one of two wedding cakes for the reception. (There were going to be lots of people and she happened to be friends with two trained pâtissières.) Michelle was all too happy to put her talents to work. After all, she's made quite a number of wedding cakes over the years. No big deal, right?

Well, there was one catch, maybe two. The wedding was in New York City.

fig. a: no problem, right? fig. a: destination New York

And there'd be no Laloux-style professional kitchen on the New York end.

This was definitely a new challenge for the AEB Mobile Unit, but one that we were happy to take up. There'd be an international border to cross, countless potholes to dodge, extreme heat and humidity, and the very real possibility of severe thunderstorms. The cake would have to be cut, filled, and iced in a Bed-Stuy kitchen. It would then have to be assembled, piped, and finalized in a crowded Atlantic Avenue bar. Prayers would be prayed, curses would be cursed. There would be moments of inspiration, and a fair share of perspiration.

This is roughly how things elapsed:

1. We pulled up outside of Restaurant Laloux to pick up Michelle's meticulous prep: cakes, blackberry compote, vanilla icing, butter cream, and a set of tools. The gear was loaded into the trunk of the car and Team AEB devised some makeshift harnesses to keep things from sliding around.

fig. b: packing

Like I said, prayers were prayed.

fig. c: praying

2. Team AEB managed to avoid a wait of roughly two hours at the border by deftly taking an exit and slipping to a smaller neighboring crossing. Total wait time: 15 minutes.

Apparently, wedding cakes don't appear in the training manuals of U.S. Customs and Border Protection. When we were asked if we had anything to declare and we responded, "No, just a wedding cake," the border guard was incredulous. "You have a wedding cake, in your car," he said as he turned his penetrating gaze on our miniscule VW Golf. It took a bit of explaining, but he eventually allowed us to cross without incident.

3. When we arrived in New York, all the ingredients were promptly dispatched to the refrigerator.

The next day, Michelle continued with her prep.

Cakes were cut.



figs. d & e: first assembly

Cakes were slathered with layers of blackberry compote and butter cream. And cakes were iced.

Then they were put right back in the refrigerator for safe keeping.

4. The next day was slated to be hot (92º) and humid, with the risk of a thunderstorm, but, in the end, Day 2 turned out to be the scorcher with the thunderstorm, and the day of the wedding was actually really pleasant: hot, but with lower humidity than expected.

We still had to transport the cakes their final destination: Hot Bird. Just getting into the car while balancing those cakes was tricky enough. Narrowly avoiding getting swallowed up by the Mother of All Potholes sent a shiver down our spines. But we made it. And within minutes we were inside Hot Bird, where curiosity over the cake created a mad crush, but at least the A.C. was in full effect.

I set up a pick, and Michelle got to work, building the cake into its final form, then piping it.

fig. f: final assembly

Michelle had claimed that the final assembly would take "seven minutes." In the end, she wasn't far off. Before I knew what was happening, she was already putting the finishing touches on the cake: blackberries, sugar plums, flowers, flower petals.

fig. g: finishing touches

And, with the cake now fully decorated, it was time to usher it outside to its final resting place, on the ceremonial picnic table/cake cutting stage.

fig. h: show time

It was still hot out, but the cake held up like a champ. About an hour later, the cake still looking divine, and, purely coincidentally, matching the bride's dress, it was time for the cake-cutting ceremony.

fig. i: cake-cutting ceremony

We felt pretty good from the time we got the cake into the air-conditioned environment of Hot Bird. We felt a little bit better when we had our first micro-brewed draft beer from Hot Bird's amazing selection. But, let me tell you, we felt best of all when the first round of cake slices had been served, and we sat down with our very own slices of Michelle's Blackberry Bramble and a couple of cold pints.

fig. j: cake & beer

That's when we really relaxed, for the first time in three days.

Congratulations to H. & I.! And special thanks to L. for the hospitality and the use of her incredibly accommodating Bed-Stuy kitchen.

aj

In a Golden State 4: Big Sur, pt. 1

fig. a: fading fast

Quick! Before these memories fade any further...

fig. b: fogbound

We had pretty astounding luck on our trip to California last summer. Yes, we all remember that tired old Samuel Clemens/Mark Twain line about the summer he spent in San Francisco, but much of Northern California had been languishing under an unusually cold, grey, and miserable summer when we arrived in August. Our friend C. was in Frisco just before us, and the whole time she was there she kept sending us the most dire emails. "It's freaking cold here!!" "Dress warm when you come here--apparently it's the coldest summer in 100 years." That kind of thing.

Well, she wasn't exaggerating. When we showed up it was definitely "freaking cold." And everyone we talked to confirmed what C. had told us--it had been an unusually cold summer. Bitterly cold. But then the very next day, the miraculous happened: the weather broke. The sun came out, and it started to warm up. Everywhere we went, people were reveling in the sun and the warmth. And that trend just continued the entire time we were in California--it just got nicer and nicer. By our last week, the weather had done a complete about turn: it was freaking hot! San Francisco was suffering from a full-blown heatwave.

Anyway, when we went down to Big Sur, mid-way during our California vacation, for a three-day camping, hiking, and noshing jaunt, we had the same kind of good luck. It was overcast when we got up and hit the road, and the combination cloud cover & cool conditions lasted all the way to the Monterey Peninsula. We knew the weather could be highly unpredictable in Big Sur and we were prepared to have to bundle up for a few days, but then another minor miracle happened. When we got about five miles from our Big Sur campsite, the sky broke.

fig. c: first glimpse

And by the time we'd driven those five miles, that cloud bank had pushed out to sea, never to return for the duration of our stay. We were pretty happy about this rather fortunate development, but what we didn't realize at the time was that this was the first time there'd been any sun in Big Sur for over two months (!). Again, everywhere we went, it was like the dawning of the Age of Aquarius. Big Sur's natives were going around in a serious sun daze.

Our time in Big Sur was spent camping, hiking, visiting, walking, and relaxing on various beaches (as well as taking the occasional plunge in those frigid Pacific waters), and while we did a fair bit of roaming, the two focal points of our stay were our campsite and the Big Sur Bakery.

fig. d: Big Sur by BSB

Michelle and Philip Wojtowicz's The Big Sur Bakery Cookbook: A Year in the Life of a Restaurant was easily one of our favorite cookbooks of 2010 (and it's continued to be a fave well into 2011). It's beautifully photographed and it's chock-full of amazing recipes of all kinds, but we love the detailed account of Big Sur Bakery's seasonality and the focus they place on the community of producers, harvesters, and foragers who make the restaurant's cuisine possible.

I'd always wanted to show Big Sur to Michelle anyway, but after we got hooked on The Big Sur Bakery Cookbook we had even more reason to pay a pilgrimage to the area. We ended up going to The Big Sur Bakery a lot. There were numerous reasons for this, but it certainly didn't hurt that the very first time we visited The Big Sur Bakery we had a major (and majorly Californian) star sighting.

Actually, the story bears repeating:

Okay, so we'd brought along a copy of The New Yorker on our trip. The issue in question contained a story on the mysterious life and times, and recent disappearance, of painter, ex-Lounge Lizards saxman, Jim Jarmusch muse, and Fishing With John host John Lurie. The author actually managed to locate Lurie fleetingly towards the end of the article, and apparently one of his safe havens was the home of Red Hot Chili Pepper funk-punk bassist extraordinaire Flea--in Big Sur. This detail struck us as hilarious, for some reason. "Can you imagine? What if we run into Flea?" Michelle had visions that Flea would instantly recognize her as a celestial twin and welcome us into his home. We'd instantly form a deep and lasting bond and he'd ask us to stay on as his personal chefs, as well as the witnesses and chroniclers to the spiritual quest that is his Big Sur existence.** I thought it would be pretty cool to run into Lurie, too. I was sure the two of us would have plenty in common.

Anyway, who should be the very first person that we run into as we made our way from the parking to the Big Sur Bakery on our very first visit, but...

Flea? Nope.

John Lurie? Sorry, not him, either.

Are you ready for this?

Anthony Kiedis! I have to admit, I didn't get the fullest look. I noticed some buff, tanned, long-haired, mustachioed, surfer-looking dude in a flannel shirt and a tuque, but was too fixated on the bakery to make the connection. Michelle, on the other hand, locked eyes with AK (the other AK!) and apparently received a very knowing glance. Not quite an invitation to his buddy Flea's place, but almost!

Let me tell you, from that point on, we were even more enthusiastic about visiting and re-visiting The Big Sur Bakery. After all, this wasn't just some cheap celebrity sighting. It felt like we had a date with destiny.

fig. e: breakfast by BSB 1

We didn't have every meal at The Big Sur Bakery. That would have felt a little decadent, even if we hadn't been camping. We did, however, begin every morning there.

fig. f: breakfast by BSB 2

They had a great selection of doughnuts, morning buns, and assorted viennoiseries, and some decent fresh-brewed coffee, so Michelle insisted on a small taste of civilization each morning before we set out on our hikes. It was worth it just to see the locals roll in for their morning fix.

To be continued...

aj

* a.k.a. The Chi Peps!

** Michelle follows Flea on Twitter. She knows.

Summer Picnic/Barbecue 101

fig. a: not bad

1. Find yourself a perfect spot to spend the day. Preferably one with easy access to a big, clean, and natural body of water. Preferably one that allows for barbecuing.



figs. b & c: afternoon snack

2. Bring yourself an afternoon snack to give you plenty of energy for an afternoon of swimming, and to tide you over until your late afternoon/evening barbecue.

Sample snack:
Maplebrook Farm burrata
Red Hen Baking Company ciabatta
extra-virgin olive oil
fresh basil
farm-fresh tomatoes

Drizzle your ultra-ripe burrata with extra-virgin olive oil. Serve with a fresh tomato salad and a crusty loaf of bread. Devour.

fig. d: don't hold back

3. Go swimming. A lot. (Note swimming pier + floating swimming platform to the right of the frame.)

fig. e: read a book

4. Do some summertime reading. Bring a good read. Relax. Take in the breeze. Listen to the birds.





figs. f, g, and h: steaks, corn, beets, cipollini

5. Plan a simple meal: one that doesn't take a great deal of preparation, one that makes full use of the barbecue, and one that's not overly elaborate. Part of the goal, here, is to make sure you'll have as many opportunities to swim as possible. Your meal should be a complement to this goal, not an impediment.

When it is time to prep your meal, crack open a crisp beer or a nice bottle of wine. You're picnicking, after all. You're outside and the weather's beautiful. Enjoy yourself.

Sample meal:
Santa Barbara steaks
grilled corn
grilled cipollini
grilled summer squash
roasted beets
fresh tomato salad

fresh peaches

for the steaks:
sirloin or rib steaks, preferably grass-fed

Using your hands, apply Santa Barbara rub generously to your steaks. Allow the steaks to reach "room temperature." Grill over a medium-hot fire for 2 minutes per side. Move steaks away from the coals and continue cooking over indirect heat (without flipping them) for roughly another 4-8 minutes, depending on your preferred doneness (and on the thickness of your steaks). We like ours rare to medium-rare.

Santa Barbara rub works wonders with tri-tip, but it's also pretty great with sirloin steaks, rib steaks, and t-bones.

We mixed a batch of Santa Barbara rub before we left home, based on the following recipe:

Santa Barbara Spice Rub

1/4 cup salt
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup ground cumin (preferably toasted)
1/4 cup chili powder
1/4 cup ground black pepper
1/8 cup cayenne pepper
1/2 cup sweet paprika (preferably Hungarian)

Mix everything together and keep in an air-tight container until use.

[recipe from Jane & Michael Stern's Popular Plates BBQ 2010]

for the corn:
Keeping the husks intact, remove the silk from your ears of corn. Pull the husks back over your corn cobs and soak your ears of corn in water. Tightly wrap the corn in aluminum foil. Place the foil-wrapped ears of corn directly onto your medium-hot coals, and cook, rotating a quarter turn every 10-15 minutes, for about 45 minutes. Some of your kernels should have caramelized. The others should be moist and perfectly tender. Peel back the husks, add salt and butter or chipotle-lime butter, and serve.

for the beets:
Peel the beets and chop them. Place them on a sizable piece of aluminum foil. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil and add salt and pepper. Wrap the piece of aluminum foil into a tight package. Place the package directly on the coals and cook, flipping once, for about 40-45 minutes. The beets should be perfectly tender, with some signs of caramelization showing.

fig. i: sun set

6. Get back in the water at least one more time before the sun sets.

When you've gotten your fill, climb back out of the water, find a seat with a view on the beach, on a rock, or on the grass, and pause to watch the sun set. Fully.

7. Pack up your things. Put out your fire. Leave nary a trace.

aj

Raspberry Social Wrap-up

Such a good crowd, such amazing weather, such a great time! And such beautiful raspberries!

fig. a: framboises

From the outside, you might have just thought it was a particularly busy day at good ole Parc Laval.

fig. b: Parc Laval

On the inside, however, you found the sweet, sweet sounds of the Better Late Than Never String Band (version 2.0: banjo + fiddle) and a couple of trained professionals

fig. c: Team Laloux

serving up the most heavenly sponge cake, raspberries, and whipped cream combo,

fig. d: heaven

along with a veritable battery of drink options.

Big thanks to all of you who were able to make it down for our Raspberry Social (including a whole whack of Ottawans!), as well as all those who wished us well from afar. Once again, it was a smashing success (over 100 people!).

Will there be another social before the end of the summer? (The blueberry fanatics* have been clamoring for a Blueberry Social, among other things.) We're still not sure, but stay tuned to AEB for all the latest Summer Social information and updates.

Thanks again to Restaurant Laloux, Café Myriade, and Better Late Than Never (who tore things up!) for their invaluable assistance and their camaraderie. You guys are the best!

aj

* You know who you are!