I’m sorry to say that there will be no new review today. I need a day off to rest and recuperate.

I get migraines - not the painful ones, though. I will get a small headache, but the majority of my symptoms are the other neurological ones. Last night, while watching a little late night TV, I had the sudden flash of a migraine aura that left my vision blurred. This morning, things are still a bit out of focus, and I’m feeling a bit woozy and nauseous.

Best for me to take a day off, then, and let my head get back to normal. Please, everyone, don’t worry about me. Just have a great weekend, and I’ll see you on Monday.

Posted: September 28th, 2007 under Announcements.
Comments: none

Kaffe Knits Again by Kaffe Fassett

Published by: Potter Craft (Random House)

Acquired by: Free copy from Publisher

List Price: $35.00

Available: Oct. 2, 2007

I come to this book with a bit of a disadvantage. I am familiar with the general style of Kaffe Fassett’s designs for knitting. But I have never owned, nor had access to, any of his books.

The one thing I do know is that Kaffe Fassett is known for color. Rich, joyous, color. His inspirations often come from paintings, tapestries, fabrics, and other antique sources.

His new book, Kaffe Knits Again, is typical Kaffe Fassett. The colors and visual textures are like a wedding cake to someone used to eating Ho-Ho’s.

Kaffe Redux

The 24 designs presented here are not completely new. They are actually some of Kaffe’s older designs, re-invented, re-imagined, and updated for this publication. If you’re familiar with his previous work, then, much of the material in this book may seem familiar to you.

As Kaffe explains in the introduction, he has always been

disappointed when [his designs] are dismissed by even experienced knitters as too difficult to attempt. With this book, I am giving all nervous knitters the opportunity to try out color knitting. Using current Rowan yarns, I’ve reinterpreted some of my favorite patterns from years past that deserve a second chance.

Many of the patterns have been transformed from coats and sweaters into easier projects like scarves, throws, shawls, or cushions…There are several simple two-color-a-row designs as well as more challenging fare.

And there we have the premise of this book - not just a re-hashing of old designs into something newly marketable, but a reinterpretation to make them more accessible to more knitters.

Who’s the Book For?

Kaffe Knits Again is, on one level, eye candy. The first section of the book is pure coffee table art, with high quality photos and printing displaying Kaffe’s designs to their best advantage. The setting for the photo shoot, Charleston House, was apparently something of an artists’ colony in the UK in the early 1900’s.

A great deal of attention was given to the layout and design of the book. The cover is not a paper jacket - it’s full-color photography skinned directly on the hardcover binding. I imagine this will stay good looking far longer than paper would.

At that level, this book is for anyone who loves looking at colorful, rich art. I could happily keep this book on my table and just browse through it, enjoying the great images.

As to knitters, it’s always been my contention that this stuff isn’t hard - it’s just that some variations on our craft have more steps involved than others. Kaffe’s multi-color designs count among the more involved, even in this version designed to make his projects less intimidating.

Don’t let the colors scare you! Multi-color knitting is no more complicated than making a sweater from multiple knitted pieces is. You’re just following a chart - much as you would for counted cross-stitch or needlepoint - and placing the correct color of yarn in each stitch, as instructed.

The experienced knitter will have an easier time working these designs, of course. But the adventurous beginner, who is willing to take the leap of faith and believe that she or he can do this, will find success here as well.

Clear Instructions

The instructions for the projects in Kaffe Knits Again are well written. Full measurements are given for both the body being fitted, and the sweater you’re knitting. Needles required are called out in both US and metric sizes.

Gauge instructions are quite specific as to what stitch pattern and needle size to use. The special note “To save time, take time to check gauge.” is an appropriate reminder to all of us who tend to take shortcuts. These designs might suffer badly if your gauge is off even a smidge!

I will grant you that I haven’t read the instructions line for line, cover to cover. But what I’m seeing is very detailed, very concise, with little left to the imagination of the knitter. These instructions were written by someone who wants the knitter to succeed.

Many knitters will never have worked with a Fair Isle or Intarsia chart before. Again, the instructions are very precise - at the point in the knitting where you must begin using the chart, the first two rows are usually spelled out in text for you as well, to help you establish the pattern.

The charts given are as large as practical, usually spanning a full two-page spread. Still, many of the boxes and symbols are small - it would probably be advised to photocopy and enlarge the charts for easier reference while knitting.

There is a traditional “Table of Contents,” but also, at the beginning of the “Gallery of Designs” we find this photographic index. I love books that include this feature - it makes it easy to see at a glance which design you want to jump to.

Sizes

The sweaters in this book are in the average range for most knitting patterns, with most women’s designs sized for a 36 to 40 inch chest, and men’s up to a 44 inch chest. Some of these designs have up to 5 or 6 inches of ease built in, however, so it’s worth studying the numbers carefully to see if the sweaters might work for you after all.

Some minimal information is given in the back in reference to sizing, but it speaks more to choosing the correct size for you - and not how to re-size the patterns to fit a larger or smaller body.

Yarns

All designs in this book were created for Rowan yarns, which should come as no surprise - Kaffe has worked with the company since 1981. In case you wish to make substitutions, a section at the back of the book gives full specifications for each yarn used, making it easy to match those qualities with an alternate choice.

The Best of the Best

First, I must beg some forgiveness for the quality of these photos. The pages in this book are high-quality printing, which means a high reflection factor, too. I was forced to photograph them without a flash, and the resulting images are somewhat less focused than I care for.

Mirage

I recognized the inspiration for this sweater even before I read the descriptive text - kilim carpets. I like how it’s interpreted here. The pattern could easily be adapted for a bag or cushion as well. And Kaffe makes a great model for his own designs.

Puzzle

Another pattern that I recognized, Kaffe found this graphic on a bathroom floor in an American hotel. I once had it on my floor as well, in a former apartment bathroom. Both Kaffe’s and my versions were in black and white tiles - I love this adaptation with Kaffe’s signature color style.

Gridlock Pillow

Gridlock Throw

Inspired by “an ancient carpet,” the Gridlock Pillow and Throw look refreshingly modern and vintage at the same time. I can also see re-doing this as a quilt - I wonder if Kaffe did that in any of his quilting books?

Foolish Virgins Scarf

I think this may be my favorite project in the whole book. I love that it includes a little of everything. There are the figures of the virgins, some tumbling blocks, a little woven look. And all in those rich Kaffe Fassett colors. There are seven charts used to create this masterwork - if the project as presented seems a bit intimidating, Kaffe offers a suggestion to “take any one of the seven charted patterns and…use it for a cushion cover, shawl, or throw.”

That’s a great reminder that this book is about more than just knitting the patterns as written. Knitters are encouraged to borrow, adjust, adapt, and make something other than the suggested finished project. If a whole sweater seems too much for you, take a snippet of the charted pattern and practice on a pillow first. Soon enough, you’ll be stepping up to the plate and trying the sweater itself.

Caterpillar Stripes

On the other hand, sometimes a knitter wants to dip their toe in the pool without also having to dig the hole for it themselves. As a simpler project, Kaffe offers his classic color sense in Caterpillar Stripes - an entire sweater knit with only one color on any row. Instead of a chart with a box for every stitch, the instructions for this sweater have a table listing the color of yarn to use for every row.

Some of my other favorite projects included the Houses Bag - a shoulder tote with a bold graphic of a house and checkerboard borders; the Moody Blues cushion, adapted from a sweater design; and Polka Dots, a zippered cardigan worked in white polka dots on a background of wide, vertical, pastel stripes.

Bottom Line

This could be a book for just about anyone who loves color and visual texture. Some of the designs look cute and vintage; still others look very modern. Simply changing the colors can create an entirely different look for any of these items, and Kaffe encourages that with suggestions scattered throughout.

As a large woman, the sizes clearly won’t work for me. But you know what? I don’t care - I love the patterns, I’m infatuated with the colors. I can easily see adapting some of these charts to a sweater pattern that will fit me. And then there’s always the scarves, throws, and pillows to knit. I have a feeling my Ravelry queue may become a little overloaded!

Related Links:

• Publisher’s site: Kaffe Knits Again at Random House
• Author’s site: Kaffe Fassett Studio
• Purchase at Amazon: Kaffe Knits Again

Posted: September 27th, 2007 under Crafts.
Comments: none

Harry and David Mint Crème Maltballs

Acquired by: Retail purchase at local Target store

Price: $2.99 for 6 oz.

Rating: 3 out of 5

One of my favorite flavors of all is malted milk. I’ll eat malted milk balls by the score. When I’m lucky enough to find an ice cream shop that actually knows what malt is, and has the powder variety, not the liquid, I’ll order my chocolate malt “crunchy” - meaning that it’s got enough malt powder that it sticks to the sides of the shake can and resists mixing.

I never considered combining the malted milk flavor with anything but milk chocolate. Until a couple of years ago at Christmas, when Target’s Choxie line of chocolates offered a mint flavored coating on a malted milk ball.

After December 26th, I pounced on a package at a discount. And I liked what I tasted - the malted milk and the mint flavors complemented each other beautifully. Since then, I’ve hoped to find a return of this variety to the Choxie shelves at Target, but alas, it seems that Choxie is too trendy to repeat itself.

So it was with some delight that I cruised the premium chocolates aisle at the same Target recently, and spotted this box of Harry and David Mint Crème Maltballs. Would I be pleasantly reminded of the Choxie version, or would I be disappointed?

I’m pleased to say that I’ve been reunited with that favorite flavor from the Choxie Mint Malted Milk Balls! Pop one of these green spheres in your mouth, and the minty coating begins to melt on your tongue. Crunch, and the flavor of malted milk joins the mix.

The malted milk center has a good texture - nice, tiny honeycombs, not large and full of holes. Crunchy, too, with no hint of excess moisture detracting from the experience.

Mint is so often overdone as a flavor in candies, but not here. The creamy coating adds just the right note of refreshment. This is no solo act - the mint and malt work together in a talented duet.

I wouldn’t want to eat these all the time - although the flavor is light, they’re fairly rich and satisfying. But now that I’ve found them, I will certainly make a point of picking them up now and then. Which gives them a 3 out of 5 rating.

Related Links:

• None, I’m sorry to say. Harry & David’s website doesn’t list these at all. And Target doesn’t sell food items through the online store. I’m guessing this may be an exclusive packaging for Target stores nationwide. Sorry!
  

Posted: September 26th, 2007 under Candy.
Comments: none

Reese’s Whipps

Acquired by: Retail Purchase at local Walmart

Price: 50 cents for a 1.9 oz. bar

Rating: 4 out of 5

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups have been around for a long time. In recent years, the Hershey company has been on an extensive program to extend the brand with new varieties. By current count at the Reese’s website, there are at least 15 different candy and snack products with the name Reese’s attached.

The latest of these offerings is Reese’s Whipps. I first found Whipps on the bottom shelf of the checkout display at a local Walmart. My immediate impression, based on the wrapper image and the word “Whipp” was that these might be similar to the Mars company’s 3 Musketeers bar.

3 Musketeers was once my very favorite candy bar. I liked the malty chocolate flavor of the nougat center. But even more than that, I loved the texture of the bar - the slight chewy nature of the nougat, the way it spread on your tongue as it softened and melted in your mouth.

Sometime in the 80’s, the Mars company reformulated the recipe for the 3 Musketeers bar. I regret that I can’t find evidence of this on the web, but I remember distinctly at the time it happened that I read about it in the newspaper. I believe the recipe change involved using a different form of sugar, something that many candy makers were doing at the time - usually to reduce costs.

The flavor of the 3 Musketeers bar was forever altered. What had once been a mellow, malty note became purely sweet-tasting, with the light chocolate flavor nearly overwhelmed.

3 Musketeers bars were no longer the bar I had come to love, and I sadly walked away. I’ve hoped, over the years, that the Mars company might reverse their decision, or find yet another new formulation that would restore the original flavor. Or that I would discover another candy bar that could give me the same whipped nougat texture that I loved so much. But alas, it was not to be.

I bought Reese’s Whipps in the hopes that I could again experience something like my old friend. The wrapper shows a cross-section of the candy bar. A whipped nougat center is wrapped with a fudgy peanut butter candy. The whole is coated with milk chocolate.

I opened the wrapper and exposed the bar. If I saw these naked next to a 3 Musketeer bar, I’d be hard pressed to tell which is which without biting into one. Both have the same brick-like shape, and to the best of my memory, they’re about the same size.

I carefully broke the bar in two, and found a cross-section almost identical to the drawing on the wrapper. This is promising. A sniff of the bar revealed a faint peanut-buttery scent, with just a hint of milk chocolate.

Emboldened, I took a bite.

BLISS.

Pure and simple, the Reese’s Whipps bar had the same chewy, yet melt-in-your-mouth, texture that I remembered from 3 Musketeers. The peanut butter flavor was almost subtle, but definitely present. I loved that it didn’t overwhelm the taste buds.

Hershey’s has a winner here. I actually prefer the Reese’s Whipps over other Reese’s products, even the original Peanut Butter Cups. The flavor of the peanut butter in the Whipps is handled in a much more mellow, sophisticated way, and I liked it.

The texture of the nougat, plus the gentler peanut butter flavor, make this a bar that can last a long, long time. That’s a good value for the candy lover.

And most of all, Reese’s Whipps have returned to me, if not the flavor I loved in the 3 Musketeers, at least the magical texture of that bar’s whipped nougat - and with a different flavor that I love as much as the old 3 Musketeers. I am ecstatic!

I seldom get to Walmart to shop, so I’ll be scouring the racks carefully at other stores to see where else I can purchase Reese’s Whipps. These need to be on my regular snack list - making them a 4 out of 5 rating.

Thank you, Hershey’s!

Related Links:

• Manufacturer: Hershey’s
• Product Information: Reese’s Whipps at Hersheys.com
• Review at Candy Blog: Reese’s Whipps (link added 10-1-07)
• Review at CandyAddict: Reese’s Whipps (link added 10-18-07)
  

Posted: September 25th, 2007 under Candy.
Comments: 3

Journeyman (NBC)

Starring: Kevin McKidd as Dan Vasser

Premieres: Monday, Sept. 24th at 10 p.m.

Airs: Mondays at 10 p.m.

Viewed: Via free advance download offer from NBC and Amazon UnBox for Tivo.

My rating: 4 out of 5

I reviewed two of NBC’s other new science fiction offerings last week. Even though I’d also downloaded Journeyman through the same offering at Amazon UnBox, I didn’t review it with the others because, simply, I hadn’t watched it yet.

I corrected that oversight this weekend, and now, although I’ve already posted to this blog today, I want to tell you about Journeyman. Because it premieres tonight, and I don’t want you to miss it. It’s that good.

Journeyman caps off a full Monday night of science fiction on NBC that begins with the new series Chuck, followed by the returning favorite Heroes. This placement is a good decision - Chuck gives us a humorous, high action beginning to the evening. Heroes ups the intensity and drama, and delivers mind-blowing special effects and action. At the end of the night, Journeyman will now offer a drama that’s still intense, but somewhat quieter, and with lots to think about.

Kevin McKidd stars as our title character, Dan Vasser. He’s a newspaper reporter in San Francisco, with a wife and kid, a brother who’s a cop, and a backstory. Dan was once engaged to Livia, but for reasons I can’t reveal without spoiling the story for you, they are no longer together.

One day, Dan starts traveling in time. This happens a few times before he starts to understand why. In the process, he crosses paths with his old life again - including Livia. And because he disappears in the present time for the same period that he spends in the past - 2 days then equals 2 days gone now - he begins to have troubles with his editor for missing deadlines, and his wife, son, and brother for disappearing without explanation.

Journeyman is a well-crafted story, with excellent performances by all the cast. We’ve been offered hints at the larger concept behind Dan’s time voyages, and intriguing glimpses at his past life. I’m eager to find out what happens to him next, and that’s why, based on only a single episode, I’m rating this show 4 out of 5, for “I hate it when I miss an episode!”

It’s my fear that Journeyman won’t find its audience. It’s high quality science fiction, as well as an engrossing human drama. But it requires that the viewer pay attention to what’s going on. The story isn’t handed to us on a platter - rather, we are shown events and objects, we listen to discussions, arguments, and dialogues, and we must observe the ways that people interact. Sometimes the clues are as subtle as seeing the same event we were shown a few minutes ago, but from a different perspective on a different time trip.

On the surface, Journeyman most resembles Quantum Leap. But beyond the concept of a man traveling into the past to help troubled people, the two shows are completely different. Journeyman is a personal story of a man dealing with a huge transition in his life, and how it affects him, and the people around him.

Watch it, please. Journeyman is the sort of quality programming we want to encourage. If you miss the airing tonight, it’s available at Amazon UnBox to download to your Series 2 or higher TiVo, or to your computer.

• NBC’s Official Site: Journeyman at NBC
• IMDB: Journeyman at IMDB
• Amazon UnBox
• Journeyman listing at Amazon UnBox

Posted: September 24th, 2007 under Television.
Comments: none

Archer Farms Five Cheese Macaroni Home-Style Baked Entree

Acquired by: Retail purchase at local Target store

Price: $3.49

Rating: 4 out of 5

As I’ve become more familiar with Archer Farms, the premium house brand of foods at Target stores, I’ve begun expanding the range of items I’ll try. Last weekend, I was inspired to check out one of the Archer Farms boxed dinners - Five Cheese Macaroni.

It is tempting to compare this to Kraft Macaroni and Cheese, the best known boxed macaroni and cheese dinner on the market. Clearly, though, Archer Farms isn’t aiming at the kiddies with this product.

From the box -

The ultimate in grown-up comfort food, we take mac & cheese to the next level with this dish. Our pasta is bathed with a luscious Parmesan, Romano, Cheddar and Asiago cheese sauce with a touch of tangy blue cheese, and then topped with herb and Parmesan bread crumbs - creating that perfect marriage of crunchy and creamy.

I’ve made my share of the Kraft product, even as an adult - there’s no denying that it’s quick, tasty, and cheap. I’ve also made macaroni and cheese from scratch, using assorted cheeses to create the sauce, and baking the casserole in the oven.

Archer Farms Five Cheese Macaroni comes somewhere between the two. The box contains three packets - the thick, curly tubes of pasta (sadly, they don’t name the variety for us), a packet of sauce mix, and one of the crumbs for the topping. The home cook needs only to add milk and butter to complete the dish.

I boiled up the pasta according to the instructions. While it cooked, I began the sauce, heating the milk with the butter on med-low, as specified. I think they expected that the sauce would be done about the same time as the pasta, but I found that the milk took longer to bring to temperature. Next time, I’d start the sauce before the pasta.

By the time I drained the pasta, I still needed to add the sauce mix into the hot milk, then cook it for five minutes. “Or until the sauce is slightly thickened.” By my estimate, the sauce hadn’t thickened noticeably after the five minutes, so I gave it five more minutes.

I was still unsure about how thick it was by then, but decided to go ahead from that point - I was afraid of scorching the milk in the pan. I poured the pasta into a Pam-sprayed 8×8 inch glass baking pan (an alternative choice if you don’t have a 2-quart casserole). The sauce was poured over all, then the crumb topping sprinkled over.

The instructions say to bake for “20 minutes or until heated through” in a pre-heated, 325 degree oven. After 20 minutes, we took the pan from the oven, and felt it was still far too liquid to be done. We baked for an extra 10 minutes.

At that time, the macaroni and cheese still seemed far more liquid than it should. The top hadn’t browned too much yet, though, so we decided to go for one more 10 minute run. It still seemed a little too fluid after that time, but the top was now just about perfect, so we thought we’d see if a sitting time helped.

After about 20 minutes, the casserole was just about perfect. The sauce had firmed up, allaying our fears that we’d made an oven-baked soup. We spooned out a couple of servings, and dug in.

Folks, this stuff was good! As I mentioned, I’ve made macaroni & cheese from scratch before, and this had the same sort of mellow taste and semi-firm texture you’d expect from homemade. The flavor was a perfect blend - no one cheese stood out as a star, but all came together to create a smooth, creamy, cheesy note.

Not only was the taste and texture like homemade, the sauce was much easier to make than working from scratch. Here, I had a powdered mix that I added to the heated milk. From scratch, you’d have to grate a couple cups of cheese, then slowly stir it into the hot milk until it was all melted.

The box front claims this makes 4 hearty servings, and since Gryphon and I ate this as a meal by itself, that’s how it worked out. (The nutritional information, oddly, claims that there are six servings in the package.) We ate well for dinner on Saturday. Then for Sunday lunch, we had a second excellent meal. The leftovers took to re-heating in the microwave quite nicely.

I think the issues I had with the baking time could have been alleviated if the instructions had included some descriptions of the expected results. They could easily have added a line telling the home cook to “Allow to rest at room temperature for X minutes to firm up before serving.” If I’d seen that, I would have been okay with the amount of liquid the casserole still showed after baking.

I’d also recommend suggesting that the milk be put on to heat just as you’re putting the water on to boil for the pasta. The instructions currently explain how to cook the pasta in Step 2, then in Step 3 they say “Meanwhile, …heat…milk and …butter until butter is melted.” If, instead, Step 2 had you starting the sauce, then Step 3 the pasta, I think the timing might work a bit better.

In spite of the box instructions, Gryphon and I both give this a hearty 4 out of 5. The flavor was as good as my homemade macaroni and cheese, and the dish was easier to prepare. Next time, I’ll know from this experience to start the sauce sooner, and to let the casserole sit after baking.

Related Links:

• Archer Farms (Warning - plays video and sound.) This is a minimally informative promotional site at Target Online, but it appears to be the only one they offer. Archer Farms foods are not available for purchase at Target Online - only in brick-and-mortar Target stores.

Posted: September 24th, 2007 under Box Dinners.
Comments: 2

Chocolate Crumb Pastry

Purchased at:
Panera Bread Cafe, 590 Amherst St., Nashua, NH

Acquired by: Retail Purchase at Panera

Price: 1.99

Overall Rating: 2 out of 5

I had an opportunity last night to try yet another of Panera’s new “Artisan Pastries” - Chocolate Crumb. I wanted very badly to like this one more than I did.

The Panera website describes the Chocolate Crumb as “reminiscent of crumb cake with its combination of butter, chocolate, pastry cream & a crumb topping.” The pastry that sat on my tray was a rectangular shell of flaky, crispy pastry layers, topped with some rolled oats, some crumb-like bits, and two piped-on ropes of chocolate. Confectioner’s sugar was dusted liberally over the top. Visually, it was very appealing.

I wish the taste had matched up to appearance. The pastry portion was clearly the same type used in the Pecan Braid I had reviewed before, and that was good. The toppings, however, which are supposed to give the unique flavor to the Chocolate Crumb, were unevenly distributed, and I didn’t care for their flavor.

There were bits of rolled oat visible, and possibly some of the “crumb topping” mentioned in the product description, but I didn’t find that either of these components contributed to the taste or texture of the overall pastry.

The chocolate ropes had a soft, fudgy texture, but with a grainy component as if sugar had been stirred into the mixture. Semi-sweet chocolate is what was used, and you can tell - the flavor overwhelms everything else in bites containing chocolate.

And that was part of the problem - the chocolate was so unevenly placed that at least half of the pastry had no chocolate at all - the ends and sides - and the rest had far too much, with hardly any pastry. The experience of eating a Chocolate Crumb is not even remotely consistent from one end to the other.

I could accept this if the different experiences were all good, but I really didn’t like the chocolate portion. Maybe it’s just that it was semi-sweet, and that much semi-sweet chocolate all in one bite never tastes good to me. I wonder if I’d have liked this better in a nice milk chocolate - or with the semi-sweet piped in smaller lines over more of the pastry?

Bottom Line: The Chocolate Crumb pastry wasn’t run-away-screaming horrible. If one were placed in front of me at a party, with no other options available, I’d probably eat it. But I certainly won’t be doing so any time there’s a choice. I give the Chocolate Crumb pastry a 2 out of 5.

Related Links

• Panera Bread
• Panera’s Pastry Menu (Click on individual pastries to see nutritional information.)

Posted: September 21st, 2007 under Menu Items.
Comments: none

Chuck (NBC)

Starring (l. to r.): Adam Baldwin, Zachary Levi as Chuck, and Yvonne Strechowski

Premieres: Monday, Sept. 24th, 8 p.m.

Airs: Mondays at 8 p.m.

Viewed: Via free advance download offer from NBC and Amazon UnBox for Tivo.

My Rating: 3 out of 5

NBC found a massive hit last fall in Heroes. Now, a year later, the network is building a solid block of science fiction series on Monday evenings, with Heroes anchoring the same 9 p.m. time slot it held last year, and the new series Journeyman bringing up the rear.

The opening number at 8 p.m. will be a new series called Chuck. Chuck is a hyrid show - part sci-fi, part comedy, part espionage. Anytime you try to mix genres, there’s potential for disaster. If you don’t do them all well, your show will likely fall flat.

The good news is, Chuck seems to have gotten it all right. The show simultaneously skewers our modern, consumer culture and our high-tech espionage films, while still providing exciting action and interesting mysteries. And on top of it all, we have the average daily life of Chuck, a 20-something nerd who still lives with his sister and has no girlfriend.

I found the entire package fun to watch, and I’m looking forward to the next episode. It’s hard to give a rating to a show based on a single episode, but so far, Chuck has itself firmly on my list of programs worth TiVo’ing, making it a 3 out of 5. I wouldn’t be surprised, though, to find it quickly rising to a 4 within a few episodes.

Related Links:

• NBC’s Official Site: Chuck at NBC
• IMDB: Chuck at IMDB
• Amazon UnBox

Bionic Woman (NBC)

Starring: Michelle Ryan as Jamie Sommers

Premieres: Wednesday, Sept. 26th, 9 p.m.

Airs: Wednesdays at 9 p.m.

Viewed: Via free advance download offer from NBC and Amazon UnBox for Tivo.

My Rating: 3 out of 5

Not on Monday evenings, but continuing NBC’s venture into more science fiction programming, is Wednesday evening’s Bionic Woman. If you are thinking fondly of the Jamie Sommers you grew up with, as played by Lindsay Wagner, think again. The series has been given the same sort of reinvention that brought Battlestar Galactica back to great accolades on the Sci-Fi channel.

The new Jamie has a troubled teenage sister who lives with her; a boyfriend doctor who hasn’t told her everything about what he does; and a bartending job that seems to do well for her. Everything changes one day when a tragic car accident leaves Jamie at death’s door - until her boyfriend has her med-evac’d to the secret lab he works at.

The bulk of the initial episode is spent introducing us to the characters, and shows the beginning of Jamie coming to terms with a reality that turned upside down on her very abruptly. The world will never be the same for her again, and she knows it. But she also, by the end of the episode, starts to feel a sense of what her new abilities can do for, and to exercise some of that power.

The tone of the new series is dark. There was at least one giggle thrown in to lighten the mood of the pilot, but for the most part, we’re watching a more defnite drama than we did with the original series in the 70’s. No Sasquatch here, folks! The drama, the evil, and the secrets are all human - making them even more threatening.

I won’t tell more, because that would spoil the fun of watching the premiere for yourself. Except to say that Jamie isn’t the first Bionic Woman in this version of the series. There are many backstories to all the characters, many secrets hinted at, little tidbits of information given to us that intrigue and draw us in because we want to know more.

At least, I know I want to know more. Which is why I’ll be watching Bionic Woman every week.

As with Chuck, I think it’s early to give more than a 3 out of 5 rating. But, just like Chuck, I suspect that Bionic Woman will be rising in my estimation quickly.

Related Links:

• NBC’s Official Site: Bionic Woman at NBC (Warning: site plays video and audio.)
• IMDB: Bionic Woman (2007) at IMDB
• IMDB: The Bionic Woman (1975) at IMDB
• Amazon UnBox

Posted: September 20th, 2007 under Television.
Comments: 1

Second Life by Linden Labs

Game Type: Online virtual world

Cost to Play: Free for Basic Account;
$9.95 one-time fee for additional Basic Accounts;
$9.95/month for Premium Account (discounted prepay plans also available)

Okay, I’m going to come clean. One of newest distractions that is eating up some of my time is Second Life. If you don’t know what that is, Second Life an online, virtual world. People can interact with each other, create virtual objects, own land (if you have a Premium Account), build houses and decorate them, attend live concerts, and much more - all online.

I’m not entirely new to Second Life. I originally created my account back in December of 2005. I think I may have logged on all of two, maybe three times back then. I couldn’t figure out what I wanted to do with it, so I just never went back.

Until recently, that is. I have a First Life friend now who is an avid CG artist, and who has been playing in Second Life for a number of months. I’ve been hearing her stories about the house she built, the objects she created, and the fun she has in there for all this time. Finally, she guilted me into logging in to actually see what she’s been talking about.

I think a big part of why I didn’t do much back in 2005 was that I was learning the interface entirely on my own, trial-and-error pushing buttons and clicking on options and not having a clue what I was doing. This time, having my friend Arondelle as a guide, I felt like I could get some control over what was happening.

Gryphon and I used to be very active in EverQuest - I was even a guide for a short time - and we were beta testers for Star Wars Galaxies. What I loved best was exploring the virtual worlds, and making use of the crafting skills available in each game.

Unfortunately, the most important part of most such online games is getting together in groups and going out to kill critters and monsters. Which is fine. But I really, really wanted a world I could just wander around in, discovering and doing cool things.

I think Second Life may be that world. For me, it’s all the best parts of EQ and SWG (the well-detailed world to explore) and the offline game The Sims (a virtual dollhouse), without the annoying parts like being obligated to spend time killing things to make any progress, or having to monitor your Sims’ health and social activities when you’d rather be decorating the house.

So what are some of the cool things to see and do in Second Life? Lately, it seems like just about anything you can imagine from First Life can be found there!

Recently, for instance, Suzanne Vega played a live concert in Second Life, streaming the audio from the real world, and with an avatar with a custom-built guitar performing on a virtual stage. Republican Newt Gingrich will be holding a virtual workshop in Second Life later in September.

Politicians, marketing departments of large corporations, and universities have all been looking at Second Life as a forum for advertising their causes or products, holding conferences, and providing online education. A glance at the Community Events calendar shows upcoming Al-Anon meetings, more live concerts, dance parties, workshops on life in SL, and more.

A recent issue of TV Guide reported that the hit CBS television series, CSI: New York, will be creating a virtual CSI Lab on Second Life later this year. Viewers will be able to register to participate, then can visit the lab to solve a different virtual murder every month.

All these real world tie-ins are cool, and show that Second Life - which opened to the public in 2003 - has made a mark on our First Lives. Ultimately, though, the real magic in Second Life is entirely created by the people who inhabit the virtual world. Nearly everything you will ever encounter, every object you will ever use, every building you will visit, is created by the users of the world. Not by some programmers sitting in the corporate headquarters for the game somewhere, but by people just like you who are living an extra layer of life online.

Content in Second Life is, therefore, constantly changing and improving - and without forcing you to buy new software to continue playing! There are new, exciting objects to discover wherever you go, and when you re-visit someplace you’ve been before, odds are it will not be the same-old same-old that you saw last time.

That’s what is drawing me into Second Life at last - the possibility that I, too, can be part of creating a new world.

My Recommendation: Different strokes for different folks, they say. Shoot ‘em up, kill the monster games weren’t for me. Nice thing is, Second Life can be all things to all people - for those who like the combat or hunting, there are even options for you! And if you’re more the Sudoku type, there are games you can play in SL, too. Since it’s free to sign up and free to play, why not check it out?

If you’re not lucky enough to have such a great personal guide as I do, in game help is plentiful, with tutorials and educational locations that teach you everything you need to know about navigating the world. The best advice - just get out there and look around, and don’t be afraid to ask questions!

Final Note: If, by chance, you’re already a Second Lifer, my online name is Probably Perhaps. Yeah, you heard me right. It was, back in Dec. 2005, the best I thought I could do with the choices of last name I had to pick from, and I wasn’t too happy with it. Now that I’m going into the game more often, I’ve been receiving a lot of compliments on my name, and I think I’m glad I picked it. Anyhow, feel free to look me up and add me as a friend. And one of these days, I just might pay for that Premium Account so I can own a piece of land, and invite you to my housewarming!

If you’re not a Second Lifer yet, but think it sounds interesting, it’s absolutely free to try. That’s right - free. If you want to, you can play forever in the game without ever having to spend a First Life penny. So what’s to stop you from checking it out? If you decide to come in, look me up!

Related Links:

• Main website for game sign-up and information: Second Life

Posted: September 19th, 2007 under Online Gaming.
Comments: 1

Caribou Coffee Vanilla Latte Snack Bars
Caribou Coffee Caramel High Rise Snack Bars

Acquired by: Retail purchase at local Target store.

Price:
Shelf price $2.33 per 6-pc. box.
On sale at 2 boxes for $4.00.
Additional $1.00 discount by using a newspaper coupon.
Final price, $1.50 per 6-pc. box.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Caribou Coffee is a nearly unknown entity here in New Hampshire. It was founded in 1992 in Minnesota by a pair of newlyweds who, climbing a mountain two years earlier in Denali National Park in Alaska, are supposed to have looked at the view and been inspired to open a coffee shop.

Okay, there are stranger reasons to start a business. The important point here is that the company, though it had a rocky beginning and eventually was bought by larger corporations, has become the “second-largest operator of non-franchised coffeehouses in the United States.” As with most companies, that means lots of auxiliary products to supplement your original product line.

This leads us to today’s topic: Caribou Coffee Snack Bars. I found these one day while shopping in Target. Since They were on sale, and I’d recently clipped a coupon from the newspaper as well, into my cart they went.

The snack bars are made by the General Mills company, making this a co-branded or licensed product. General Mills doesn’t list them on their website, and Caribou Coffee does. I suppose that means they’re more a Caribou Coffee product that happens to be made by General Mills, than a General Mills product licensing the Caribou Coffee name.

The flavor names are derived from coffee beverages actually served at Caribou Coffee stores. The website lists two other flavors that I didn’t find available in boxes at Target - Mint Condition and Chocolate Mocha.

These other two flavors can be purchased at the Caribou Coffee site, at $1.25 each for individual bars. The site also lists the Vanilla Latte and Caramel High Rise, but shows them as “no longer available.” I wonder if they pulled those flavors to test the market for boxed supermarket sales?

On opening the individually wrapped bars, there are no real surprises here. They look like classic granola bars. The texture is soft and chewy, the grains and nuts crispy. They impressed me as good quality bars, with a pleasing texture.

The coffee flavors themselves seemed to come more from the coatings they were dipped and drizzled with than the main body of the bar. The Caramel High Rise bar has a milky brown color; the Vanilla Latte is white. The coatings also seem to have tiny grains of brown mixed in them. Since the boxes claim the bars are “Made with REAL Caribou Coffee,” I’m guessing that’s where the coffee is found.

The aroma of good coffee rises up as soon as you open the wrappers. Vanilla was immediately obvious in the Vanilla Latte flavor. I’m not sure that I noticed a distinct caramel aroma or taste in the Caramel High Rise, though that may just be my inexperience with caramel-flavored coffee drinks.

I don’t eat granola bars often, because the flavors aren’t usually very interesting to me. Raisins, for instance, are an immediate no, as are many dried fruits. (Except apples. I like dried apples. And bananas.) Caribou Coffee Granola Bars, however, had no pretense about being anything but a coffee-flavored bar.

Bottom line? I liked these, a lot. On the few occasions where I do buy granola bars, I’m likely to prefer Caribou Coffee Snack Bars if they’re available. They were sweet without tasting artificially so; chewy without threatening to tear out teeth; crispy to just the right degree. The coffee flavor was distinct and tasty, without being overwhelming.

I rate both flavors of Caribou Coffee Snack Bars a solid 4 out of 5. These will probably find their way into my cart again!

Related Links:

• Company - Caribou Coffee
• Buy Online - Caribou Coffee Snack Bars at Caribou Coffee
• Wikipedia - Caribou Coffee

Posted: September 18th, 2007 under Snacks.
Comments: 2