Friday Night Leftovers...

I work so hard to provide my readers with only the very best of quality entertainment and you wouldn’t believe the amount of material that never winds up making it on to my blog. Now, most of these tasty tidbits could probably be used as the show-stopper on the average blog, but not here at Eddie, are you kidding?. Oh no, I prefer using only the finest of fresh ingredients to produce the intellectual cuisine served up to my guests.

Felicia and I are headed out to the local Drive-In-movie theater this evening and I’m pretty busy preparing snacks, pop corn, and filling the cooler with cans of our favorite beverages. I didn’t know what to do about this evenings post so I started digging around in the recycle bin and came up with these still edible goodies.


Uh, you may want to wash these first...

"Honey, can I get this painted on the front of the car?"



(During my research for the P.P.P. post.)

DirkStar: "So how many Pay Per Posts does it take to make a living?"

Pay-Per-Post Staff: "Who cares, we're rolling in it here at the home office!"

"These colors don't run."
(They are apparently still subject to fading?)

(Actual conversation during, Dancing with the Stars.)

Dirk: Wow I never knew Leeza Gibbons had such a big butt.

Felicia: What do you expect, she’s had three kids.

Dirk: Huh, so how many kids have you had that I don’t know about?

Felicia: Very funny... When you’re sleeping on the sofa tonight you may want to add that one to your top ten list.

Dirk: Doh...

Sorry there isn’t more, but even when I’m digging through the trash I’m still choosy. Oh, and if anyone decides to use this title as a weekly meme I will expect proper credit to be given.

Hey, Eddie ain’t giving away no freebies...

I go flying so high, when I'm stoned...

Sometimes the topics I write about are inspired by the blogs I read. Well, some of them at least. This evening’s offering is one of those topics. Several days ago I was reading the blog of friend who goes by the name of Cynical Bastard. In his article he was lamenting the fact that rarely do exotic aircraft land anywhere close to his local airport.

Imagine his surprise when a couple of F/A-18’s came screaming in for a landing at the Marine Corps Reservist air strip and he was there to catch all the excitement with his digital camera. I could feel the childlike wonder he experienced with every single word he penned about the adventure. The post had a genuine affect upon me and it inspired me to do something I’d not done since early childhood. I went to visit the Wright Patterson Air Force Base.

One of the great perks of living in Dayton, Ohio is that we are home to the United States Air Force Museum. Yeah, it is kind of cool. Although I am not an authority on the history of aircraft or even much of a military enthusiast I still wanted to share a little bit of our local bounty with my friend, the Cynical Bastard.

It's freakin huge! How can I choose?
What is the very best to share with my friend?

The first thing to greet me when I entered the hallowed halls of this amazing artifice was this gigantic statue of what I can only assume is one of the Wright Brothers. Chills ran up and down my spine as I tried to imagine the trials and tribulations as these two intrepid inventors dared to defy gravity and reach for the heavens.

"Wilber, come quick! I think I've figured out how to fly."

The Wright Flyer; trembling I stood before one of the earliest experimental vehicles to reach for the heavens and read from the actual diaries of the two inventors who dreamed of soaring with eagles.

Dear diary: We have at last created a prototype of a vehicle capable of achieving the speeds required to break the shackles of gravity and leap forth into the skies above us. Alas, if only Wilber could develop the upper body strength necessary to generate the lift needed to propel our craft skyward. Although discouraged at the moment we are returning to the drawing board certain that we are close to cracking the secret of flight.

“Quickly, Wilber let go of the stabilizer bar and flap
your arms as if your life depended on it!”

One diorama that brought tears to my eyes depicted the terrible Pay Per Post tragedy of 1945. One of the early contest winners was offered the opportunity to take the controls of an airplane and enjoy the thrill of flying a few laps above the festivities of the Dayton Air show. Stunned bloggers watched in horror as the aircraft suddenly nosedived and crashed into the ground.

"Well maybe if someone had suggested opening my eyes
before lifting off I would have known what was happening."

At first glance I actually thought this next exhibit to be some sort of elaborate joke. It just seemed impossible given the current Iraqi situation under the leadership of George W. Bush. Improbable as it sounds though, this airplane is supposed to have been involved in the actual ending of a war. (Yeah, I couldn’t believe it either.) Apparently it dropped some sort of terrible weapon known as the Limbaugh upon a small island of society-destroying Liberals thus saving the world from democracy and allowing corporate freedom to continue flourishing to this very day.

"Are you ready to take the Bockscar up, Captain Willie?"

“One of two terrible weapons unleashed upon a world at war; one was called, The Little Boy (or the George W. Bush in certain Washington circles) and the bigger and by far more devastating bomb shown here known as the Lying Limbaugh.

"The Rush Limbaugh."
Delivering megatons of truth destroying misinformation.

I'm not really sure what this next exhibit represents. It looks like a very early and primitive set of body armor for an Imperial Stormtrooper. Must George Lucas and Star Wars be a part of every exhibit depicting man's journey to the stars? Enough is enough already...

"Luke, I'm your grandfather."

The United States Air Force is never satisfied to rest upon the laurels of yesterday. Always preparing for the world of tomorrow the Air Force is developing new vehicles to insure the superiority of the American military machine. Imagine the awe that filled my soul as I stood in the middle of the Presidents Hangar and gazed upon the new and improved Air Force One.

Remember, you saw it here first...

Behold!
"Hillary Clinton's Air force One."

Yes indeed, I'm walking...

Ever since I got the digital camera for Christmas I’ve been waiting for spring to arrive so I could take it along with me on my daily walks. Now, I don’t know if it’s just the way I look at the world or is it just the way the world really looks; maybe you can help me figure out the truth.

Submitted for your approval...

Go ask Alice; I think she knows.

1. Who says you never see wildlife in the city?

2. At least I'm not Mayor McCheese.

3. I should have have followed my sister's advice and gone on welfare.

Just in time for the Final Four!

1. Fans starting at $9.00? What, just in case your buddies are all rooting for Florida?

2. And they're available in your favorite school colors!

3. The $20.00 fans come with their own beer.

A church with no walls, roof or a steeple?

1. I'm thinking maybe, wiccan?

2. "So, Bob how long have you and the missus been Druids?"

3."I don't know about you, Margaret but I think Pastor Smith has gotten just a bit carried away with this whole "back-to-basics" thing."

Now, its not what these guys do that creeps me out...

Its more the way the awning makes me wonder how they do it.

1. I don't even want to think about the embalming process.

2. Handcuffed, gag-balled and headed home to glory.

3. "Don't worry about a thing, when we hear the safe word we'll let you out."



Now, am I just looking at things with the wrong perspective or are things really what they appear to be?


Inquiring minds want to know...

I see sunshine on a cloudy day...

This is odd, but its all I get when I "Google Earth" from
my own house.

You can get anything you want...

A doorway leading to a
world of culinary imagination.

Bucca di Beppo’s interior is perhaps the largest restaurant space I’ve ever had the pleasure of exploring. The place is a cavernous maze of hallways, rooms, niches, and intimate corner nooks. Each space has been customized with a unique theme. You can dine with the pope, sit in a room sporting a ceiling of classic movie posters or enjoy lunch in a Bacchanalian celebration of wine.

Whenever Felicia and I are visiting Columbus, Ohio we make it a point to visit this establishment. The dishes are served family style, which simply means that food is served on large platters just like your mom would bring to the dinner table at home. Sharing is the order of the day at Buca di Beppo’s. You can take a group of friends to this restaurant, have everyone order a different dish and wind up enjoying a feast lasting for hours. (Trust me; this is not a dinning experience you’ll want to hurry.)

A cornucopia of color and
humorous treats for the eyes.

One of my favorite anti-pastas is the pan fried fresh mozzarella. Generous thick cuts of Mozzarella are lightly breaded and then fried quickly to preserve the texture of the cheese inside. The marinara sauce that accompanies the appetizer is garden fresh and adds a zesty kick to an already tasty dish. Follow this up with their Caesar salad and you have the perfect combination for a light lunch. I hope you are like Felicia and I when it comes to taste buds because the anchovy paste in this salad is wonderful.

The Penne Arrabbiata is one of my favorite entrees. This dish is spicy without searing the tongue. Crushed red peppers are served over pasta in a marinara sauce and topped with a spicy sausage. Tears may spring forth from your eyes but only in happiness and not as a result of overpowering heat.

Every room is unique and unusual.

A trip to Buca di Beppo’s would not be complete without a slice of their homemade cheesecake. I always order a cup of coffee and a slice after dinner even if I plan on boxing it up and taking it home for later. This is a dessert you may want to plan on sharing because they sure do serve you up a heaping helping of generosity when you order this tasty treat. Picture if you will the largest single serving of cheesecake you’ve ever seen swimming in raspberry sauce and topped with crushed hazelnuts. This is heaven on a plate with a side order of ecstasy.

If you are ever in Columbus, Ohio and looking for a superb dinning experience in an atmosphere of genuine Italian surroundings this is the place to go. This establishment is as much a feast for the eyes as it is for the belly. From start to finish Buca di Beppo's truly provides a quality culinary adventure. I would strongly recommend this fine eatery to anyone looking for a place to entertain friends or simply celebrate a special occasion like my wife and I did on our wedding anniversary.

Bon appetite!