Miss Ginger's Newest Toy

You may not know this, dear readers, but Miss Ginger is quite the photography buff. And while she has never actually photographed anyone in the buff, she might, now that she has a professional quality camera in her hands again!

In her younger days, before she became distracted by sequins and slingbacks, Miss G spent years reading about and practicing photography, and even worked through high school at a photography studio back in Lake Charles. Back in those days, photography required a a darkroom, and that's where Miss G worked, developing photo after photo of white trash weddings. I wonder how many of them are still together?

Momma G supported my hobby completely (she was cool with just about anything creative), and because it was such an expensive hobby, would find all sorts of odd jobs for me to do around the house to earn money above the penance I received for developing photos, so I could by my first "real" camera. Through the years, I had many other cameras, but as I got busy with my career and my adult life, I used them less and less. Then, the digital age came and rendered them all obsolete, and since then Miss Ginger has muddled through with various and sundry "point and shoots", until her most recent bit the dust.

It's a sign, she decided, that the time is right to reenter the realm of creative photography. It seemed lke a bad investment for a while, as the megapixel battle raged on and on, from 3.0 mp to 5.0, then 7.0, then 10.0. Honestly, for the past few years, once you get beyond 10 megapixels, you'd have to have much better eyesight than Miss G to tell a difference on a normal size print or certainly on a computer image.

So, this camera, at 18 megapixels, should hold her for a while! It came with 2 interchangeable

lenses and a FABULOUS case, so the only accessories she had to buy for it were extra batteries and an extra memory card. Of course, Miss G loves to shop for accessories, and this beauty has a complete line to

support its every need!

Miss Ginger actually even stepped out of the norm and spent most of the day going through the instruction manual!!! Even though it can snap great pictures right out of the box, she figured it had so many features (that she paid good money for!) that she'd be stupid not to learn to use them. But it's dark out, so, other than a few practice shots of sleeping cats, she's not taken many photos yet! But she promises to post some tomorrow.

She may be the next Ansel Adams...

or Annie Lebowitz....

or dare she dream to follow in the footsteps of that greatest of jotophurnalists:

In'ja?

Sometimes Ya Get A Hankerin'....

for something specific, and eating anything else just won't do!

Lately, Miss G has had a hankering for short ribs, which is really odd, since she's only ever eaten them once, at EAT, one of her favorite restaurants in New Orleans. She's been seeing them in the butcher case at Sam's Club and was intrigued, so last week she brought a pack home. As you can see by this photo (not taken by Miss G), short ribs are really the meatiest part of the

rib, and they still have the bone on them. The meat is similar to a chuck roast that one might braise to make pot roast.

Miss G was in a quandary as to the best way to make them- so many are the choices in her arsenal of kitchenware! She finally decided to have a "cook off" between 2 of her favorites,

her Cuisinart Electric Pressure Cooker, and

her

trusty Staub cocotte.

Which would do a better job of creating the moist, tender, fall-off-the-bone goodness she remembered from the restaurant?

She started by seasoning each piece, and then browning them all in the cocotte. Then, she moved some of them to the pressure cooker, and added about a cup each of red wine and beef broth to each vessel. Everything goes into the pot bone side up so the flavors from the bone and fat baste the meat and keep it moist. After putting the lid on each, she set the pressure cooker for 90 minutes (a lucky guess!) and put the cocotte on the back of the stove to simmer.

Well, I gotta tell you, after 90 minutes, those ribs from the pressure cooker mighta been the best thing Miss G every laid a lip on! They were like butter! So moist and juicy, like the best pot roast you have ever eaten, only with more flavor because of the meat-to-bone ratio! Served on a bed of quinoa (another new fave of Miss G's) they were comfort food like none she's ever had!!

But what about the ones from the pot? Most of the recipes Miss G found recommended a cooking time of 2 hours, but after that amount of time, Miss G was woefully dissapointed! The meat was much dryer and tougher than their pressure-cooked counterparts. However, with her tummy full from the pressure cooked option, there was no loss in letting them go a little longer, so Miss G put them back on the stove and let them go a couple more hours.

Well, wuncha know that after 4 hours on the stove, those ribs were just a juicy and tender as their pressure cooker friends? And you know what else? I'll bet if you put them in a Crock Pot, they'd be just as good after 8-10 hours!!

So the lesson is: cook them however you want!! Hurry them in a pressure cooker, ignore them in a Crock Pot, or put a hotel pan of them in the oven to feed a crowd! They are yummy, foolproof, and easy!

PS: The Staub Cocotte (mine is green) and the Cuisinart Pressure Cooker both get the coveted 5 lipsticks from Miss G!

The Next Food Network Stereotype...

Miss Ginger finally caught up on the DVR so now she can catch up on the Minx's FABULOUS foodie blog, MinxEats! I know the Minx and I are soul sisters because we both hate Rachel Ray's guts... and Sandra Lee's... and now Melissa D'Arabian.

Now that we're down to the final six, Miss G has decided to

share her take on the few contestants left on "The Next Food Network Stereotype".

Miss Ginger wanted so badly to like Serena, but she worked my last drag queen nerve. Plus, Food Network already has a beautiful WOP, so they didn't need another! She cooked pasta, talked fast, and lost her train of though a lot. If I wanted to hear that, I could just

phone my great Aunt Gina! I'm glad she's gone, but I'm not sure much of what's left is any better.

Aria Kagan is a whiny JAP with no culinary talent and even less personality! I mean, c'mon, honey- where's the funny grandmother stories- the crazy aunt stories- the high-pressure mom stories? And matza? And borsht! People love that ethnic shit! We're all dying to know how gefilte fish is made! Don't be afraid to be Jewish, honey! With a name like Kagan, it's all ya got! And Jewish names seem to work well on the Food Network, if ya haven't noticed!

Then there's Tom Pizzica, who's best bet would be to start a food truck called "Pizzica's Pizza". His food is hit or miss, but his show should be called "Hit or Mess!" He's just a big messy, clearly straight slob! Why would anyone want to watch that cook on television?

If Herb's show were called "The Shirtless Chef", Miss Ginger would tune in every week! Unfortunately, this show is on Food Network instead of Bravo, so we haven't been given given so much as one gratuitous tooth-brushing scene! His transition from "The Energy Chef" (y-a-w-n!) to "Cucina el Sabor" (or somesuch) hasn't really improved his chances of winning in my book, though it might help Food Network reign in the hispanic viewer.

The dork with the hat from Austin is the best chef on the show, because he's been to culinary school. Unfortunately for him, he has all the personality of the wet furball upon which Miss Ginger just stepped (thanks, Jackson!) so there's no future here for him! Neither one of the plain white guys will win.

That leaves Aarti, ready to tape a full season of Aarti's Party for Food Network. She's so cute, so sweet, and so genuine- plus, her food looks really good! And, she's Indian, and we don't have one of those on Food Network yet! Pan-asian is the second fastest growing demographic in the US, so of course Bean Counter Fogelberg wants her to win! Unfortunately for Aarti, she chose not to "friend" Miss Ginger on facebook, directing her instead to a "fan" page.

Uhm, gurl- 'scuse me! You ain't a drag queen yet, so you aint's got no fans! You just keep cookin' your tandoori yardbird and shit now that Miss Ginger has put the gris-gris on you! You'll be lucky if they let you play Mulan on the Disney Channel!

Really?!

Did they REALLY have to tell us this? Like, have they been sued in the past but some freak who thought shoving hardware into his willy was hot?!

Is Blogging Passe?

Have social networking sites like twatbook and twizler deemed blogs too cumbersome and hard to maintain? Will weblogs go the way of the illuminated manuscript?

Miss Ginger brings up the question because she has noticed a significant downtrend in blog traffic over the last year or so. She was bored, so using LinkWithin (add it if you don't have it!) she kind of rambled aimlessly down memory lane through her blog, and it made her realize that the activity around here is just not what it used to be!

Her follower count has remained unchanged for God knows how long. She been holding steady here at her current number with no real signs of a turnaround!

Comments are down, and some commenters have stopped chiming in all together! There are some long, lost friends out there in bloglandia... Miss G certainly hopes they are okay!

And, she realizes that her own participation has been sporadic as of late! It's not that she doesn't still ADORE blogging! It just that, since developing a crack-like addiction to facebook, she finds herself keeping up with the goings-on of the world in succinct, one-sentence status updates, instead of composed, thoughtful blog entries!

But, after reminiscing through her own blog today, she was reminded of what a unique opportunity they are! As online journals, they truly do become "logs" of our being, and form a diary of our thoughts, our growth, and our progress through this thing called life! But unlike diaries that were hidden away under lock and key, these journals are meant to be shared with like-minded individuals who appreciate our humor, our insight, and our point of view. They becomes the chronicles of friendships that reach across barriers, borders, and oceans of distance! They bring together the minds of young and old, black and white, gay and straight, or any number of other opposites that seem to attract across this electronic pen and paper!

So, if you've been blogging for a while, keep it up! Your knowledge, humor, insight, and point of view are unique, valuable, and worth sharing! If your blogging has slowed as of late, I hope this post becomes your inspiration to recommit to a rhythm of posting, be it daily, weekly, or even monthly! If you've been a wallflower in the background, reading without sharing your comments, you're missing half the fun! Miss Ginger urges you to sign up for a free blogger account and start leaving comments! You may even eventually be inspired to start a journal of your very own!

And finally, if you've been following TFBOMGG for a while, Thank You, and please stay tuned! There's lots more to come!

Not Much News....

It's been kind of quiet here in GingerLand lately. Not really quiet, actually sort of busy... just uninteresting!

There are a few things going on around town that Miss G thinks you might find interesting, however.

First, there's Lois- the corpse flower blooming at the

Houston Museum of Natural Science. Corpse flowers are quite rare, and take their name from

the stench they emit to attract the beetles that

pollinate them. They are so named because they supposedly smell like a rotting corpse. Friends who have seen it say it smells like dead fish. Neither description really endears Miss G to want to go see it, but it's all so "Little Shop of Horrors" that Miss G has enjoyed following the news of its daily progress!

Far more interesting to Miss G is Zac Stayton, the adorable horticulturalist who is charged with Lois's daily care. Miss Ginger's gaydar went "ding ding ding" when she first saw

pictures of Zac, but a quick search on facebook found that we

have no mutual friends, which would be virtually impossible if he were even slightly gay. No one can stalk like a drag queen in

heat, honey. Trust!

Now, here's a miniseries waiting to happen, straight, er, directly from Miss G's "only in Texas" file. In the town of Wharton, Texas, not far from the big H, firefighter

Thomas Araguz was killed in the line of duty battling an "egg farm inferno". I can't make this shit up, people! Read the article. After serving omelets to half the state, his widow Nikki (with the chic shades and dazzling red nails in this pic) went about the process of collecting her

inheritance, including a $600,000 benefit given to the heirs of firefighters killed in the line of duty.

But here's where it gets juicy! Enter, from stage right, Simone Longoria, mother of the fallen hero, claiming that Nikki has no rights to the inheritance because she is a transexual!! Apparently, Nikki was born a man, and the late Capt. Thomas Araguz's family claims that he was unaware of that fact when he married her! They claim that the inheritance should go to the Captain's children from a former marriage, and have obtained a court order freezing all assets until a hearing can be arranged.

Now, Miss Ginger has to insert a couple of opinions here. First off, Nikki must have had one

HELL of a surgeon if he created a vagina so convincing that the captain was unaware it wasn't natural! The man had 2 kids with another woman, so he's seen at least one real snatch in his life, and even though transition surgery goes a long way toward making a person feel more comfortable in their own body, the technique is literally "filet o' penis" and the resulting "love nest" is really more for show. And in 2010, Miss Ginger can't imagine that any man would marry a woman without a "test drive". C'mon!

Now, perhaps his family did not know. Really, what business is it of theirs? He loved her, and married her, and that's that. Now, with assets frozen, she is not even able to pay her rent and utilities. It's a shame, really.

Now, enter hero #2, Phyllis Randolph Frye! Phyllis is a fixture in the Houston gay community, truly a hero in her own right!

Phyllis is a pioneer of transgender rights here in Texas, and was probably the first transgender person young Boy G every saw in real life when he moved to Texas from his small hometown in south Louisiana! Back then, Phyllis was an outspoken civil rights "hell raiser", and was a little rough looking as a recently trangendered individual. Today, I think she looks quiet sweet and grandmotherly, but she is still a strong advocate for civil rights and a has dedicated her legal practice to the rights of transgendered individuals.

So, Phyllis is on Nikki's case, and they are hoping to undermine a Texas legal precedent that says a person's gender is determined at birth and cannot be changed. God damn, this state is so backward!

And, while I'm invoking His attention, let's all say a little prayer for Zsa Zsa Gabor. Miss Ginger has adored Zsa Zsa since she was a little girl, when she would watch Green Acres with her brothers. She thought Lisa Douglas was one of the prettiest ladies on TV, and so funny, too! Those marabou negligees have been a source of inspiration ever since! Unfortunately, I don't think she'll be climbing any more telephone poles, so let's keep her in our thoughts!

Hey Kids, Part 2!

Here's why you should never let your father find your drugs...

Hey Kids!

This is why you should always hide your drugs from your mother..... she might take them!!!

I'm Not Sure Why...

but Miss Ginger just thinks this is funny! She is one sick ticket!

Take Me OUT to the Ball Game!

Tonight is an event that Miss Ginger is pretty sure is a first for Houston, if not the world! "Pride in the Park" is a fund-raising event that will take place at a Major League Baseball game! Has that been done in any other cities?

A block of seats at Minute Maid Park (formerly Enron Field- scary, huh?) has been reserved for the event! Miss Ginger doesn't know a thing about baseball, but Boy G at least kinda knows the rules, and Legacy and Bunnies are among the beneficiaries, so he's gonna go give it a look-see. Minute Maid part is fun, and Boy G can always fit beer and boys in tight pants into his day!

EVERYONE whose ANYONE is gonna be there! The Gay Men's Chorus is singing the National Anthem, and our own Mayor Annise Parker is throwing out the ceremonial first pitch. I'm told Mayor A has quite the fastball!

Should be lots of fun. It's a shame the Astros don't play better!

Bad Travel Karma....

It's not like Miss Ginger used up all her good luck in Vegas on the slots... they just weren't that generous on this trip. There were high points of the vacation, for sure! The tasting menu at the Eiffel Tower Restaurant was fabulous, as always, and we had a great view of the Bellagio Fountains from our table. We found a great deal for our other meals, as well. By Vegas standards, $35 would not be an unheard of price for a single casino buffet. But with Harrah's fleet of Total Rewards Casinos comes the "Buffet of Buffets"... a 24 hour pig-fest that is nothing short of genius! For $35 they load the deal onto your players card, and you can dine at any buffet at any of their properties- from Caesar's, to Planet Hollywood, to Rio, and Paris.... Time it right by starting with a late breakfast one day and an early one the next and you could get 4 complete meals!! We also managed to get in our mid-Saturday sushi-fest tradition at Hyakumi at Caesar's Palace. Sushi in the desert seems a bit crazy, but it's consistently some of the best Miss Ginger has ever had!

The trip goes downhill on Monday, however. This is not what one wants to see after a holiday weekend of rich food, too much booze, and sleep deprivation! Apparently there was a mechanical issue on the runway in Newark, so the plane scheduled to whisk Miss G back to her kitties had to be replaced, rerouted, and reloaded for the route, resulting in a 5 hour delay!! At least Las Vegas has a beautiful new President's Club lounge that surprisingly, isn't too crowded! The day could be somewhat redeemed if the folks at Continental come through with the 1st class upgrade Miss G so richly deserves! At least then she could catch some Z's on the way home!

Greeting from Planet Hollywood!

Wish you were here! Really, Las Vegas would be a great place for a GingerSnap/Dust Bunny convention!

Miss Ginger is staying at the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino, which used to be the Aladdin Casino, one of the cheesiest of Vegas casinos! The left hand photo shows the building in it's Aladdin days, complete with enormous plastic "jewels" bedecking every imaginable surface. The renovation is nothing short of amazing, and the new casino and hotel are among the hippest, trendiest spots on the Strip!

One of the shticks of this place is that each room is decorated with movie memorabilia instead of tacky hotel "art", and wouncha know that Miss G's room exalts a movie of which she's never heard. On the wall in a plexi showcase is a red dress that Whoopi Goldberg wore in her 1996 film "the Associate". Have any GingerSnaps seen it? Was it any good? The film also starred Tim Daly and featured Lani Kazan and Bebe Newirth, so it can't have been all bad! There's also a showcase with one of Whoopi's "People's Choice" awards in it, which just goes to show how much the stars of Hollywood treasure those chunks of acrylic!

Miss Ginger has also been warned by her people that there is a tall, handsome truck driver lurking around town trying to stalk her. She'll be wearing white shades to try to remain incognito, but those of you who know here best know secretly she's DYING to have a real life stalker!! Maybe this will be the weekend!