Trophy Wife

Turkey Talk III

posted by Johnny A on Sunday November 20, 2011

Filed under: Tips From The Safety Squad, Things We Found For You

We’re doing the Trader Joe’s pre-brined turkey for Thanksgiving again this year. Excellent bird. Still available at Trader Joe’s. But if you’re looking for something else—say, something that requires some elbow grease and will impress your dinner guests—why not do the “dry brined” salted turkey? I’ve had great birds with the Russ Parsons/Judy Rodgers recipe from the LA Times. And if you want to brine a turkey yourself, do the Alton Brown recipe.

Beyond the bird, may I suggest you make the best stuffing there is? It’s Chef Paul Prudhomme’s Andouille Sausage stuffing. Wonderful. It became a regular part of our Thanksgiving when we made turduckens in the early Aughts. It was one of three different stuffings in the Chef Paul turducken recipe at that time.

For drink, I’m going with apple cider and the Anchor Steam holiday brew (I found it at Whole Foods this weekend). Professor Bainbridge at UCLA has a nice guide to wine options for Thanksgiving.

As with any Thanksgiving advice, your Miles Standish May Vary.

Turkey Talk II
Turkey Talk

Happy Saint Patrick's Day

posted by Johnny A on Tuesday March 17, 2009

Filed under: Tips From The Safety Squad, That Redheaded Girl on TV

All of Trophy Wife (from the red-haired lady who isn’t really Irish… to the fellow with the Anglo surname who is Irish… to the guy with the Jewish surname who is wicked Irish… to the gal with the Irish surname who’s Jewish… ) wishes all of you a Happy and Multi-Cultural Saint Patrick’s Day.

And, while you’re at it, have a happy Evacuation Day!

Trophy Eating in San Francisco

posted by Johnny A on Monday July 21, 2008

Filed under: A Day in the Wife, Tips From The Safety Squad

Trophy Wife spent the weekend performing at The Purple Onion as part of the SFIF. It was wonderful. We made new friends (e.g., that guy whose cell phone could tell you what song was playing, Revolving Madness, and pianist Mark Takvoryan). We did three wonderful shows. And we ate at Tommy’s Joynt.

My first visit to Tommy’s Joynt was in 2005 when the Nite Terrors played the SFIF at the Next Stage. To borrow a line from John Denver, it was like coming home to a place I’d never been before. Picture a bar with character and community. Add to that bar an extensive steam-tray servery. In short, Cheers and Lawry’s had a baby and their baby is 60 years old.

Last summer, I took a four-day workshop with Bay Area Theater Sports. After class, I’d go to Tommy’s Joynt for dinner. Improv all day, and then some stew and a beer for dinner. Heaven.

This past Saturday, Trophy Wife dined at Tommy’s Joynt. The Wife loved the Joynt. I had a turkey drumstick, Natasha went with the sausage sandwich, Shaun Landry had the Corned Beef, Tim and Mike went with the brisket, and Opus and Kevin got nasty with the short ribs. Root beer, Sierra Nevada, Stella, and help-yourself water and pickles were also enjoyed.

Thank you, Tommy’s Joynt.

MKV: The Hovering Death Robot

posted by Kevin on Thursday January 3, 2008

Filed under: The Coming Robot Apocalypse, Tips From The Safety Squad

So apparently Lockheed Martin has developed this. . . thing that’s supposed “to allow a single interceptor to destroy a ballistic missile equipped with multiple warheads or countermeasures.”

I don’t know about you, but all I see is a hovering death robot. Happy New Year.

Fair Advice

posted by Johnny A on Monday September 24, 2007

Filed under: Miscellaneous Jackassery, Tips From The Safety Squad

It’s September and one’s thoughts turn to the County Fair here in Los Angeles. I’ve been to the Fair several times over the years but I’m sad to say I won’t make it out there this year. So let me give some advice to you Fair-goers out there.

For those of you who play the horses, today’s the last day of live racing at the Fair. The first race went off at 1:00 and it’s a 12-race day, so you still have time to get out there.

Besides the horse racing, the rest of the Fair goes for 5 more days—this Wednesday (9/26) through Sunday (9/30).

The Fairplex is generally boiling hot, so dress to sweat and bring sun-screen. The best places to beat the heat: the wine and beer tasting area in the Home and Gardens pavilion. A close second: the table-setting competion area—excuse me, it’s now called tablescaping. It’s just below the horse track grandstands.

public service announcement

posted by Zabs on Saturday April 21, 2007

Filed under: Tips From The Safety Squad, Miscellaneous Jackassery

Everyone should watch this. Everyone in the world. But especially Johnny A. And Jill. And Opus. Well, everyone should watch it.

Fire in the Hollywood Hills

posted by Johnny A on Friday March 30, 2007

Filed under: Tips From The Safety Squad, A Day in the Wife

A brush fire broke out in the Hollywood Hills today. The fire is now under control, thanks to LA city and county fire departments. Everyone in Trophy Wife is confirmed safe. Our archive (containing tapes of past shows, internal memoranda, ephemera, slam books, and t-shirts) is also safe.

The fire broke out near the parking lot of the Oakwood Apartment complex on Barham Boulevard. It’s just east of the Cahuenga Pass, on the San Fernando Valley side of the Hollywood Hills. The Oakwood complex has over 1,000 fully furnished units available for short-term lease. Its tenant population is itself a flammable mix of recently divorced Angelinos and teens and twenty-somethings in town for pilot season. All are safe at this point and no housing was damaged in the fire.

As Mayor Villaraigosa reminded us at his press conference this evening, please make sure you clear your brush as we head into fire season.