Snail Happy Hour @ Cafe Biere

Zolie and I stopped by Cafe Biere for their BBQ and  beer tasting  happy hour last night. The normal fair there is Belgium with a Latin flavor. Great fries, mussels and spicy dips!  They had BBQ set up at the curb and Zolie and I shared the most wonderful plate of fresh roasted corn on the cob, ribs and a baked patatoe. Yum!

I got to sample a few beers, but my favorite was the “Black Oil”

Harviestoun Ola Dubh (30 Year Old) Ola Dubh (or ‘Black Oil’) is a collaboration between Harviestoun Brewery and Highland Park, Distiller of the Year. It is based on Harviestoun’s award-winning Old Engine Oil. With more than a stylistic nod to the classic Imperial Porters (and Stouts) of the nineteenth century, this deliciously rich, dark, 8% a.b.v. beer is the first ale to be aged in malt whisky casks from a named distillery and, with traceable casks.

I will be back there again especially for the happy hour beer and conversation with the locals.

Dorkbot

Zolie and I got a chance to see Dorkbot last Wednesday at:
Polly Harrold’s Sometime Gallery
4701 San Leandro, #15c
Oakland CA 94601

Thanks Karen

dorkbot

Jeremy Bornstein – Introduction to Soapmaking

He gave us a no nonsense demo of the basics of soap making which included scaring his volunteer with a caustic solution of lye that they had to hold out an open window. Now I know just enough we might have to make some at our next craft night. Zolie enjoyed trying out her new word “Soap!”

http://soap.ramified.org/
http://jeremy.org

Jeff Wishnie – Harsh Computing: Designing Computing and Communications System for Way Out There

Jeff had some great stories of setting up communications systems and computer labs in very remote places. I enjoyed his story of finding a bee hive in one of the communication towers after the system had stopped working. Zolie started to get sleepy, so we packed it up for the night and went home.

http://inveneo.org/

DV Rogers – Parkfield Interventional EQ Fieldwork (PIEQF)

I got to meet DV again, but missed his talk. Next time!

The Parkfield Interventional EQ Fieldwork (PIEQF) is a geologically interactive, kinetic earthwork that will take place in the township of Parkfield, Central California between the 28th June and 28th September 2008. This machine controlled installation converges a USGS reported Californian earthquake list with the near real time control of a hydraulically actuated earthquake shake table. Each time an earthquake occurs, an array of 1/2 inch and 5/8 inch steel rods attached to the shake table will oscillate and resonate, reflecting the dynamic nature of the Californian landscapeBorn in New Zealand and raised on earthquakes, D.V.Rogers has spent a a good part of the past ten years re-engineering an earthquake shake table. Collaborating with seismologist Andy Michael of the US Geological Survey in Menlo Park, this summer the shake table will be installed on the San Andreas Fault in the remote central Californian township of Parkfield.

http://blog.allshookup.org

Camino’s is now Open!

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Opening Night Party at Camino’s Restaurant. The food was great, conversation, warm fire, warm night, and great cocktails. Here is a recipe, more or less, I picked up from the bartenders.

Metal work I did for them

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Camino’s

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CAMINO Restaurant opening in Oakland

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More Lighting By Jon Sarriugarte

I made ceiling light fixtures, fire tools, cook grills and wall sconces for Alison and Russel several months ago and I got a chance to see some of it installed today.

Their new place is on the upper stretch of Grand Avenue in Oakland, Chez Panisse Cafe veteran chef and produce buyer Russell Moore has taken over the former Country Home Furniture store to open Camino (3917 Grand Ave.) which should open in the next few weeks. Camino’s cooking will be all about the fireplace — a huge, waist-high stone one that Moore plans to use for rustic dishes like lamb a la ficelle, baked fish and lots of stuff cooked in cazuelas, with pots of beans bubbling in the coals. It feels alot like the Basque boarding house eatery’s I grew up in with the long family style tables and open hearth kitchen. Allison Hopelain, Moore’s partner in life and Camino, will be general manager. In addition to her own small gardening business, Hopelain has worked at Quince, Bar Tartine and Zuni.

To keep up on the official opening date see:

link

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