USC vs. Hawaii

After a very delicious dinner of chicken fajitas at Lupe Tortilla in H-Town I settled in to watch the USC opener.  I felt a bit numb watching the game due to the extensive penalties levied against the Trojans by the NCAA.  The whole situation just stinks.  I hope Reggie Bush and his family are proud of what they have caused.

A couple of brief thoughts on the game, which barely held my attention:

- Matt Barkley looked very sharp and much improved over last year.  He can throw a spiral now! 

- Ronald Johnson looked like a man among boys.  If he stays healthy, he should have a monster season.

- Marc Tyler was awesome.  Great vision, power and speed.  Finally, we are seeing what made him such a highly regarded recruit out of high school at Oaks Christian.

- Robert Woods could be the best true freshmen WR we've had since RJ Soward.  The sky is the limit for this kid.

- The defense was horrible.  No run defense, no pass defense.  It could get ugly when we actually play a quality opponent.

- Why was the middle linebacker Devon Kennard #42 playing pass defense 30-40 yards downfield?  Makes no sense at all.  He was burned several times.

12 hours and change until Bonaire express departs H-Town!

Departing early for Bonaire to beat Hurricane Earl

Now that I have left NYC 24 hours early to avoid any problems with Hurricane Earl, I'm sure the storm will turn away and not threaten the NYC area!  However, I will feel a lot smarter if it shuts down LGA tomorrow.

I had a smooth flight down to Houston on a nice Continental 777.  Great video on demand system in the seat backs and the seat next to me was empty.  I enjoyed a Family Guy episode, some Lost in Translation as well as some Godfather II.  In addition, I took a little nap.

I'm getting a little hungry so I am going to head out for some Tex-Mex.  I'll try to catch the early part of the USC game at the bar.   I feel like a margarita and some fajitas.  So much for the diet!

26 hours until the flight to Bonaire departs!

Peter Luger Steakhouse, Brooklyn

A nice visit today on the lunch hour when the restaurant was quiet and civil.  We shared a cheeseburger and single steak.  We started with the sizzling bacon which is unlike any other bacon I have ever tasted.  It is more like a pork belly with its rich flavor and thick cut.  The bacon is a meal in itself and a must taste item!

I'm in love with Chobani Greek Yogurt

Dave O turned me on to this product on my most recent trip to Chicago.  It is insanely delicious, low in calories and packed with protein.  What is not to love?  I can see myself eating an awful lot of Chobani yogurt in the future.

Sapp Coffee Shop, Hollywood California

The best boat noodle soup that I have tried to date is at Sapp Coffee Shop in Thai Town.  I make a point to visit almost every time I come home to LA.  The boat noodles here are consistently aroi mak mak!  (Delicious in Thai).  The service is fast and friendly.  The prices are super low!  A bowl of boat noodles is only $5.50!  I love the rich flavor of the broth in this dish.  I look forward to trying boat noodles at Victory Monument next time I'm in BKK.  In the meantime I'll keep coming back to Sapp to enjoy its awesome 'blood noodles'.