Random Acts of Adventure
Lessons For An Optimist - Question Of The Month
August 17, 2009
We have been doing a bit of soul searching lately discussing the accelerating evolution in responsible behavior and the growing importance of life meaning and balance. We love this shift as it speaks directly to the foundation of family of brands vision.
At Horny Toad, we like to think of our loyal fans as the Optimists, a group of people that live with their glass half full and their eyes and minds open to capture life’s most exciting and enriching opportunities.
This month, we would love to hear from you … tell us who you are and what you love, give us a sense of what makes you smile.
Wednesday 2:30pm - Horny Toad Dance Video
August 15, 2009
A company that dances together stays together just another day at the Horny Toad office. Enjoy watching us be goofy.
The Binary Chef - BBQ Your Za
August 13, 2009
Grilled Pizza is probably my favorite thing to cook. As you know, I favor the the outdoor grill to the indoor stove and oven. There is something magical about the transformation that happens when cooking over open flame, I just can't get enough of it. Pizza's sort of my signature dish, I cooked it on the beach the first time my parents came down to visit me in Santa Barbara, I've cooked it several times for lunch at our office, it's one hell of a conversation piece at parties when you're standing around the grill cooking. For the past couple months my wife has been doing most of the cooking (she's a teacher, currently on summer break) and she's worked pizza into her standard recipe rotation. I have to admit, her pies are pretty good, and she thinks so too, evidenced by her constant proclamation that her "pizza kicks my pizza's ass," and since I haven't been cooking, I've had no rebuttal . . . until last night when I clearly regained the title and took the trophy!I'm pretty sure last night's salami, red/green bell pepper, onion, olive masterpiece was one of my best. It's super simple to make, extremely satisfying, and a lot of fun. Recipe below, enjoy!
Ingredients:
- Dough (don't be afraid to buy it, I've used fresh dough from Trader Joes, and Wholefoods, but my favorite is homemade cornmeal dough, and our very own Kate has a great recipe)
- Sauce (again, don't stress yourself out, make it, buy it, whatever)
- Mozzarella - shredded
- Salami
- Bell Pepper - sliced thin (I like to used red and green, it's pretty)
- Yellow Onion - sliced thin
- Black Olives - whole or sliced, both are good
Start with a floured working surface so your dough doesn't stick, and roll, toss, or spin your dough into a pizza like shape. It doesn't have to be round, you just need to achieve even thickness. If you find that your dough is tacky to start, you can pat it with flour until it stops sticking to your hands. There's dispute about what's best, thick or thin crust, but in my kitchen, we do it both ways, and your pie will be delicious either way, just go with it. Now it's time to preheat your grill. You can cover your pizza skin with a kitchen towel, and leave it at room temperature while the grill heats up, giving your dough a little time to proof (rise). Put your pizza skin on the grill, and cook at about 350 degrees for 4-6 minutes. You'll know it's time to flip the crust when your dough begins to brown on the bottom, and you have nice grill marks running through it. Once your flip your crust, it's time to start assembling your masterpiece. Mine goes like this: sauce, a very light sprinkling of cheese, salami, bell pepper, onion, olives, a little more cheese on top. Feel free to experiment, or add a flourish. Fresh basil on top is great, jalapeno is hard to beat, and a light sprinkling of garlic powder gives it a little somethin'-somethin'. Let us know how it goes!
The Binary Chef
Dear Ellen
August 12, 2009
Dear Ellen,
What does being a Product Developer mean? Is it like being an Inventor?
Curious
Dear Curious,
I can see how the title would be confusing, but no it not really like being an Inventor. Being a Product Developer is more like being an ‘Early Developer’. Awkward, confusing, self-conscious, a little sweaty, with a closet full of clothes that don’t fit. Oh, and unexpected hair growth.
Ellen
Rock, Paper, Scissors - Ox Bow
August 11, 2009
I'm at Ox Bow this week taking what they refer to as a "breather" ... also known as vacation. Ox Bow is a summer school of art and artists' residency programs located in Michigan. It really it is one of the most amazing places on earth. O.K. I'm a total art geek but it is still amazing even if you don't think you have a creative bone in your body. There are all types of mediums being employed such as glass, metal, ceramic, print and the traditional stuff like painting, illustration and sculpture. I am taking a print (collograph) class. The classes are like a whole semester rolled into a very short week. So, even as a gal who usually needs her sleep, I often find a whole day has passed and it's 1:00 a.m. in the studio. It is amazing how time flies when your having fun. Last night I left the print studio and ended up headed over to the glass studio - artists seem to be night owls. I was completely inspired and very impressed watching Kait Rhoads, an unbelievably accomplished sculptor and glassblower, doing a demonstration. I swear I will never look at glass in the same way again. And, she just happened to have on Horny Toad pants and mentioned she was a fan!
Here are a few picks from last night. Keep creating!
Tam
Lessons For An Optimist - Invent a Sport
August 10, 2009
In the spirit of the Horny Toad "Invent a Sport" contest a while back, it should be recognized that our close friend and outstanding design/build partner Jean Pierre Veillet (Siteworks in Portland), is likely the inventor of one of the most enjoyable sports I have come across in my lifetime. This is the guy that helped us design and build our Lizard Lounge retail experiment in Portland and soon to be famous for another revolutionary project for Nau coming this Fall.
The only favor he has requested for the last two years is for me to come and boat surf on the river with him. And all I have done is politely declined with a host of work and time related excuses.
I finally agreed this weekend as I was extending my Portland stay with my wife for her birthday and assumed it would either be a form of wake boarding or water skiing. He kept claiming it was his invention and that no one else was doing it but again, not really thinking that much about it, all I was worried about was the possibility of swallowing too much of the Willamette River and getting sick (as I was repeatedly warned).
Okay, I am now a convert and this sport is not like anything I have ever seen. This is an 8 foot surfboard with the rider holding on to a ski rope that is 20 feet or so off the back with the boat traveling at 20ish miles an hour. When is the last time you surfed a wave for 10-15 minutes? That is what this is about and while it was difficult to get the hang of standing up without any attachment to your surfboard, once you are up you can rip up and down the face of the wake wave like a pro ... okay JP can but my wife Karen and I were respectable for first timers.
Get out and try it ... you will not be disappointed! And remember, the movement was started off JP's boat on the Columbia and Willamette rivers.
G
Mega Slip n' Slide
August 7, 2009
I have no idea what this guy is saying, but no words are really needed for this. Special effects I'm sure are in use, but it is still super funny. It's why-the-heck-not Friday!
Happy weekend everyone!
Binary Chef - Get Figgy Wit It
August 6, 2009
Figs are a fun little fruit. Not just found in those tasty little cookies, figs can be eaten on their own, they go great with many stinky cheeses and make a rockin' fruit spread. Our own Santa Barbara is home to one of the world's largest fig trees (and when I say world's largest - it is actually reported to be the largest of its species - the Moreton Bay Fig - in North America). Rumor is that it was planted back in the late 1800's by a little girl and has since grown and thrived as a natural landmark. Even today it is quite the tourist attraction for our cute little beach town. Two of my EASY and favorite things to do with the cute little figs are:
FIGS ON TOAST (perfect for breakfast)
- Slice up a nice ripe little fig
- Toast up some bread (sourdough, French, wheat, it's all good)
- Spread a smear of goat cheese, bleu cheese or a double crème brie onto the toast
- Place a slice or two of the fig on top of the cheese
BAKED FIGS WITH PROCIUTTO (great appetizer)
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (you can also use a toaster oven)
- Slice a few fresh figs in half, top to bottom
- Place a slice of bleu cheese or gorgonzola (the sharper/stinkier cheeses work best) between the two fig halves and mush the halves back together around the cheese chunk
- Wrap a thin slice of prociutto around the Frankenstein fig and secure with a toothpick
- Place the prociutto wrapped figs on a cookie sheet and into the preheated oven for about 15 minutes
Viola! Both are easy crowd pleasers and can get you a healthy serving of fruit in disguise.
Dear Ellen - Ancient Litter Box
July 5, 2009
Dear Ellen,Why do cats poop in their litter box the minute you change the kitty litter?
Curious
Dear Curious,
This feline practice dates back 4,000 years to ancient Egypt, where cats were first domesticated. Egyptian culture revered cats as sacred deities. It is a common misconception that the great pyramids were constructed as tombs for the Egyptian pharaohs. However, relief carvings inside the pyramids actually show that these great structures were originally designed to provide a place of privacy for the cats to ‘do their duties'. Building the pyramids required a great effort, involving years or even centuries of labor. The eventual completion of a structure was commemorated with an elaborate celebration, during which sacred rituals were performed. The grounds surrounding the entrance were brushed clean, and musk oils were used to scent the air. The floor inside the pyramid was covered with fine sands and clay. Upon completion of these ceremonies, the pyramid was presented to the cat for whom it was intended. The cat would then enter and relieve itself. This act displayed the cat's approval and appreciation of the structure, and was considered a blessing of good fortune for the community.
Though our domesticated housecats today are long since descended from their ancestral culture, they have retained many spiritual practices such as this. Let us be thankful for the wisdom cats bring to our lives.
Ellen
Rock Paper Scissors - Getting Hosed
August 4, 2009
We needed to update our trade show booth but the budget was tight. We needed to be Creative. And Austere. And Fresh. And New.I was driving home for lunch, worrying about the booth, the budget, the bull, and then it appeared, right in front of my car – a green garden hose in my neighbor’s garbage. It was old. It was stale. It smelled nasty. It was my dream come true.
Here’s what we did with garden hose in the booth:
Garden hose rug
Garden hose curtain
More fun with garden hose: garden hose chair
Crusade Against the Mundane
