Happy Halloween

Making Banh Chuoi Nuong (Vietnamese Banana Cake)

100_7083
Originally uploaded by dewelch

I came across this recipe while reading my RSS feeds. The blog, Savory Spicy Sweet, had some great pictures and the recipe seemed easy enough. It is also made from a small number of items, many of which I already had around the house.

I used a rather stiff Italian bread to make this, and while it turned out great, I would probably use a software bread in the future.

The recipe calls for resting the pudding for 12 hours after baking and you will want to do that. As it rests it absorbs all the remaining liquid and settles into a very "pie-like" texture.

Recipe

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Video: Ric Turner's Halloween Light Show 2009

My friend, Ric Turner. has done it again with this amazing Halloween Light show at his home in Santa Clarita, California.

Ric says in his description, "Our 2009 Halloween Light Show featuring a 12 foot tall singing pumpkin face, dancing skeletons, animated pumpkin patch and several giant spiders. Hope you like it!"

Cooper's Hawk in my garden this morning

This big guy was having his lunch in my back garden this morning and took his time, so I was able to get about 10 minutes of closeup footage.

iPod Ready Video

Previously on WelchWrite.com...

Video: Coopers (not Red-tailed) hawk in the garden this morning

Audio: Happy Halloween - Ghosts of the Internet 2009 LIVE Reading

Last night, hosted their annual Ghosts of the Internet Live Reading of Halloween and Spooky Stories. If you didn't get a chance to join us live, you can now listen to this encore presentation via podcast.

Listen


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In the kitchen: Banana-Oatmeal Cookies

I made these tonight and liked them quite a bit.

Recipe from Bakespace.com

Great change-up from my typical Oatmeal Chocolate Chip.

I used 3 extra ripe bananas we had in the freezer, so the banana flavor was pretty good.

These are very light and "cakey". When I made the bigger sized ones, my wife described them as muffin tops. I will make this for my annual Holiday Open House instead of my standard oatmeal chocolate chip.

More photos on my Flickr account

Parrots in Van Nuys

We ran into a flock of parrots on our morning walk today. I got some audio and I also found this video of some similar parrots on YouTube.

Play audio of Van Nuys Parrots

What I'm eReading...Grassroots Innovation

Another theme in the list of blogs and web sites I follow is innovation.

Grassroots Innovation is written by Greg Eisenbach and a variety of innovation topics on a regular basis. Recent posts include "Yuck, the great contraction", "Low cost beer packaging" and "The Dalai Lama's Business Book."

Direct link to blogs and posts in this "What I'm eReading..." bundle

Recently "Noted" Items from my reading

Cupcake!

Cupcake! - 1
Originally uploaded by dewelch

We were out running some errands today anyway, so we took a moment to stroll Ventura Blvd in Studio City. I was explaining to Joe the need to "refill the creative well" every so often and this stretch has a bunch of neat shops to help do that. We used to spend a lot of time here when Rosanne worked in the area, but don't get back very often now.

We did take the time to stop and have a special treat at Big Sugar Bakeshop and treat ourselves to this decadent pumpkin cupcake. This is not something we typically do, but it was wonderful and a great way to spend some time sitting and talking with each other.

There is a closeup of the cupcake on Flickr. Click the image to see my entire photostream there.

Rosanne Makes Parsnip Muffins

Rosanne Makes Parsnip Muffins
Originally uploaded by dewelch

After 23 years together, I see that my baking and my geekdom have had some influence on Rosanne. Here she is mixing up a bowl of parsnip muffins, of all things. She saw them on Alton Brown's Good Eats and decided to give them a try in a desperate attempt to get some vegetables into my and, in a less severe case, the boy's diet.

On the geek side, I was amazed to see her with her Macbook on the counter instead of a printed recipe. Now, if I could just convince her to turn on the live video stream, her geek apprenticeship would be complete. (SMILE)

Spirit of the Mountains Photo Contest 2009

Share the wonders of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area with others. enter the Spirit of the Mountains Photo Contest.

For an entry form and instructions, visit:

www.researchlearningcenter.org/samo/photo/

or visit the National Park Service Visitor Center

in Thousand Oaks at 401 West Hillcrest Drive.

Submit your entries between October 1 and

October 31, 2009.

All entries will be on exhibit at the National Park Service

Visitor Center November 14, 2009 through January 31, 2010.

For more information: 805-370-2301

What is New Media Mastermind?

New Media can seem so confusing…Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Blogging, Audio, Video.

Which technology should you use? When? Why?

How do you use New Media, the Internet and all that is yet to come to build your personal and professional brand, sell your goods and services and more? You need a New Media Mentor, a coach, a friend — someone who can show you the path through the technology forest.

New Media Mastermind is a group dedicated to giving you the skills to make the most of the amazing New Media tools available today and in the future.

Start or build your business. Improve your life. Grow an organization.

New Media Mastermind is direct and personal access to a New Media professional who can advise and consult on your New Media plans and help you create step-by-step progress towards your business goals.

http://welchwrite.com/mastermind/

iPod Ready Video

New Media Mastermind is …

• Technology Coaching…in Plain English!
  • Makes even the most complicated concepts clear
  • Allows you to perform basic tasks on your own, on your schedule
• Just in Time Learning
  • Learn what you need, when you need it
  • Develop “Action Plans” to insure your progress
  • Ask your most pressing questions
  • Learn from the Mastermind leader as well as your fellow group members
  • Learn to do for yourself, as much as you wish
• Focused
  • Focused on your needs
  • Focused on your questions
  • Focused on your growth
  • Focused on results
  • Focused on action
• Regularly reinforced
  • Regularly scheduled meetings allow support and follow-up on your action items and projects
  • Email updates provide further direction
  • Mastermind community provides support and advice
• Local and Remote
  • Face-to-Face meetings
  • Online Community
  • Distance Learning through audio and video conferencing

Charmlee Moonlight Hike

Charmlee Moonlight Hike - 07
Originally uploaded by dewelch

The cooler temperatures finally provided and opening to get back into the outdoors yesterday. A few weeks ago I check out the Santa Monica Mountains Outdoors Guide and noted anything interesting in my calendar. The Full Moon is always a busy weekend for outdoor activities and I noticed that Charmlee Wilderness Park in Malibu was having their monthly moonlight hike. We have been to this park many times in the past and it is relatively easy to get to from the Valley.

I gathered up some friends, new and old, and we headed out. Right around sunset we headed out into the main part of the park, looking to arrive at the south bluff just as the sun went down. As you can see from these pictures, our timing ended up working out quite well. We watched the sunset for a while. taking lots of pictures and chatting. (Click the picture for more photos of our trip) Then, as darkness fell, we made our way back to the trailhead. It always amazes me how much light is shed by the full moon. We cast dark shadows on the trail and our eyes adjusted to the point where we could easily make our way.

After our hike I decided to show some new friends a little bit of Malibu proper on our drive home. As we approached the newly refurbished Malibu Pier I remembered I had wanted to stop and check it out on several earlier occasions. This seemed the perfect time for a spur-of-the-moment visit, so we walked the pier, took some more pictures and then had dinner a Ruby's Diner, situated at the very end of the pier.

It was a wonderful night and a perfect re-introduction to the hiking season. I plan on getting out more this Fall and taking my son, and my friends, to some of my favorite spots. In fact, once the Angeles National Forest fully re-opens, I will be one of the first to visit, bringing along my friends to show them how the forest recovers after a large fire.

Join us for a hike sometimes. I will put notices here whenever we have some advance notice of an upcoming hike that I think might interest you. You can also join the WelchWrite Mailing List to get these notices and more. See you on the trail!

Public Art Podcasts from CRA/LA's Art Program

The most recent issue of the ExperienceLA email newsletter highlights a series of podcasts that lead you on arts-related walking tours of Downtown LA. You can download these free shows, load them into your iPod and let them lead you on a tour of the amazing public artworks available there.

Public Art Podcasts

Ever wondered how that bizarre sculpture ended up downtown? Here's your chance to find out! Download all four FREE audio tours from CRA/LA's Art Program. Then, enter for a chance to win tickets to That Perfect Moment at the NoHo Arts Center or Kabuki: Backstage to Hanamichi at the Aratani/Japan Theatre.