Diego Jaramillo | Texas Homeowner

JARA

T E X A S Vol. 2 Issue 11

Festivus For The Rest Of Us!

An Alternative Holiday

Fat Bike Fever Big Wheels

Ocean Prime’s Lobster Bisque

Hula of Hawaii Jolly Vacation

Hawaii Hawaii is like no other place on earth. Home to one of the world’s most active volcanoes and the world’s tallest sea mountain. Birthplace of modern surfing, the hula and Hawaii Regional Cuisine.

Former seat of a royal kingdom and home to the only royal palace on US soil. Hawaii is one of the youngest geological formations in the world and the youngest state of the union. But perhaps Hawaii’s most unique feature is it’s aloha spirit: the warmth of Hawaii’s people that wonderfully complements the Islands’ perfect temperatures.

Celebrate Festivus!

BIG Wheels L

ooking to get off the beaten path this winter, or try some new wheels in the snow? Consider a fat bike, those cool off-road bikes you may have seen around town or where they really belong … up in the mountains. These big wheels are all the rage right now and they are proving to be lots of fun for young and old alike. These monster bikes can take you places you never thought a conventional bike could ever go before.

R

eady for the hustle and bustle of the holiday season? No matter your religious beliefs or background, December often revolves around shopping, wrapping, and the general frenzy of getting everything done for friends and family. We’re often so caught up in the commercialism of the season that we forget to find the true joy of simple togetherness.

Well, perhaps that’s where Festivus comes in. Fans of the hit sitcom Seinfeld will know exactly what it means if someone says to them, “Happy Festivus” on December 23rd. For those not in the know, Festivus is described on its Facebook page (yes, it has its own Facebook following) as “the perfect secular theme for an all-inclusive December gathering.”

Hula of Hawaii Hula is a uniquely Hawaiian dance accompanied by chant or song that preserves and perpetuates the stories, traditions and culture of Hawaii.

Hawaiian legends tell stories of hula beginning on the islands of Molokai and Kauai. Today, this enchanting art form has become a worldwide symbol of Hawaiian culture and the beauty of Hawaii’s people. The popularity of hula has spread to the U.S. mainland, Japan and even Europe.

There are many types and styles of hula. Hula auana (modern hula) is danced to western influenced music and features a more modern and fluid style. Hula kahiko (ancient hula) is danced to dramatic chants and percussion with more traditional costumes.

Source: GoHawaii.com

First introduced to the public on Seinfeld in 1997 in the episode called “The Strike,” Festivus was created by George Costanza’s father. In the show, he recalls a day when he went Christmas shopping for a doll for George and another shopper grabbed the last doll at the same time as he did, prompting Mr. Costanza to declare, “There has got to be a better way!” And so the secular holiday of Festivus, which he dubbed “A holiday for the rest of us,” was born. Based on an actual made-up holiday of one of the show’s writers, Festivus is a parody or a nonsense holiday, but one that is actually being celebrated on or around December 23rd each year, whether in jest or not. Festivus poles have even found a spot in some public parks and buildings alongside more traditional religious symbols.

A few elements of this increasingly popular, albeit offbeat, alternative holiday include displaying a bare aluminum bar in place of an elaborate Christmas tree or a menorah; the custom known as the “Airing of Grievances,” in which people can tell close ones everything they’ve done to bother them during the past year; and a strange event known as the “Feats of Strength,” in which the host of the celebration must be pinned to the ground by a guest. Although these ideas may seem bizarre and perhaps better left on a sitcom, the idea of a holiday that brings people together and takes the emphasis off the commercialism may be just the thing for you and your family.

After all, as the Grinch taught us many years before, the holidays are about love, sharing, and creating a sense of togetherness, not about material gifts. Happy Festivus!

YOUR HOME

bikers to places a standard bike simply cannot go. They are amazing for off-roading on hiking trails, sandy beaches where bikes would simply get stuck before, and of course snowy mountains and trails.

So next time you’re heading to the hills and considering cross country skiing or snowshoeing, try renting a fat bike if you don’t already own one yourself. The fat tires will allow you to float over the snow providing a smooth, sweet ride … and quite a workout as well. Just be sure you are able to control your ride and that you respect those on the trail who may not be used to seeing bikes in the snow. Not all Nordic tracks are open to bikes, so be sure to check all rules before riding.

“snowshoes for your mountain bike”

But what exactly is a fat bike, and how is it different than a mountain bike? As you may have guessed, the tires on these trail bikes are very wide, providing excellent traction for all sorts of terrain, from snow and sand to dirt and rocks and everything in between. Just how wide do these wheels get? While a standard mountain bike’s tires are usually a bit more than two inches in width, a fat bike’s tires are usually double that or more. And because fat tires require less tire pressure (often less than 10 PSI), there is more rubber coming in contact with the ground.

That makes for a more stable, more upright ride, and creates a bike that is especially awesome at gliding over snow and ice. Think of them as snowshoes for your mountain bike.

Because the tires are so wide, however, you can’t just swap them out for the tires on your tried and true mountain bike. It does usually require purchasing a separate fat bike, which can typically set you back about $1500 and up. But fanatics say it’s worth the cost, mostly because of the access it gives you to the great outdoors, taking avid

Lobster Bisque

INGREDIENTS

LOCAL FLAVOR!

TIME FOR TRAVEL

1 lb 1/4 lb 1 1 1/4 c 1/4 c 2

lobster bodies butter carrot celery rib diced onion button mushroom cloves of garlic

1 2 tbsp 2 c 1/4 c 1/2 c 1 qt Pinch

bay leaf flour clam juice dry sherry white wine cream cayenne

DIRECTIONS Rinse then roast the lobster bodies at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes. In the meantime sauté all vegetables in butter until caramelized. Crush the roasted shells and add them to the vegetables. Add flour to the vegetables and shell mix to make a roux and cook for 5 minutes. Deglaze with wine and sherry then add clam juice and simmer for another 10 minutes. Finish with cream and simmer until thickened. Salt and pepper to taste and finish with cayenne. Strain through a fine mesh strainer and serve.

Ocean-Prime.com

Hawaii Hawaii is like no other place on earth. Home to one of the world’s most active volcanoes and the world’s tallest sea mountain. Birthplace of modern surfing, the hula and Hawaii Regional Cuisine.

Former seat of a royal kingdom and home to the only royal palace on US soil. Hawaii is one of the youngest geological formations in the world and the youngest state of the union. But perhaps Hawaii’s most unique feature is it’s aloha spirit: the warmth of Hawaii’s people that wonderfully complements the Islands’ perfect temperatures.

Celebrate Festivus!

BIG Wheels L

ooking to get off the beaten path this winter, or try some new wheels in the snow? Consider a fat bike, those cool off-road bikes you may have seen around town or where they really belong … up in the mountains. These big wheels are all the rage right now and they are proving to be lots of fun for young and old alike. These monster bikes can take you places you never thought a conventional bike could ever go before.

R

eady for the hustle and bustle of the holiday season? No matter your religious beliefs or background, December often revolves around shopping, wrapping, and the general frenzy of getting everything done for friends and family. We’re often so caught up in the commercialism of the season that we forget to find the true joy of simple togetherness.

Well, perhaps that’s where Festivus comes in. Fans of the hit sitcom Seinfeld will know exactly what it means if someone says to them, “Happy Festivus” on December 23rd. For those not in the know, Festivus is described on its Facebook page (yes, it has its own Facebook following) as “the perfect secular theme for an all-inclusive December gathering.”

Hula of Hawaii Hula is a uniquely Hawaiian dance accompanied by chant or song that preserves and perpetuates the stories, traditions and culture of Hawaii.

Hawaiian legends tell stories of hula beginning on the islands of Molokai and Kauai. Today, this enchanting art form has become a worldwide symbol of Hawaiian culture and the beauty of Hawaii’s people. The popularity of hula has spread to the U.S. mainland, Japan and even Europe.

There are many types and styles of hula. Hula auana (modern hula) is danced to western influenced music and features a more modern and fluid style. Hula kahiko (ancient hula) is danced to dramatic chants and percussion with more traditional costumes.

Source: GoHawaii.com

First introduced to the public on Seinfeld in 1997 in the episode called “The Strike,” Festivus was created by George Costanza’s father. In the show, he recalls a day when he went Christmas shopping for a doll for George and another shopper grabbed the last doll at the same time as he did, prompting Mr. Costanza to declare, “There has got to be a better way!” And so the secular holiday of Festivus, which he dubbed “A holiday for the rest of us,” was born. Based on an actual made-up holiday of one of the show’s writers, Festivus is a parody or a nonsense holiday, but one that is actually being celebrated on or around December 23rd each year, whether in jest or not. Festivus poles have even found a spot in some public parks and buildings alongside more traditional religious symbols.

A few elements of this increasingly popular, albeit offbeat, alternative holiday include displaying a bare aluminum bar in place of an elaborate Christmas tree or a menorah; the custom known as the “Airing of Grievances,” in which people can tell close ones everything they’ve done to bother them during the past year; and a strange event known as the “Feats of Strength,” in which the host of the celebration must be pinned to the ground by a guest. Although these ideas may seem bizarre and perhaps better left on a sitcom, the idea of a holiday that brings people together and takes the emphasis off the commercialism may be just the thing for you and your family.

After all, as the Grinch taught us many years before, the holidays are about love, sharing, and creating a sense of togetherness, not about material gifts. Happy Festivus!

YOUR HOME

bikers to places a standard bike simply cannot go. They are amazing for off-roading on hiking trails, sandy beaches where bikes would simply get stuck before, and of course snowy mountains and trails.

So next time you’re heading to the hills and considering cross country skiing or snowshoeing, try renting a fat bike if you don’t already own one yourself. The fat tires will allow you to float over the snow providing a smooth, sweet ride … and quite a workout as well. Just be sure you are able to control your ride and that you respect those on the trail who may not be used to seeing bikes in the snow. Not all Nordic tracks are open to bikes, so be sure to check all rules before riding.

“snowshoes for your mountain bike”

But what exactly is a fat bike, and how is it different than a mountain bike? As you may have guessed, the tires on these trail bikes are very wide, providing excellent traction for all sorts of terrain, from snow and sand to dirt and rocks and everything in between. Just how wide do these wheels get? While a standard mountain bike’s tires are usually a bit more than two inches in width, a fat bike’s tires are usually double that or more. And because fat tires require less tire pressure (often less than 10 PSI), there is more rubber coming in contact with the ground.

That makes for a more stable, more upright ride, and creates a bike that is especially awesome at gliding over snow and ice. Think of them as snowshoes for your mountain bike.

Because the tires are so wide, however, you can’t just swap them out for the tires on your tried and true mountain bike. It does usually require purchasing a separate fat bike, which can typically set you back about $1500 and up. But fanatics say it’s worth the cost, mostly because of the access it gives you to the great outdoors, taking avid

Lobster Bisque

INGREDIENTS

LOCAL FLAVOR!

TIME FOR TRAVEL

1 lb 1/4 lb 1 1 1/4 c 1/4 c 2

lobster bodies butter carrot celery rib diced onion button mushroom cloves of garlic

1 2 tbsp 2 c 1/4 c 1/2 c 1 qt Pinch

bay leaf flour clam juice dry sherry white wine cream cayenne

DIRECTIONS Rinse then roast the lobster bodies at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes. In the meantime sauté all vegetables in butter until caramelized. Crush the roasted shells and add them to the vegetables. Add flour to the vegetables and shell mix to make a roux and cook for 5 minutes. Deglaze with wine and sherry then add clam juice and simmer for another 10 minutes. Finish with cream and simmer until thickened. Salt and pepper to taste and finish with cayenne. Strain through a fine mesh strainer and serve.

Ocean-Prime.com

JARA

T E X A S Vol. 2 Issue 11

Festivus For The Rest Of Us!

An Alternative Holiday

Fat Bike Fever Big Wheels

Ocean Prime’s Lobster Bisque

Hula of Hawaii Jolly Vacation