Continued Nerditude

We followed up Wootstock and PAX with a concert at the Hat Factory, Jonathan Coulton and Paul and Storm. This was the second time they have come to this venue. They were great the first time and better this second time with new material on both sides.
We showed up ready for some Aperture Science



The show was great, with an awesome crowd. appropriate songs such as a Mother's day song

Mother's Day Song from Eugenio Monasterio on Vimeo.

In keeping with mother's day... the Vagina song

vagina song from Eugenio Monasterio on Vimeo.

and as usuall, another version of Fancy Pants by Jonathan Coulton

Fancy Pants from Eugenio Monasterio on Vimeo.

Great Show at a great venue.

w00tstock 2.7

Poster battle
Originally uploaded by EatingVideo

This is a departure somewhat of where my blog has been headed for the last several years. Initially I imagined this would be more geek culture along with some food, but it has turned out to be way more food and cooking than gaming or geeking. So back to geeks and nerds. My daughter and I went to w00tstock 2.7 in NYC.



Just the two of us traveled to NYC, we did stay with my brother and his wife, and invited them to join us at the show. For the uninitiated w00tstock is a celebration of all that is nerdy, geek and otherwise awesome. Giving credit that in the real world we (geeks and nerds) run shit.
Jonathan Coulton stood in for Will Wheaton as the host at this show...



But we also had Grant Imahara (from Myth busters)



As well as Adam Savage (also from Myth Busters)



Most surprising and enjoyable was Marian Call

Marian Call at w00tstock 2.7 from Eugenio Monasterio on Vimeo.

MC Frontalot was there as well and rocked it out.

We got some photobombs with Coulton and Storm



and ultimately loved the show and total experience.



Some nice daughter dad bonding.

Geeking it up some

I have finalized my plans for two trips to geekdom. the first, I am taking my daughter to W00tstock in NYC. Jonathan Coulton is headlining. Should be a great time. Staying with my brother and his wife in Brooklyn for that one. My older brother asked how one gets into this subculture. It is a combination of music and celebration of geek and gaming culture. We ended up in it probably a combination of our video gaming lives + my wife and I grew up with They Might Be Giants. We saw Coulton open for TMBG and loved the show. He then played at The Hat Factory with Paul and Storm and we loved that show as well. They both play PAX regularly and I've been dying to go to a PAX show with the kids for several years. This year the plan is to take the boy to PAXeast in March, (as long as he takes care of business in school.) PAX is the Penny Arcade Expo, mutant child of Penny Arcade where they created the gaming show they would like to attend. Penny Arcade has also spawned my favorite charity Child's Play . Child's Play funds therapeutic recreation and child life services (two generally underfunded nonbillable servcies in many hospitals) which help with leisure skills, and general play and distraction for hospitalized children. Overall this is going to be a great pair of trips, hanging with my kids one on one seriously geeking out with "my people."

Purple and Yellow Cauliflower

purple and yellow
Originally uploaded by EatingVideo

I bought two head of cauliflower at Broad Appettite. They were standing out from the table of one of the vendors. The purple color an obvious draw, but for the yellow the fractal arrangement of the florets is stunning.

(quick aside great Jonathan Coulton song "Mandelbrot Set" describes albeight erroneously the formula for fractals)


Anyway... I briefly steamed the cauliflower, less than 10 minutes and then put it in a bowl and doused it with 3-4 tablespoons of olive oil with toasted garlic and covered the bowl.



I served it with chicken breast which was pan seared and Mac and Cheese (yes from a box)



It was delicious, try it out



Mandelbrot Set By Jonathan Coulton