THEJNSREPORT

Recent Gay Bashings

Posted by THEJNSREPORT on May 25, 2013

Posted in: Social Commentary. Tagged: Bashing, Bias Attacks, Civil Liberties, Civil Rights, Hate Crimes, Homophobia, Intolerance, NYC. 2 Comments

Welcome to THEJNSREPORT’S: Initial thoughts on the recent surge in Gay Bashings in NYC 2013

Written by Akan Bosemann

Initial thoughts when thinking about the recent news reports on the rise in hate crimes namely gay-bashings in New York City this past month makes me pause to think for a moment about what’s happening and the timing. June is recognized as Gay Pride Month. In the recent past weeks there have been multiple attacks on Gay men in NYC with victims being beat kicked and brutalized for simply being who they are while walking in NYC.

I still struggle to wrap my mind around things like this happening here where there is so much diversity that makes NYC what it is. The multi-cultural center where everyone from every walk of life is welcome to live and be themselves. In the latest attack a gay man Mark Carson was shot to death. Carson was killed while walking with a companion after being harassed with slurs referring to his sexual orientation. He was followed and ultimately shot in the head.

I’m sickened, I’m angry and I’m tired. Tired of the killings and evil that people are doing one to another. Tired of bigotry, hatred, and senseless violence. I don’t comprehend how some people can have absolutely no respect for life. I mean I know murders happen everyday but somehow I still just can’t get my head around it. I remember not too long ago the Matthew Shepherd case in which another young gay man was murdered simply because he was openly gay.

No one has the right to take somebody else’s life. Who is anyone to say who has the right to live based on their own personal beliefs? I say only God. And since none of us human beings are God none of us has that right.

The timing of these vicious crimes seems suspicious to me if not coincidental being that Pride is right around the corner. My thoughts and prayers go out to Mark Carson and his family, and the other bias attack victims. Still I believe in humanity and that we can change. That being said I hope this awakens the city not to take for granted what living in New York City means. I hope that in the face of these tragedies we all come together to say that killing another human being simply for their orientation is not acceptable and will not be tolerated.

I pray justice is swift and the persons responsible for Mr. Carson’s death live long enough to sit in prison & reflect on the choices they made to take away someone’s life. To see that they chose to throw away their own lives. And that something good comes from this and that Mark Carson didn’t die in vain.

The Cheese Cake Episodes: Episode 2

Posted by THEJNSREPORT on May 22, 2013

Posted in: Food & Drinks. Tagged: Cheese Cake, chocolate morsels, cream cheese frosting, Custom, Deserts, Episode 2, graham cracker crumb crust, Homemade, iron skillet, peanut butter cups, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, The Cheese Cake Episodes, white chocolate. Leave a comment

Welcome to THEJNSREPORT’S: The Cheese Cake Episodes: Episode 2

In my last Cheese Cake episode I introduced you all to my first ever Torched Cherry Strawberry Cheesecake. This time around I unveil my latest creation. Ladies and Gents my Custom White Chocolate Cheesecake Redux. I decided to go a bit more outside the box in the concept of this cake and the result is what you see below. Reese’s peanut butter cups, crumbled cookies and white chocolate morsels all seated atop cream cheese frosting. And as I usually like to do when making a cheesecake I used a graham cracker crumb crust base for the cake. In a word folks…YESSUM!!!

I apologize for the image quality as I’m forced to rely on my cell’s camera until I get the main one replaced.

Behold my latest creation. It’s…fill in the blank

Decadence!! Plain & Simple

The prep time for this cake was approximately an hour. This doesn’t include bake time. Organizing all the ingredients and tools required is essential if you want to dramatically speed up prep time. Even so incorporating the ingredients and being careful not to over mix the batter makes it worth the time and effort for the cake to come out well I find.

The size of the cake you see above is a 10 inch x 2 inch cake not including the peanut butter cups decoration. Unlike the last time I baked a cheese cake I set the oven this time around to 250 degrees and baked the cake for and hour and 15 minutes the entire way through.

To also help prevent cracking I placed a 10 inch iron skillet filled with water below the cake as it baked away. I allowed the cake to sit in the oven for approximately an hour to cool before transferring it to the the freezer for overnight cooling. Once frozen solid by morning it was then ready to be decorated.

I have to say the first bite into this cake had me wanting to eat about half the cake right then. I…didn’t do it. Instead, I allowed myself to slowly savor the harmony from the different sweet and salty textures and crumbles in the frosting. It all began to play with my taste buds before realizing the goodness of the cake below.

Initially, it was awesome but after a while a bit too much of an acidic bite was coming through. 😦 I knew then that I’d probably used a tad too much lemon juice. A good note for next time. Overall though, I am still satisfied with the end product. Stay tuned for more Cheese Cake Episodes updates.

Till next time this has been The Cheese Cake Episodes: Episode 2 by THEJNSREPORT.

NBA PLAYOFFS 2013 Nets V Bulls Game 2

Posted by THEJNSREPORT on April 23, 2013

Posted in: Sports. Tagged: 2013, 5 boroughs, aba history, BARCLAYS CENTER, BROOKLYN, Brooklyn Burger, BROOKLYN NETS, CHICAGO BULLS, nba game, NBA PLAYOFFS GAME 2, Pro Basketball, Sporting Events, sports. Leave a comment

Welcome to THEJNSREPORT’S: NBA PLAYOFFS 2013 NETS VS BULLS GAME 2

HELLO BROOKLYN!!!!

Brooklyn Here I Is!!!

This day was a special day for me, as I previously mentioned in tweets, this was my first NBA Game attended live ever let alone a playoff game. The atmosphere was electric! People from all over the 5 boroughs were coming together to root for either team. I can say I was pleasantly surprised to see a decent contingent of Bulls fans show up to the game. Ahh memories of the Golden Era.

Once inside it was a relatively short wait to get to concessions for food n beverage.

Moving on I arrived just before opening tip and found my way inside. Once inside everyone had to go through the pat down and metal detection as well as ticket check before finally observing Barclays from the inside. In all honesty the wait to get in wasn’t that bad. I walked following the section signs and saw Brooklyn Burger and thought um…Yessum!!! I will have a BK Burger. Mmmm Mmmm Son!! I added Chicken Tenders and Fries to my order and paid a stiff $19.50.

This woman was born with a Mega Phone in her throat. Ironically enough for me I happened to lose my voice earlier in the day.

Again all part of the experience of sporting events expense. A nice woman who I could tell had the right job selling raffle tickets yelled out over an over giving me a surreal headache while yelling “Guys 50/50 raffle!!!!” LMAO! God bless her. In any case I decided to consume my munitions in the hall as i knew to expect clustered seating with little room for lots of things to hold onto. It looked like Barclays was damn near sold out.

Nice shot at the History of Nets Hanging in their new home.

NBA & ABA History of Nets Hanging in their new home.

I loved that they pumped hip hop tracks like B.I.G and Method Mans’ “Tha What”. Jay Z’s influence was prevalent in Barclays as if he were a majority share owner. His songs played frequently as well and I got a shot of an ad banner hanging with his sold out shows opening the Barclays Center.

Inside Barclays

Here was one thing that I knew I’d have to accept in live attendance. The annoyance of people having to find their seats or getting up over an over again for people coming and going for refreshments or the restrooms. Where I sat, at one point I began to think I’d paid to be part of a yoga and cardio class, due to the fact I had to bend, lean & contort out of the way of incoming and outgoing people. No lie it was almost as if we were playing Simon Says and no one told me. LOL The guy drumming in the middle of the court was cool to watch play those buckets. From the halls of the subways to Center Court at Barclays you done come along way sir LOL. I jest but I have seen guys play the buckets before and for free. 😉

Action on the floor.

Luol Deng at the line. He would hit the free throws.

The refs did a good job I thought. Even when the crowd began to chant Ref you suck! LOL.

Kris Humphries went to the line and even Brooklyn fans were callin him Mrs. Kardashian. I was confused. All he did was get used by her why hate on him? People need to get a life.

This was just awesome to watch live despite distractions.

Bk V Bulls Game 2 125

Weekend Plus Bk V Bulls Game 2 133

Now if only PS3 or it’s successor could capture the guys life like look like this for their next 2k title.

Nets were down all night but kept battling back until Bulls made a run to close to door on the game and shift the series back to Chicago with a split.

TV Time Out in the final seconds of the game.

Bulls Huddle. If you were there like I was you also heard the loud roars of cheers from the section of prevalent Bulls fans in attendance.

Nets Huddle. they know now they let one get away and gave away home court advantage.

It was a formality from here and the game concluded with many fans exiting well before the final minute arrived.

The fat lady sung loud. It’s over.

And that Ladies and Gentleman is the end of the game.

I will definitely be back next season for more Nets games as I definitely like the Barclays Center. Till next time this has been NBA PLAYOFFS 2013 NETS V BULLS GAME 2 by THEJNSREPORT.

Terror In Boston – The Boston Marathon Bombings 2013

Posted by THEJNSREPORT on April 17, 2013

Posted in: Social Commentary. Tagged: Bombings, Boston, Boston Marathon Bombings, Good VS Evil, Insane, Liberty, Mind Games, Operations, Overcome, politics, Psychological Warfare, Resist, Sane, Security, Terror, Terrorism. Leave a comment

Welcome to THEJNSREPORT’S: Terror in Boston – The Boston Marathon Bombings

After staying glued to the tube and watching BBC and CNN and various other news broadcasts for updates as to the carnage and insane acts perpetrated yesterday in Boston, I still struggle to wrap my mind around what we all saw yesterday. I struggled to believe it even while reading how some people were happy that the events of yesterday took place.

My thoughts in those regards are that no one should wish yesterday’s events to occur anywhere in the world. The fact that there are some people who truly believe and feel that it should only speaks to what’s wrong with the world.

I truly am at a loss to comprehend how some people have such a blatant disregard for life that they could actually bring such an evil plot to fruition. The details that we know presently are that the injured and critical condition numbers reported are in constant flux and on the increase while there are three confirmed dead including an 8-year-old boy.

Secondly, that these were not necessarily high-tech bombs but designed as “crude” IED (Improvised explosive device) weapons releasing ball bearings, nails, and other metal shrapnel upon detonation into crowds of people who were simply cheering on participants in the worlds probably most famous foot race “The Boston Marathon”. I mean to have run all that distance and at your most vulnerable moments just as you’re crossing the finish line a bomb greets you. Absolutely devilish and insane!!!!

Once again what’s being tested here is the resolve of the people. Our emotional response to events like yesterday is also being tested. Information is critical to understanding what’s happening and whose behind this heinous attack. How we get that information and where it comes from will also be critical. In my opinion this tells me and shows me that nothing and no one can make us safe. Life is precious, yet there are those who want to control, rob and deprive others of it.

They will manipulate and use all manner of device and strategy at their disposal to carry out their agenda. We as human beings who are sane must resist evil, remain strong, and be there for one another, but not irrationally or emotionally be compromised into giving up our liberties for a feeling of safety. Ask any prisoner current or formerly incarcerated if he/she feels safe or secure locked up. Our freedoms are at stake.

That being said. Whoever is behind these acts of terror and psychological warfare I pray are found out and brought to justice. For all of us here at THEJNSREPORT our heart-felt prayers and condolences go out to all those victims and effected by the Boston Marathon bombings.

Schnippers Food Review Experience 2013

Posted by THEJNSREPORT on April 10, 2013

Posted in: Food & Drinks. Tagged: 2013, Americana, Broadway, Burger, burger place, Decor, Dinner, Dinner Plate Scale, double cheeseburger, Double Cheeseburgers, East 23rd St, Food, Food Experience, Fresh, Fries, Golden Fries, Hungry, Juicy, Mac N Cheese, Made to Order, Park Ave, Plates, poland spring, Poland Spring Water, Price Point, restaurants, Restrooms, Scale, Schnippers, Service, Simplicity, THEJNSREPORT, Value, wood ceilings. Leave a comment

Welcome to THEJNSREPORT’S: Schnippers Food Review Experience 2013

Date 4:9:2013 Destination – East 23rd St. Manhattan Bet Broadway and Park Ave.

ETA: 6:20 pm

Several times while walking towards the east side on 23rd I’ve passed by this place having never realized such a huge establishment was there, hiding in plain sight. For the past couple of weeks, I’d been meaning to stop by and check this burger place out called Schnippers. Ladies & Gentlemen without further ado welcome to the Schnippers Experience.

Schnipper's Food Review Experience n the City 101

The Sign that Beckoned!!

Uh yessum! It’s time I went in and found out about this joint. Let’s see what the interior looks like.

Schnippers Entrance

My wait in line wasn’t too bad considering it was just after 6:20pm. I figured it was because the weather was just so nice outside that it was this empty.

I felt pretty hungry so I glanced over their menu and saw that they had…excuse me…Mac N Cheese. Now you know I had to put that on the must try list. Next I looked over their burger offerings and decided to keep it simple for my first time here and test their basic double cheeseburger 2x’s.

That would mean I ordered two double cheeseburgers. I can give it to you in Spanish if you like, Dos Doble hamburguesas con queso por favor? And as usual I ordered my burgers well done. Fries were also a requisite in concert with a bottle of Poland Spring to wash it all down.

Once my order was taken by the nice lady working the register, I took my order number(which comes on a silver pole with the number laminated in a card) to a vacant table and observed the interior of Schnippers. I had the feeling of burger Americana mixed with some modern touches of wood ceilings and unique light fixtures. My tab came to $28.57

Scoping out a good location to sit.

I noticed that the height of the ceiling was higher and of a different material the closer to the entrance you were. It gives one the feeling of having plenty of room and the ability to sit relaxed and in no hurry. Do keep in mind though that again it’s not as busy as I saw this place start to become by the time I was leaving. So that feeling could potentially change depending on how busy they are any given time of day.

The 3 Fixtures. Pretty cool looking I think. Almost like that pendulum thing psychiatrists use.

Those lights are saying to me it’s time to eat!!! But how will they find me?

It’s easy as ABC, so simple as 123 Lmao!!

I cracked up thinking, the person who has to bring my order to me they will tell, “Find Mr. 123, go…find him!

Look at the ceiling above me. Very clean modern feel to the place. No nonsense and still comfortably nice.

I started to get the involuntary stomach flips as my gastric juices churned away wanting something good to digest. I patted it gently(my stomach that is) and said they were making it.

More of the interior. Pretty empty though

The Double Cheeseburgers have arrived. MMMmmm Mmmmm Son!!!

But wait where are my sides?

Ladies and Gentlemen!!!! This is what you call Mac N Cheese!!! Yessuh!!!

In court this would be called EXHIBIT M N C!!! Your Honor

I mean they didn’t slack a minute. There’s the delicious flavor of the cheddar cheese used in there and then like a traditional Turkey Day Mac N Cheese, they added the breadcrumb topping to finish things off. I was left asking questions. How in the world could other establishments know what the above looks like and call Ziti or Shells the same? How… could they do it? Why would they do it? At the end of the day I shook my head in disbelief. The unmitigated gall.

Golden pieces above

Like throw some D ‘s on that B*** Throw some Ketch…up on it!!!

The fries were another shining example of how Schnippers does their fare right. As you can see the fries come hot, golden , and crispy not soggy and greasy. These are currently the best fries I’ve had so far this year.

Double Cheeseburger number 1

The power of the burger compelled me…

The first bite

I bit my first bite into this burger and my mouth immediately knew happiness. In all seriousness this is a pretty great tasting burger, the seasoning is just right, the juiciness of the patty’s is plenty adequate and the amount of cheese on my burger clearly doesn’t require me to ask for a second slice. And then look… my burger is well done.

Schnippers gets high marks all the way round. This is how you do it Son!!! Now the only thing I can say is that the burger is slightly greasy but it’s not to the point where you feel like your drinking down oil, however, you will need all the napkins they give you with your order and I’m not complaining. Mmmmm!!!

If Blue 9 Burgers were as thick as Schnippers they would probably get the nod over Schnippers but since they don’t they won’t. Schnippers is a must visit for me from now on anytime I’m in the area and hankering for a good burger. Makes me think of Pulp Fiction LOL. Now for the oh so amazing looking Mac N Cheese.

First bite. Yes that would be flecks of black pepper in there too. Mmm Mmm Son!

Schnippers Mac N Cheese definitely uses cheddar cheese in the cheese sauce which is awesome in my book. The taste was spot on and the bread crumbs only made me wish I had more of them sprinkled on top to contrast the texture and taste of the Mac N Cheese. Currently I rank it higher than that of Hill Country but not better than WildWood’s Mac N Cheese. It’s a simple dish but when it’s done right, it’s one of the most incredible things to eat. Just had a flash back of Homer Simpson drooling LOL. I digress…moving right along. The burger was waylaid and I moved onto the second one before passing sentence on the remnants of Fries and Mac N Cheese.

The Conclusion

At the end of my dining experience here I was very pleased not to mention full. My order took approximately 15 minutes to arrive at my table which wasn’t too bad and I liked that I had already paid for my meal so as soon as I was ready to leave the establishment I could without having to look for a server to get my check. There is a tray stacking station located in the middle of the dining area with trash bins within them.

You can be a lazy bum and let the staff empty your tray for you or you can get up and throw it out yourself. Personally I respect service industry employees enough that I’d rather throw out my own trash than leave it for the staff. I say this especially in lieu of the fact that you can choose to tip or not pre meal with out knowing what the service is like. Baring in mind that in this particular visit Schnippers wasn’t too busy, staff was quick to deliver orders.

I’m not sure until I experience a rush hour there how service is effected. Either way I figure as a matter of conscience any time we can make some other human beings day job just a little bit easier it will come back around. In my case however an employee was changing the trash bins and cleared my trays for me and did so with out attitude. Very unexpected. Restrooms are located in an obscure corner of the place to the back and left. there are several bathrooms through a narrow corridor of white walls that turns left to where the restroom doors are marked with M/W and can only be opened by the code on your receipt. It was a good thing that I usually save my receipts otherwise I’d have been outta luck. 😉

Price is on par with most burger places around the city where both my burgers were $8.50 each keeping in mind that they were double cheeseburgers afterall. For $2 more I could get a double cheeseburger of Texas sized proportions at Dallas BBQ but this Burger is well worth it’s price. Price score $$ out of a possible $$$$$.

Food Score for Taste & Presentation on THEJNSREPORT 5 Dinner plate scale is 4 1/2 dinner plates. I had a good time walking off that meal over the next few hours.

When combined with the value, simplicity with modern decor rules. Overall Food Review of Schnippers is a 4 1/2 dinner plates. Till next time this has been Schnippers Food Review Experience 2013 by THEJNSREPORT.

Vino…The Wine List

Posted by THEJNSREPORT on April 10, 2013

Posted in: Food & Drinks. Tagged: Blue Bottle, Glass half empty, Glass half full, glass of wine, Joseph Handler, Music and Wine, Riesling, riesling wine, sweet white wines, White Wine, Wine, wine list, Wine Review. Leave a comment

Welcome to THEJNSREPORT’S:Vino…The Wine List RIESLING

In the last wine list report, I sampled Joseph Handler’s Sweet Red Wine. This time around I sample the Joseph Handler Riesling

I’m definitely feeling the blue bottle

Riesling sits alone

For me Riesling is what I thought Pinot Grigio would taste like when I first had white wines. I was disappointed because I thought Pinot’s were sweet white wines. In my experience I find them to be just slightly less dry than Chardonnay. After reading the description on back I poured myself a glass.

A sublime glass full of sweet Riesling. Thanks Trader Joe’s.

Generally speaking, I believe that a good glass of wine has a great smell to it or “bouquet”, is easy on the palate, and is more on the sweet side than the dry side. I know that drinking this particular Riesling is absolutely fun and worth it’s price point. How can you argue with a wine that costs about $8 a bottle, can be paired with pretty much whatever you’re eating and/or can be enjoyed alone on its own?

The glass is definitely half full

I tend to think at moments like this when the glass is half full something should be done… it should be filled back up. Ultimately this is a light and good tasting Riesling from Joseph Handler. Especially now that the weather is starting to cooperate for the Spring 2013 there’s nothing like a cold glass of wine to just sip and pass the time with, whether out and about with friends or an evening in at home. Buy this wine you won’t regret it. Pros: It goes down smooth, best served cold, and price point is perfect for an inexpensive bottle of wine. Cons: It sucks when the bottle is finished. 😀 Till next time this has been another Vino Wine List: Riesling Edition by THEJNSREPORT.

Welcome to THEJNSREPORT’S: HILL COUNTRY BARBECUE FOOD REVIEW EPISODE 1 Continued…

As I was saying after hearing the rave reviews from some friends, I decided my next course of action was destination Hill Country Barbecue Market. Hill Country is located on W 26th St. between 5th and 6th Avenue. Once I arrived at my destination fortune reigned down upon me as opposed to the rain drops from earlier as I approached the entrance to Hill Country.

Uh Yessum!!! All you can eat for $27 I think is a good deal. Will the food live up to the hype? Let’s find out the evidence of the truth.

It certainly doesn’t hurt having an A in the window. So with that being said I went on in to see what the Hill Country experience is all about.

Once inside the establishment, I was greeted pleasantly and then asked what I’d be having to eat before being shown my seat. They apparently give you a ticket to show at each food station for proper checking off of what you select to eat during your stay in Hill Country. I also received a green paper wrist band to indicate that I was indeed an all you can eat patron. I didn’t feel quite like a V.I.P with it on since there was no free drink or desert included with my meal other than two glasses of water, but it’s all you can eat for everything else.

Feeling quite hungry I got up from my table with ticket in hand and waited my time in line like everyone else to be served my meats and sides.

When it was my turn at the counter the carver saw my ticket and promptly cut my meats of Barbecue Chicken, Pork Ribs, and Brisket. This how they present your meats to you on brown parchment paper of some sort. In actuality they roll up the meats in the paper and you unwrap it yourself at your leisure.

Those ribs were everything. They were juicy, moist, fall off the bone tender, and flavored with the right amount of spices so it hit on all cylinders for me.

Over there be the sides. Now I ask you to look below. Does that look like traditional Mac N Cheese to you? Once again with the hoodwink! That is Ziti not Macaroni people.

After tasting it though I have to say I’m a fan of Hill Country’s Longhorn Cheddar and Ziti. It’s just plain good. It was an extra charge for the “Longhorn Cheddar Ziti but I didn’t mind it. Taste wise it’s not too salty, and has just the right balance of a tangy cheese flavor blanketing well cooked Ziti. MMm Mmmm son, what’s not to like? It was so good in fact I went back for a second helping as seen below. 😀

I didn’t even mind the char on it.

Looks like the Ziti N Cheese went on trial and clearly by the evidence in this photo “through the fire” as well for pleading the 5th on whether it was authentic Mac n Cheese or not. In the end it’s all good. Up next for tackling were a pair of corn breads sitting in a basket asking to be sampled.

The Cornbreads

The red skin potato salad was also good but not great. I think i’m just more of a fan of a sweeter, vinegar, and mustard potato salad.

The Cole Slaw was good, fresh and crisp. I devoured it after handling the Potato Salad. This is what happened to the first round of meats while joking with an Italian couple who were seated next to me. As they both looked on at my meal the lady in the couple said with a heavy native Italian accent that I ate two people’s worth of food. I laughed at her and put up four fingers. She, her man, and I all laughed a good laugh before I refocused on my meal telling them how good it was.

“The field has been laid waste to sir! Reload Soldier!!! RELOAD!!!” Was all I could hear LOL!!! However the sides and meats filled me enough to only have enough room for some brisket and desert. I drank only a few sips of water during the meal relying more on my chewing and tasting so as not to over fill myself and also dilute my digestive juices for what was coming.

Check out the smoke ring and the glisten of moistness on them there pieces of brisket. Makes me wish for some burnt ends right now.

Succulent perfectly smoked and flavored Brisket!!! I now know why there was such praise and rave reviews.

When the last bites of brisket were gone I went to see what they had for desert and was recommended what you see below. The Lemon and Blueberry Merengue Cake.

Desert

The cake like the rest of my meal was very good and I was more than adequately satiated by the time I put down my tools. Hill Country I’ll definitely be coming back. I’ve found yet another good BBQ place in the city. I mean after the disappointment I suffered in my last visit to Virgil’s, Hill Country Barbecue just reminded me that there are places where the food is done right and comes to you hot and ready to eat. Give this place a try if you’ve never had the pleasure of eating here. I give Hill Country and 9 1/4 out of 10 rating.

Till next Food Adventure this has been Hill Country Barbecue Food Review 2013 by THEJNSREPORT.