Brian and Kevin!

Coney Island Baby

Now that our editing skills have been honed, we turn our attention to some other footage we had lying around: our Labor Day weekend Coney Island trip. After four years of living in New York, Brian still had not been there. Clearly this needed to be rectified and the amazing weather of Labor Day weekend was just the time.  

We've glossed over some of the flaws of the trip in this video. The Cyclone got stuck on the track right before we were going to get on. They fixed the problem, but we figured we should give it some time to break down again before we got on (it didn't). 

So we went to Nathan's for hot dogs, walked the boardwalk and then went back and rode the Cyclone. When they say secure glasses, hats and the like, they mean it. Brian's sunglasses were whipped off on the first turn. Fortunately they landed on Kevin, and Brian was able to grab them and they lived to tell about it. Our friends at Brooklyn EyeWorks Optical are currently rehabbing them so they will be ready for the family reunion this weekend.

Uncle Brian and Uncle Kevin: The Movie

When we were in Minnesota a few weeks we shot some video. Just like our big-time movie making friends such as George Lucas, Steven Soderbergh, and Pedro Almodovar would tell you, editing the footage you shot is hard work. After a quick lunch at Bklyn Larder (thanks for the sandwiches!) we sat down and got to work.  We're pretty happy with the results and think all of you will agree that our nephews are just the best.  Cameron had just turned two and was singing his ABC's, clearing his plate from the table, and generally making sure we knew exactly what he expected of us.  Grant is growing fast and since we shot this footage he's started sitting up by himself.  We all knew it was only a matter of time.  

Cam and Grant, we can't wait to see you at Thanksgiving!

Kevin's Corner: I Ate Steak!

Now it can be told. Over the past few months I have had a secret craving for steak. Like a vampire. Which was inconvenient since I spent the last ten years as a vegetarian who eats fish.

So on Saturday night, Brian took me to Keen's Steakhouse and I ordered a New York sirloin. He got the famous mutton chop.

And I loved it. I was like a golden retriever in the cab ride home. Bright-eyed, excited about everything. Brian! Leftovers (in a cold meat salad below)! The wind! The FDR! Keys!

On Sunday we went to the original Coney Island Nathan's, where in 1982 or so, my dad lost his wallet and a nice old lady found it and called us the next day. So I have always associated Nathan's with New York miracles. 

I ate two hot dogs. It was heaven to be back.

All of you have gone out of your way for me when it comes to opening your home to this Irisher who didn't eat meat, and I thank you so much for your kindness. And I have to say this: Since our first date at Grange Hall in January 2001, Brian has scanned menus to make sure I have choices and never complained about us not going to steak houses. Or Argentina. He is the best and I would appreciate any of your recipes for keep-a-man meals that I can make to thank him.

Minnesota Fun

Last weekend we visited Carla and Chip to see their beautiful new home in Minnesota. Here are some shots from the good times with them and their boys Cameron, 2, and Grant, 5 months. They're getting so big!

Breaking Cheesesteak News

Brian had to go to Philadelphia for work. Last time, he didn't have time to get a cheesesteak, but this time he sure did. 

He hit Pat's today and got a "whiz, wit" (above). Which means it has cheese whiz and onions. He ordered correctly. Kevin is so proud.

The Deep Freeze

Earlier this summer, Brian spearheaded a windowbox project. Parsley, lavender, basil (below, from left)... great success!

Now we have more parsley than we could ever use, so we decided to freeze some for winter. We did this with tablespoons of ginger and that worked — why not parsley? 

The conventional wisdom seems to be that you must chop it before pre-freezing. Behold our science experiment in progress:

We know we totally look like dealers. (FYI: Brian's parents got Kevin that mezzaluna and boy, is it great.) We'll tell you how it works out.

Brian's Legal Corner

While we've documented changes in the law favoring recognition of same-sex relationships in the past, today we look at challenges to these advances. 

In Maine, opponents of same-sex marriage delivered signatures to the Secretary of State's office to have the May 2009 statute put on the ballot for a "citizen's veto." Maine voters will then be asked in the November election whether they want to preserve same-sex marriage or repeal the statute. Unlike in California with Prop 8, the state legislature would be able to pass the law again and restore marriage equality.

In Washington State, a similar vote may happen on the recent statute expanding the state's domestic partnership law to include all rights and privileges of marriage. Turns out that a lot of the signatures submitted are invalid, so it may not qualify for the ballot. Stay tuned for future updates!

We're also tracking events in Wisconsin with great interest. Voters there approved a constitutional amendment in 2006 banning same-sex marriage and civil unions and the equivalent. This year, however, the state legislature initiated a domestic registry providing same-sex couples with about 40 of the rights afforded to opposite-sex couples. (For example, if we were suddenly 80 years old and infirm, we would be allowed to room together in a nursing home. This is the kind of thing that gets Kevin really, really fired up.) Not surprisingly, some people believe that this law violates the state constitutional amendment and a lawsuit has been filed.

So, bottom line? In order to protect three advances in Maine, Washington and Wisconsin, state and national groups still need our support. Please consider giving to The Task Force, whose mission includes campaigns to fight anti-gay measures at the ballot box, and Lambda Legal, which fights for partnership and marriage rights in the courts.

Birthday Bonanza!

We've been moving a little slow this week since Kevin has been under the weather, but we can't let our nephew Cameron's 2nd birthday go by without a shout-out. Also, this weekend is Brian's brother Scott's birthday and we hope he has a great one. 

Here are some pics of Cam through his two years, hanging with his NYC uncles, and mastering the guitar and Uncle Brian's Blackberry.

Summer Cocktails

We've been crazy for cocktails recently. The sidecar is always a favorite, but recent forays have included an expertly made Manhattan (at The Montauk Club, thanks Antonio!) and Brian's sazerac at Keen's Steakhouse. (Kevin is also a big fan of a rusty nail, but not in summer.)

We polled some loyal readers and your favorite summer cocktail is the mojito. We couldn't agree more, but we like to put our spin on the classic, muddling basil instead of mint — which allows us to make use of the herbs we planted in our  this spring. 

Basil and mint are cousins, supposedly, and the resulting drink takes on a slightly savory and borderline bracing quality. "The alchemy of fresh lime and fresh basil is unmatched by modern science," says Brian. Adds Kevin: "It's tasty!"

    BASIL MOJITO — adapted from The Little Black Book of Cocktails

    1 1/2 oz light rum (a/k/a one shot) — we use Bacardi

    1/4 teaspoon of regular sugar

    Juice of 1 lime — there is no substitute for fresh lime juice

    Soda water

    Basil leaves — we use 4-5 large leaves or more smaller leaves

Muddle the basil and the sugar in a glass — we use a double old fashioned glass but the highball glass is more traditional. Add ice — fill it up! — rum, and lime juice.  Fill the glass with soda water and garnish with lime. 

Spoiler Alert!

Well, not really. Anita Lo, one of our favorite chefs, has been doing amazing work on Top Chef: Masters. Her Anissa restaurant has been a go-to spot for us on Valentine's Day and our first-date anniversary. 

Lo, who also runs the Rickshaw Dumpling Bar in Manhattan (they have a truck in Park Slope!), is playing for SHARE, a survivor-led nonprofit supporting women with ovarian and breast cancer.

Check it out and root for her August 5 on Bravo!