Sweet potatoes straight on the grill, not in foil, (slice them long-wise into planks) are amazing. Let them get nice and charred and the charred parts have this sweet carmelized almost campfire-burnt-marshmallow flavor to them. YUM.

You can then slice them up and toss in a salad with grilled scallops, greens and a dressing made from orange juice, olive oil, shallots, salt/pepper, and your herb of choice (sage, rosemary, or thyme would be good).
posted to Ask Metafilter by misskaz at 10:39 AM on July 25, 2008 marked best answer

I just started reading comics about 2-3 years ago. Here's what I started with, most already mentioned:

Watchmen
V for Vendetta
Sandman
Dark Knight Returns
Hellboy
Cerebus (specifically High Society)
Sin City
Kabuki - really innovative art AND storytelling in this one...
Y: The Last Man

As I go along, I've found I have more appreciation for the... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by misskaz at 9:52 AM on July 19, 2008

I picked a shop at random and it turned out. :) This is probably out of the way for you, but I took mine to a tailor/dry cleaner on Thorndale just east of the Red Line stop. (Not the one west of the stop that's big but gross looking, although I do take my dry cleaning there. The one east of the stop that is small and clean.) Just ask to keep the original hem - she knew what I was talking about. She sliced off the ends, removed the extra fabric, then sewed/serged the original hems back on. Didn't... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by misskaz at 9:02 AM on July 18, 2008

My sister and brother-in-law own a small BBQ cafeteria-style restaurant. My BIL works 10-14 hour days, pretty much every day. (My sister has a new baby so she stays home and does the books - she used to work full days there as well, though.) They do catering, so they work on/around most holidays too. They struggle to find good staff - back in December when I was visiting, BIL had a swollen, bruised face from where his (former) manager punched him in the face after not showing up to open the... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by misskaz at 12:27 PM on June 26, 2008

Hema's screwed us over big time - their service is terrible. A friend called to make reservations. They said they normally don't take reservations but because we had a large-ish group, they would. We got there and there's nowhere to wait inside, so we waited outside in the cold - for an hour and a half. Some of our group actually helped clean off a table, thinking it would be ours, and they gave it to another group that had a similar not-really-reservation for a half hour AFTER ours.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by misskaz at 12:18 PM on June 25, 2008

To add to ztdavis' compendium of the Red Line:

Thorndale - walk one block west to Broadway. A block or so north is Ethiopian Diamond, delicious Ethiopian food. Or, a block south is Moody's - great burgers and one of the best outdoor dining spaces on the north side.

Argyle - Tank Noodle is good, but I love Pho 777 just east of the station for really delicious, really cheap food.

Grand/State - walk east, go south on Lower... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by misskaz at 7:24 AM on June 19, 2008

Alice and Friends Cafe has the greatest fake meat ever. I don't like fake meat, my friends don't like fake meat, but Alice and Friends is awesome. 5812 N. Broadway.

Also worth the trip is Soul Vegetarian on the South Side (205 E. 75th St). Try the BBQ twists, tastes like a pulled pork sandwich.
posted to Ask Metafilter by misskaz at 5:54 PM on June 4, 2008

I should add: the fact that the gift is a mac laptop will not be a surprise. We have been talking about it for a couple months, deciding what she needs.

If she already knows about it, I'd give it to her right away. i just went through this same thing with my fiancé and his birthday. I bought him a telescope. But the thing is, I don't know a thing about good low-end telescopes and he had been doing a lot of research. So he picked it out and I bought it.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by misskaz at 10:18 AM on May 8, 2008

How are you going to pay one credit card off with another? Balance transfer? With those "convenience checks"? Either way, they usually charge you a flat fee or percentage of the amount in order to use those. On $10k that would eat up your piddly $400 pretty quickly.
posted to Ask Metafilter by misskaz at 6:31 AM on April 28, 2008

As I sit here eating some Sunsweet prunes as an afternoon snack, I'm reading on the back of the package that one ounce of prunes delivers more potassium that one ounce of bananas (208 mg vs 101). Despite expert advice to eat *something* pre-workout, I work out in the mornings and do not eat breakfast first, so I can't speak to the prunes related to that. But they are tasty.
posted to Ask Metafilter by misskaz at 12:54 PM on April 24, 2008

Because you are from Austin, I thought I'd point out that UT has a dual degree program in Law (JD) and Community and Regional Planning (MS). I have my MS in CRP from UT and was bummed that I didn't find out about the dual degree option until I was a year into things. Then again, the dual degree thing is a four-year program. I don't work in the field, though, so I can't speak to the rest of your question. Good luck, I loved planning but graduated at a time when cities weren't really hiring so I... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by misskaz at 9:22 AM on April 2, 2008

Dip, if you like the typically sour cream kind:

1 container Fage Total 0% greek yogurt (or similar)
some salt
some garlic
some lemon juice if desired
some green onions or chives
some of whatever herbs you like (I'm a dill person usually)

I use this more for veggies like carrots and cucumber slices. This greek yogurt stuff is amazing, it's like 80 calories for the whole container, 0g fat,... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by misskaz at 11:06 AM on March 7, 2008

Moto is an out of this world food experience and is a great thing to share with someone. Prepare for a large bill. Get the wine pairing. By far the most expensive meal I've ever eaten, but also one of the best and the experience is a lifelong memory I will share with my fiancé. We still bring it up and talk about it over a year later.

We also really enjoyed Spring, mentioned above.

I've heard great things about Everest, although I haven't yet... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by misskaz at 9:36 AM on February 25, 2008

I really like (fluff)Friends, which is just a game where you add a cute little animal friend to your profile. Then you can feed it and buy things for it and it races against your friends' (fluff)Friends and wins prizes. It's a cute distraction but doesn't require a lot of attention if you don't want it to.
posted to Ask Metafilter by misskaz at 5:39 PM on February 15, 2008

If your dog is so farty, smelly, flea-ridden (WTF?) that it disturbs you to have in your bedroom, then you are not taking good care of your dog. A dog fed high quality food won't fart or stink - my dog's farts can peel paint, but she only gets them if we give her too much people food. Dogs groomed at the frequency necessary for its breed simply should not stink. And easy-to-use flea protection products exist.

My dog's bed is a washable zippered cover filled with... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by misskaz at 1:09 PM on January 31, 2008

I travel for work about 8-10 times a year. My trips range from short one-on-one meetings (for example, I'm going to DC on Thursday - flight leaves at 6am, get back home by 8:30 pm same day) to an entire week staffing my company's conferences.

1. Direct flight. Luckily I live in Chicago and only fly domestically for work, so I can almost always get a direct flight.

2. Hotel near important things. I avoid renting a car if at all possible, it... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by misskaz at 11:10 AM on January 14, 2008

Personally, I'm not sure that proposing to him out of the blue is a good idea (frankly, I don't feel it's fair to spring it on women, either, if it hasn't already been discussed). If this is not something that has been part of your conversations he may need some time to think about what it means to be married and whether that's something he can or is willing to do.

Talk to him about it. That's what worked for me - after living together for four years, I brought it up to... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by misskaz at 7:48 AM on January 5, 2008

Are you cutting just once slice, then trying to take that one slice out? It'll never work. Cut two or three slices before trying to lift out a slice. This gives the cake/pie enough movement that you can usually get the first slice out pretty well.

Just tried this trick on an apple pie this weekend (frozen, not homemade, so there was no getting parchment under or other any other preparatory treatments) and it worked.
posted to Ask Metafilter by misskaz at 7:35 AM on December 24, 2007

I'm not sure I understand the question, but let me share my related story in the hopes it will help. You sound as confused as I was - too confused to know what to ask.

I have a mac at home and use VPN to connect to my work PC. I was confused when I first tried using Internet Connect - it appeared the connection worked, but I wasn't sure what to do next. Like, how was I supposed to actually access files?

The answer, for me, was the Windows... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by misskaz at 7:19 AM on December 18, 2007

Have you checked out the forums at IndieBride? There's a whole thread about finding poofy, tea-length dresses.

/also wants a tea-length dress for her wedding and will be favoriting this question.
posted to Ask Metafilter by misskaz at 5:19 PM on December 6, 2007 marked best answer

Lucky stores, mentioned above, have 50% off sales a few times a year. Keep an eye out for them. I've never paid more than $60 for Lucky jeans because I only buy during their sales.

Also, the "Lil Maggie" style that slowfasthazel linked to is probably way too low rise for your tastes. I have a pair, and like them, but they are almost too low rise for me, and I like a low-ish rise.
posted to Ask Metafilter by misskaz at 5:39 PM on December 4, 2007

I hated the AT&T/SBC DSL. It would go down all the time, and the customer service I got from the reps and techs was terrible.

I've had a great experience with Comcast, internet-wise. Never goes down. Customer service is so-so, but seems to be better than SBC. All of our Comcast problems have been related to the DVR anyway, not the internet.

If you're on the south side, you may be in the Wide Open West service area. They're smaller and... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by misskaz at 2:36 PM on November 28, 2007

I'm about to become a first time aunt in about a week! Unfortunately my sister lives in Houston and I'm in Chicago, so offers of help just won't work. But I am getting her some things *for her* for Christmas. I already know my brother is getting her all baby stuff, but I can't help but think she might feel sad if every single Christmas gift labeled "for Sis" is actually for the baby.

I will probably get her pampering type stuff from Sephora or Lush.
posted to Ask Metafilter by misskaz at 5:28 PM on November 27, 2007

Military on-base housing has been undergoing privatization since the late 90s. The initiative got a slow start but privatization is really taking off now. Most would say (I think) that it has been for the better - the housing was by and large in dire need of repair and renovation, and the privatization brought with it a huge investment of private sector dollars.

The private sector brought in all that capital in exchange for very long term leases/management contracts.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by misskaz at 8:31 AM on November 25, 2007

For me one of the biggest questions would be management style - so in additions to questions about pay, type of work, responsibilities, potential for promotion, etc., I'd also ask about what they are like as a manager.

In my work experience, a great manager can make a so-so job good, and a bad manager can make a good job awful.
posted to Ask Metafilter by misskaz at 7:27 AM on November 21, 2007

My friend makes this INCREDIBLE butternut squash lasagna for the veggie peeps on Thanksgiving. I've used this recipe and it turned out great. Really delicious, fall-themed, and hearty enough for a main dish for those not eating turkey.

I highly recommend it.
posted to Ask Metafilter by misskaz at 7:07 AM on November 21, 2007

Having just gone ring shopping with my boyfriend for the first time last weekend, I guess I can share my experience even if no one is reading this thread anymore.

1. We're both paying for it. It will not cost anywhere near $5000, but will likely be more than $500.

2. I'm getting a blue topaz center stone, not a diamond. I can think of at least four friends/coworkers just off the top of my head that have non-diamond center stones. (Technically... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by misskaz at 2:19 PM on November 20, 2007

As someone that works for a professional association, my first thought is this is what associations are for. The benefit to the public that occurs when professionals are allowed to get together and share knowledge is part of why associations are given a special non-profit (501-c-6) status by the federal government.

A quick glance at the AIA website shows they have something called knowledge communities that may be similar to what you are talking about. This kind of... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by misskaz at 10:39 AM on November 9, 2007

My sister is 8 months along and complained of the same thing right around months 6-7. Yet when I saw a picture of her pregnant last week (she's in another city, I haven't been able to share her joy in person unfortunately), the first thing I said was "She's HUGE!" Thankfully I was home alone and looking at her flickr page so she didn't hear me. She would have kicked my ass.

I really think it probably has to do with people not having a filter between their... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by misskaz at 9:11 AM on November 9, 2007

I have it on good authority that the lemonade Starbucks uses was patterned after Odwalla lemonade, if you want to get it as close as possible.
posted to Ask Metafilter by misskaz at 8:57 AM on November 4, 2007

I know (because my office also uses the Keurig machine and the coffee is gross) that you can buy K-cups with decent coffee brands - link. What I don't know (because I never got around to buying any) is if getting better coffee actually improves the quality, or if the nastiness is inherent in the design. Unfortunately our model does not appear to have any settings that can be adjusted.

My company buys the Green Mountain coffee. I usually drink coffee black and unflavored,... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by misskaz at 9:11 AM on October 22, 2007

We give our dog a treat on her bed in the bedroom before we leave the house.

It has gotten to the point (after over 4 years of this routine) that she will head to the bedroom and wait of her own accord when she sees me going through my makeup routine.
posted to Ask Metafilter by misskaz at 10:08 AM on October 1, 2007

I never liked the regular long-wearing 2-step lipsticks, because I tend to apply my lipsticks lightly so they are more sheer. You can't really apply those long wearing ones with a light touch - they just end up looking blotchy.

But Cover Girl now has the outlast thing for a shiny/sheer gloss, and I love it so much I want to marry it.
posted to Ask Metafilter by misskaz at 10:01 AM on September 26, 2007

I don't have a baby, but on many dog forums I've frequented over the years, I've consistently heard good recommendations for the book Childproofing Your Dog.

Good luck!
posted to Ask Metafilter by misskaz at 3:18 PM on September 25, 2007

If a crate wouldn't work, how about a baby gate limiting her to a smaller portion of the house? Our dog is limited by a baby gate at night because she likes to do the sneaking away and peeing in another room thing - we keep her in the bedroom with us. During the day, she has slightly more room (bedroom + kitchen + hallway) but is still kept out of the rest of the apartment.

For my dog, a big part of it was stress + lack of routine. When I first got her I was living... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by misskaz at 6:11 AM on September 21, 2007

I adore Neutrogena's mascara - the one in the black container that is wax-free. It's called "Weightless Volume."

For me it is not dramatic enough for evening wear (I have short lashes), but I love it for the daytime. It never ever ever ever, even when the bottle is old and the brush has been used a million times, clumps. It also doesn't leave me with racoon eyes in the morning when I don't wash my face before bed. My lashes stay soft too.
posted to Ask Metafilter by misskaz at 12:40 PM on September 19, 2007

The only thing that worries me is the whimpering - can you tell from the dog's body language if it's an excited kind of whimper? Is the dog also drooling, staring, quivering, ears perked, tail up, pulling at the leash, or any other signs of focus or excitement? My dog has a certain kind of whining that indicates extreme excitement or impatience (wanting to do something that she can't do) that would worry me if she did it around the cat.

Otherwise, things sound pretty... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by misskaz at 4:54 PM on September 11, 2007

I was just about to mention the Chapter House, jare2003.

Believe it or not, I spent my (very mellow) 21st birthday at Chapter House. No crazy shots served in test tubes or annoying loud sorority chicks/frat boys from Long Island looking to get laid - just good beer, a few close friends, a game of darts, and some free popcorn.

Even though it's in Collegetown, I'd like to recommend the Chariot for the corn nuggets. But I've heard... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by misskaz at 4:34 PM on September 11, 2007

I like when my bf joins me before or after business trips, but never during. I'm just too busy and stressed and if I get a free evening all I want to do is veg out at the hotel while he would want to go out, sightsee, etc. That may be part of her weirdness, in addition to a birthday-aversion.
posted to Ask Metafilter by misskaz at 1:42 PM on August 28, 2007

While topical treatments can't actually make the hair thicker, they can help to make it look/act thicker (or at least have more body).

I have straight, fine, limp hair that I like to wear long which can weigh it down and make it quite flat. A friend of mine once said "I love Lush brand "Big" shampoo like a crazy person," and I agree with her 100%. It is expensive but you use a very tiny amount (I use less than a teaspoon for my long hair). It lathers... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by misskaz at 11:17 AM on August 27, 2007

Lots of stuff by the Toadies probably fits the bill, their somewhat creepy lyrics are part of what I liked about them. I'm thinking especially of Jigsaw Girl. Lyrics.
posted to Ask Metafilter by misskaz at 10:06 AM on August 22, 2007

Have you tried Hanes.com? They have a wide selection of t-shirt styles and colors.

I tried to find one for you, but my work webfilter keeps blocking the pages.
posted to Ask Metafilter by misskaz at 10:55 AM on August 13, 2007

That's easy - a french press! You also have the benefit of it making really good coffee.

1. Buy beans from coffeeshop
2. Have store grind beans for a french press (most if not all will do this for you).
3. Put water in kettle (electric or stovetop) and turn on.
4. Put small amount of ground coffee in bottom of french press
5. Add hot water.
6. Time for 4 minutes.
7. Depress plunger part of french... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by misskaz at 3:20 PM on August 8, 2007

Born in Buffalo, lived in Ithaca NY, Colorado, Houston, Austin, and now Chicago.

Until I hired a girl that went to college at Creighton (in Nebraska) I'd never heard "draw". But she said it just last week when we went out and I was momentarily confused. Forgot about that moment until just now; and now I have the answer!
posted to Ask Metafilter by misskaz at 4:55 PM on August 7, 2007

The 147 FTW!!! I used to live in Andersonville (now I'm even further north in Edgewater - near the Thorndale stop on the Red Line). I switched to the 147 express bus in anticipation of the Three-Track hullabaloo, and even though it hasn't turned out as bad as advertised, I've stuck with the bus. Even from way up north where I am and during rush hour, my commute is usually 35 minutes from my front door to my office desk (Michigan near Wacker). Not only that, but the buses are usually cleaner and... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by misskaz at 1:23 PM on July 10, 2007

You may find your partner learns to like her commute time - I actually really enjoy mine. If it weren't for my commute, all 100% of my issues of the Economist would go completely untouched, instead of the 50% that I average now. :) Podcasts and music are great for drowning out the talkative ladies next to you. When I'm home, there's always TV, Internet, dog, boyfriend, cat, dinner, whatever vying for my attention. My commute is this built-in time for me to slow down and read. Oh, that's another... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by misskaz at 1:32 PM on July 10, 2007

Tulum (the site) is cool, but to me it seemed a little weird because the ruins are in the middle of this green manicured lawn and everything's roped off. The cliffs and the beach are beautiful though.

Personally, for ruins I loved Coba, about 50 km west of Tulum. You can climb some of the ruins, which is really rewarding and cool (and scary - I was terrified climbing down the big temple). It's probably not as cool as Chichen Itza, but it's a lot shorter drive/bus ride.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by misskaz at 1:35 PM on July 5, 2007

I am fairly certain that they sell that plastic runner stuff (and various other kinds of runners) at Home Depot or Lowes by the foot. There are big rolls of it and they'll cut it to size for you.
posted to Ask Metafilter by misskaz at 6:52 AM on July 3, 2007

I work for a 501(c)(6) which is also a kind of non-profit, and we can and do make more money than we spend some years. This money either funds other programs or goes into our reserves. Where it doesn't go (and this is part of what makes non-profits different than for-profits) is into the pockets of owners or stockholders.

If a non-profit does make money doing something unrelated to it's mission (for example, if your chorale group started selling used cars or something)... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by misskaz at 1:59 PM on June 15, 2007

I don't think beer is analogous. My dog likes beer too, but I would never give her enough to get her drunk (1/3 cup is the max she gets). Yet she still likes it. So how can people conclude that dogs that like beer like it for the mood/mind-altering effects? Maybe it's just the taste.

The difference between giving your dog table scraps and smoking him out is that (hopefully) you know how many table scraps are too much, and what scraps specifically shouldn't be shared... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by misskaz at 8:04 AM on May 30, 2007