Exploring cities, coding recipes, and documenting the journey
A practical guide to building two-stage AI recommendations: use embeddings for fast retrieval, then small LLMs like Gemma 3 for natural language explanations. The real skill? Curating context, not writing algorithms.
A quick, one-pan meal featuring orzo, spinach, peas, and feta. Similar to spanakorizo, this is deeply satisfying but still on the lighter side thanks to all those vegetables.
A rich and creamy broccoli cheddar soup with sharp cheddar cheese, perfect for a comforting meal on a cold day.
A hearty cottage pie made with ground beef, following Alton Brown's method. Perfect comfort food for a cold day.
A weekend project for discovering new music, sharing favorites, and seeing what your friends are listening to.
A beautifully tender bone-in pork chop roast, slow-cooked in a rich blend of red wine and savory aromatics with an incredible crust.
A light, comforting soup packed with vibrant flavor and healthy ingredients like butternut squash and lentils. It delivers all the richness of a curry without being heavy.
A lighter, bright and nutty take on classic meatballs with chicken and pistachios.
A hearty and warming turkey chili with a deep, smoky flavor from chimayo pepper, perfect for a cozy dinner.
A reverse sear technique for perfectly crispy skin and juicy meat, every time.
A foolproof recipe for a perfect medium-rare Tomahawk steak. Seasoned overnight with Holy Cow BBQ Rub, seared hot, and finished with indirect heat on the grill.
A lighter, summery lasagna using grilled zucchini instead of noodles, with mozzarella, ricotta, and a simple tomato sauce. Optionally spicy with Calabrian chilies.
Incredibly tender, flavorful pulled pork made easy in a Dutch oven using a sear-first, low-and-slow braising method.
A taste of Italy anytime, these meatballs will steal the show at any special occasion or a Tuesday.
My staple mac & cheese, just a few pantry incredients and a lot of comfort.
A creamy and indulgent potato casserole, perfect for holiday gatherings, that will leave you and your guests wanting more every year.
A slightly spicy white chile with green chiles, chicken, corn, and hominy.
A staple soup that warms the heart and calms the soul.
A delicious, healthy soup that will reset your system.
One of the best soups to kick off the autumn season, a variation that uses chicken sausage
I had the incredible opportunity to explore a town in Sicily where my ancestors once resided and engage with the local officials.
Instead of just using a single language, I wanted to solve the puzzle in a language I know, then lurk the internet for the solution in another language each day.
It's not Thanksgiving without the stuffing...
Our first foray into outdoor plants, flowers, and herbs in Chicago.
A step-by-step walkthrough of building a Go Fx app using Firestore to build a database of coffee beans & roasters and an API to fetch & update data.
One of my go-to "last meals" that you need to try before you die.
I stole this recipe from the November 2019 Bon Appetit. This expertly spiced & glazed turkey is cut into pieces, dry-rubbed overnight, and glazed continuously during it's slow cook. It's still the best turkey I've ever had.
Your new go-to cookie recipe, great for quarantining.
March 2020: What I'm Doing
mager.co is back!
My explorations into decentralized apps and blockchain.
Announcing my move from Ning to SimpleGeo to help build the new San Francisco office.
Starting at Ning in Palo Alto, learning Git, and commuting via Caltrain.
Looking back on my two years at CNET/BNET before moving on to the next chapter.
How registering lespaul.com as a kid led to a cease and desist—and a Black Beauty guitar.
A set of resolutions for the new year, from health and patience to cooking more and strengthening BNET.