Last night, we celebrated the end of another production year with a wrap party at Vancouver’s Gotham Steakhouse. But before we hit Gotham, a bunch of us met for dinner at Market in the Shangri-la Hotel…
- What better way to kick off the pic parade than with a shot of belated birthday boy Lawren.
- The sesame-crusted tuna. Awesome appetizer.
- Soy-glazed short ribs. My go-to dish, but I decided to opt for something a little different this time out…
- Curry chicken. Good, but didn’t love it. That’ll teach me to try something new.
- Perennial party gal Michelle
I ended up seated between Brad’s wife, Debbie, and Paul’s wife, Michelle, who spent much of the dinner discussing potty training. Check that. LOUDLY discussing potty training in an effort to be heard over the restaurant’s accoustics. For some reason, they elected turned down my offer to switch seats, preferring instead to shout through me.
Eventually, we finished up and walked down to Gotham for food, fun, and frightfully horrible DJ tunes (Seriously. It’s been ages since the last time I heard Funky Town).
- Mike Dopud and his lovely wife.
- Peter Kelamis and his lovely waitress.
- David Blue looking buff.
- Louis Ferreira already on a roll.
- Appies
- Me in my morning coat.
- Carl is all smiles.
- Jamil Walker Smith, and buddy, dressed for success.
- Ready to party.
- Master Chef Steve leads the catering crew.
- Carl and Karen.
- Kelly. Her eyes! They burn!
- Kerry and Alan.
- David and Peter.
- Troy and his better half.
- Ken gettin’ all Holywood.
- Ivon and Sara
- Carl and Ashleigh
- Patrick Gilmore raises a glass – to you!
- Ashleigh and Patrick. Oh, and Louis.
- Jen Spence.
Julia and Peter…
- Dave
- Amanda
- Mike brought his baby. Or borrowed a baby in the hopes of attracting women. Can’t remember which.
- Kelly. Again with the eyes!
- Kerry and Ashleigh. Oh, and Lawren.
- Nancy
- Will and Kathy
- Brian J. Smith gets ready to chow down.
- The ladies of hair and make-up.
- The VFX gang.
- James “Bam Bam” Bamford
- Ashleigh and James
- Elyse and Devon
- Carl and Julia
- Lisa and Akemi
- Lisa and Tio
A quickie mailbag:
Judy in SATX writes: “I’ve always wondered, is ‘Furling’ the real spelling? When I first saw the episode I thought it was ‘Ferling’, maybe because it’s not so Ewok-evocative.”
Answer: Nope. The far more Ewok evocative “Furling” is, in fact, the correct spelling.
Randomness writes: “Speaking of the Gate network the seederships are laying. It’s reasonable to think that any alien species with enough knowledge could use the gates even without a remote right? Kinda like how Earth used the gate without a DHD by making a dialing program.”
Answer: Yes, that is another reasonable assumption.
Ponytail writes: “What is that building in the first picture? Garage, guest house, pool house, dog house, maid’s quarters, playhouse, neighbor’s house, detached office?”
Answer: Garage/guest room for visiting in-laws.
Freeman writes: “Also i have one last quick question for you Joe, I’m not sure if you read all of these or not but I was wondering if you get requests for people wanting to send you a “new idea” or a “partial script” that they have made up as something to spark a new path in the stargate story.”
Answer: I don’t receive as many as I used to. I suppose most know by now that I can’t read or accept unsolicited scripts or story ideas.
JJA writes: “Have you read the Lost Fleet series of Jack Campbell??”
Answer: Nope. You can check my (approximate) read list here: http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/384915-barondestructo?shelf=read
JJA also writes: “Also about Destiny: Does it have its own manufacturing section of the ship?”
Answer: No, it doesn’t. Only the seed ships have been outfitted with that capability.
BTW writes: “…who’s job is it to choose the typeface used in the opening/closing credits?”
Answer: SGU co-creators Brad Wright and Robert Cooper had the final say on everything from the Destiny design to the typeface used in the opening/closing credits. THAT is hands-on producing.
Mika writes: “As your resident scientist who has worked for a few years in a research laboratory focused on the cosmic microwave background radiation, I’m obliged to point out that seeing circles is like finding patterns in the static of old sk00l tvs. (Literally, just like it — a percentage of that static IS the Cosmic Microwave Background!)”
Answer: Hey, Mika! I think I saw you at the bar last night, then when I turned around you had disappeared like two protons colliding at high energy.
Lloyd67 writes: “A new Stargate spin-off ? by Robert C. Cooper? Seriously?”
Answer: No. Not seriously.
Major D. Davis writes: “Given recent developments, are you still confident about a renewal. I know theres a lot more to it then numbers, so fingers crossed!”
Answer: Neither confident nor pessimistic. We produced a terrific second season and, at the end of the day, that’s all we can do. Things like what night we air, what segment of our audience records or downloads, are elements beyond our control.
I just want to say, before anyone says otherwise, you DID make a great series. Anyone who says otherwise is looking for something to rail against.
Thanks for sharing! Looks like everyone had a great time!!!
And I’m hoping for positive news on a third season renewal.
Have a good night!
Joe:
I cooked a Hungarian dinner for my American students and I thought that both the soup and the dessert would be fun to submit to your “I make the best whatever” contest.
Hungarian Goulash Soup (beef stew) for 4 people
Ingredients
350-400 gram beef stew (cut to about 1.5 cm x 1.5 cm cubes)
1 large or 2 medium onion(s) chopped
Vegetable oil (be generous so that the onion does not burn at the beginning
1 large peeled and chopped tomato (put it into boiling water for a minute and then it is easy to peel)
2 cloves of garlic (finely chopped)
1 quarter of a bell pepper
2-3 teaspoons ground red pepper
black pepper
salt
half a teaspoon sugar if necessary
some ground caraway seeds
1 parsnip peeled and sliced
1 carrot peeled and sliced
2 large russet potatoes cut into about 1.5 cm pieces
Heat vegetable oil and sauté the chopped onion in it until union begins to soften (until it has a ’glassy’, transparent look). Add beef and sauté it until beef is brown on all sides. Add ground red pepper sauté it shortly (should not be left to sauté too long because the red pepper will taste bitter). Add tomato, bell pepper, some ground black pepper, salt, caraway seeds, garlic, and enough water to cover the meat (you may choose to add about an 8 cm long celery stick. If you prefer it spicy, add a few slices of jalapeno pepper to it. You may also add a little red wine for better taste). Bring it to boil, reduce heat and keep it quietly boiling (simmering) for about 45 minutes. Stir occasionally. If the meat is too hard, add half a teaspoon sugar (just carefully, it should not taste sweet).
Add potatoes, carrot and parsnip and about 1 liter water. It should be a thick soup. Keep simmering the soup until potatoes, carrot and parsnip are cooked. When ready, remove the celery and the bell pepper. Usually tastes better the next day.
PICTURE: http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p190/csiguci/P1100503.jpg
Hungarian sponge cake (‘Somloi galuska’)
Ingredients:
half a pound cake
half a chocolate pound cake (both pound cakes could be the easy to make store variant)
1 vanilla pudding (about 600 ml)
1 chocolate pudding (about 600 ml)
(milk to the pudding)
some chocolate syrup
50 ml Rum or Rum flavor
50 gram raisins (or cranberries)
whipped cream
100 mg ground (or finely chopped) walnut
Put the raisins into 25 gram rum. Tear pound cakes into small (about 2 cm) pieces, and put one layer of pound cake (both the regular and the chocolate flavored one) into the ball, put a layer of vanilla pudding, walnut, raisins (add the rum with it), rum (flavor), chocolate syrup on top. Add another layer of pound cakes and pudding, walnut, raisins, rum and chocolate syrup. Repeat this until you have ingredients. Put it in the fridge for about 12 hours. Add whipped cream before serving (either on top of the whole bowl or on top of the smaller portions put into cups before serving.
PICTURES: http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p190/csiguci/P1100496.jpg
http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p190/csiguci/P1100502.jpg
(Note: I took a picture right after I put the cake together and another with the whipped cream on right before serving)
Great pictures, would of been funny to see Louis in most of them with that face lol. And OMG Mike Dopud, he hasn’t had the screentime he deserves thus far.
Since someone mentioned Universe stuff, the whole cosmic microwave background radiation stuff is brain melting. I love the new theory about a previous universe existing before the current one like after a very very very long time the universe just reboots.
Besides posing outrageously for photos, I’m fairly certain Louie also secretly studies engineering. He was one of the five who figured out the mystery of the red spiny-stick I had in my bag of Cocktail Physics.
haha sorry joe you got one wrong Destiny does have a manufacturer ability, it creates kinos I can even cite it. http://stargate.mgm.com/photosynth/index.html# kino room , kino dispenser. which also got me thinking shouldn’t these things start coming out all shinny and new sometime soon. This is the kind of thing that happens when you watch the whole thing of SG-1 SGA and SGU at least once a year.
Carl looks like he has multiple personalities. Smiling in one picture, serial killer in the next.
You make your in-laws stay in the garage when visiting? What, and leave your car parked outside exposed to the elements and possible thievery?
I just picked up The Iron Hunt by Marjorie M Liu and also got her Darkness Calls. Thought I’d “go for broke” and read them both.
Sweet Pixies and people!
Hey Joe,
WOW!!! What great show-n-tell pictures. A double thank you for the Patrick and Carl pictures. *BIGsmile*
Looks…and by the sound of it…like everyone had a great time. Hard to believe that our hiatus is fast approaching. Life without fresh episodes just isn’t the same. BUT I will admit that I appreciate how fast the DVDs come out.
I am looking forward to hearing about Japan again…you make EVERYTHING seem so inviting.
Best to you Joe,
Always,
Cheryl. 🙂
Two questions, Mr. Mallozzi.
1. When writing a script, do you write the A story, then the B story (and so on, if there are more threads in the episode), or do you mix and match as you go along?
2. Does the opening montage change length based on whether the episode is a few seconds long or short?
Looks like you had fun, I would have drooled at that food ‘ahh aw – seafood!’ Where was your friend Rob?
And thank you for that picture of the Oh-So-Lovely Will Waring. I find him devilishly handsome. I’d take him any day over those other younger pretty boys. 😛
Hi Joe, I’m starting to think that (from the pictures) Louis Ferreira is the “Bluto” Blutarsky of the cast ;-), or is that just his standard pose for pictures? Seems like it was fun all around.
@Tammy Dixon:
My daughter relented on the cheesecake so now I’m making a “White Chocolate/Strawberry Cheesecake”. I’ll take pictures and post the recipe later in the week.
for some reason the pic of louis photobombing ashleigh and patrick amused me.
is it still photpbombing if he is not in the background?
For Judy in SATX: I assume you mean San Antonio? PBMom is considering a visit. Contact me via Twitter or Facebook (search Gilder McCarroll or baterista9)
wow. awesome accomplishment for season 2, and great pics!
2 questions
1) is it just me, or is mr carlyle absent from these gatherings?
2) does jamil smoke? please, say it ain’t so 🙂
It would be sad news if SG:U didn’t receive a season 3 because the series is OUTSTANDING!!! I look forward to it every Tuesday, and Friday night after Sanctuary.
Hey I recognize Devon. She was in last week’s episode of Supernatural.
I too recommend the Lost Fleet series which leads me to the question(s):
— What services are involved in SG command?
— Are the service members of SG command Special Forces?
— Why the Air Force over the Navy/Marines?
personally, aside from their short ribs and beet and goat cheese dish, i haven’t been impressed by Market. But those short ribs are so good. Love that puree too
@Randomness — I must agree about Mike Dopud. I’m getting crumbs. Appreciative crumbs, but I’d like to get a piece of apple to get my teeth into for him with dialogue lines since I’ll be talking about it when the episode is over.
Looks like a wonderful party. You all should be very proud of the show you have given to us (at least what we’ve seen and you tell us it gets even better on the second half). We are 100% supportive of Stargate in all its forms and hope that not only will hear news of a season 3 for SGU, but also that 1 of the 2 Stargate movies (either for SG-1 or SGA) will be made depending upon cast availability. I want to thank you for the hours of enjoyment you have given me and my family; I know from reading this blog and watching the behind the scenes stuff on the special content DVDs and listening to the commentaries how much hard work goes into each thing. It sounds almost like birthing a baby every week.
Thank you for posting the pictures, too. Nice to see everyone out of the work wardrobes.
Tuesday is the big 2nd renal surgery day. Let’s hope for a complicated-free, successful smash-up (ESWL) that is only followed by a few days of pain as I pass the stuff. I would not have scheduled my surgery on a Tuesday when a new SGU was airing, or the Thanksgiving feast at my son’s school that parents are allowed to attend. I’ve never missed anything for him ever. But I just cannot wait any longer. I’m sending Jeff to cover Patrick. He wanted to stay with me, but I told him if he stayed with me, all I’ll do is cry because no one is there with him and I don’t want to be upset going under anesthesia. (Am I manipulative, or what?) But I’m serious about the SGU episode. Wish me luck.
BTW, my very long write up about Malice with 30 or more beautiful high-definition pictures is up on WormholeRiders now: http://wormholeriders.com/blog/?p=20746
I hope I picked up on the feelings of Park/Volker correctly. They did a superb job. My heart stopped too many times with all the peril our cast was in. Stargate at its finest. Bravo to all.
Great pictures of a well deserved celebration!
This season has been even better than the first (which at the time I considered my favourite).
Hope all your ratings wishes come true.
ps. don’t forget everybody….
White Ribbon day this Thursday (25th Nov)
See below link if your country has any local affiliation
http://www.whiteribbon.ca/international/
Alan
Oops, meant to say…
Eszter – what happened to the paprika? And taking out the capsicum (sorry – bell pepper)? The two best ingredients!
To be honest it still sounds very tasty! Although I’d skip the tomato and put diced capsicum instead as tomato makes me sick!
The cake though – no need to change that – YUM!!!!!
Jo
I just awoke from the most bizzare dream. I was hiking up a snowy moutain with a group of strangers. Most of us had spikey hiking boots on.
Then I came across Mr. Carl Binder arguing with another guy about his lack of appropriate footware; he was too important not to have spikes.
So Carl shot him dead… then stole his shoes…
What does it all mean?
AM
Mike’s smart. Wearing the baby keeps people from asking to hold the baby. I usually wear my baby when out, but I didn’t Friday night and learned that people who have been drinking have no inhibition about asking to hold a baby.
Another awesome season, which I can’t wait to watch, as soon as my credit card allows me. Amazon has been rejecting my credit card’s advances (that Amazon is such a tease). I’m guessing my credit card is smarting from my recent West and East coast adventures. Plus I’m now realizing my credit card is not The Giving Tree, and it has this thing called a “limit;” I think it is a French word that means “bite me.” So I’m saving up last week’s missed ep for the T-giving holiday and I’ll do a relaxed SGU mini marathon over break.
I came across Thomas’ Bagel Thins at the grocery sto’ and nearly plotzed. You get the bagel yummyness without the carb guilt. They are perfect for making Dagwood sandwiches.
http://thomasbagelthins.com/
Absolutely well deserved celebration! Kudos on a great first half of the second season! I have no doubt that the second half will be just as great, if not even better.
To Heather from the Locations Department: Consider the Drumheller area for an alien planet scene… probably cheaper and more convenient than flying to US, too. Do a Google search for Drumheller and you will find quite a few pics. I’m looking around for more suggestions.
We are so blase about life and where we live and get so wrapped up in our own mishegas that we don’t see what’s around us. I am seeing some really interesting places – too bad I don’t have the money or the time to see them in real life… although I did visit the Drumheller badlands years ago and felt like I was in an alien land.
Ok, with the knowledge that your thoughts/opinion has no impact on the shows renewal or not. Do you think the show could be done in a 15 or 13 episode season? Or in a half-hour format? In the case that Syfy wants to keep the show, but doesn’t want to spend as much money on it for fear of a bust.
@ avabird – Oh, I love the twists and turns in these Pendergast stories! They really are an indulgent read. Mebbe TOO indulgent! 😉 I love seeing the little microscopic views of Pendergast – seen through the eyes of others – it just really makes the character pop off the page for me, and when I can see a character so clearly, I can care about them. Just a great and exciting read, and a yet another character custom made for m, though he has a long way to go to catch up to Elric. Pendergast isn’t quite as self-destructive and self-critical as I like, but he makes up for it in many other ways. 🙂
I’ve asked Joe if he’s read the books, and all I heard was crickets in reply. I figure his silence means one of two things: 1. He doesn’t know what the hell I’m talking about, or, 2. He has read the books but found them less than thrilling, and he doesn’t want to hurt my feelings by criticizing them.
Really, these books seem to be written more to the female reader’s taste. I lot of male readers have complained about the strong characterization of Pendergast (some women, too – but more men than women), which leads me to believe that such a close character study is not what men want from their stories. I love the character study – that’s what I read for these days – so for me the more, the better. I just think that – unless it’s a little Asian schoolgirl – Joey really doesn’t want to know how slender the heroes fingers are, or how his hand trembles when he’s upset, or how mellifluous his voice is…just doesn’t seem to be what Mr. M is into.
Amirite?
das
Maybe so, but I was able to find Robert C immediately in the cast photo. Rush SO reminds me of a modern Dr. Smith.
Thx for pix
DD
Joe: Thanks for the reply I didn’t know that you couldn’t read them, but I suppose that makes sense. The pictures from the party look awesome and it looks like everyone had a great time. Love the food!!!
I hope that things continue on with a great pace like they have and MGM keeps SGU around for a while.
Have you read Ray Bradbury? I really enjoy his stuff, even though its old and he’s talking about the future that we all live in now some of the things he writes about in his stories have actually come true. Fun most people would never think that science fiction would turn into science fact.
Hey Joe,
Missed a few days of your blog so I have some catching up to do. Ahhh…the Furlings, I always wondered who should get the credit for that terrible name!!! You know you should have gave a brief reason why they were never around by the first five seasons of SG-1 so there wouldn’t be any questions about a ridiculously named alien. Did anyone not think about it or did you guys want it to be a series running gag?
Maybe the mission of the Destiny should have been in search of the Furlings…cute cuddly furballs who after the alliance with the Asgard and Ancients, figured out time-travel and went all the way back to the beginning of existence and couldn’t go back, so they sent a message, which basically says hi we’re the furlings and we do not want to meet anyone from earth, so leave us alone.
One other thing….LOVED the analogy, you should keep that as a standard reply for the “why isn’t SGU like SG1 and SGA.
Looking forward to tomorrow night!!
I saw the Robert Cooper interview, and I do wish him well now that he has left SGU. I had hoped to hear a serious interview instead of the tongue-in-cheek fooling around that I heard… I was somewhat less than impressed! I don’t know why he bothered to waste his time, or mine, for that matter and can only guess what Ajay Frye thought.
Yeah, some people do need a life sometimes, but there are people who hang on every word, hoping to hear an interesting tidbit of information about one of their favourite programs. We just can’t get enough of the Stargate franchise.
I am one of his fans and I do thank him for the outstanding work he did on all the SG shows, but … it would have been nice for him to take the fans a little more seriously.
Looks like a lovely party, Joe. And a fabulous dinner. Now I may have to go out for sushi tonight. That sesame crusted tuna thing looks great.
You’re having snow and we’re having heat and tornadoes. 70 degrees today followed by 45 tomorrow. Gotta love living in the Chicago area.
@AVABIRD: Yep, those Pendergast books are addictive. I picked up a used copy of Cabinet of Curiosities and will start it soon.
@das: finished Reliquary – I’ll send you an email with my thoughts on the book in general and Pendergast in particular.
Is that Tio Z? I totally went to elementary & high school with him, he looked familiar in the first pic, not so much the second, but now i’m pretty sure.
Has David Blue been working out, he looks good, like he lost a bunch of weight. You guys aren’t working him too hard are you?
Friday’s episode was awesome, I am starting to really like the alternate locations than wooded forests. Have you guys ever thought of moving production to a new location even if just for an entire season?
Thank you for a new distraction: goodreads. I am now trying to identify every book I’ve ever read; the lists seem never to end!
Damn, I’m away from the computer for a few days and you have a wrap party! Love the pics. Really got to catch up on the last few days’ postings. Recipe contest? ack. Suppose I can go with my roast beef. It’s a winner at work at least. Or I can use the next couple of days to test out something I’ve wanted to try. If the crew survives, maybe I’ll submit it. Anyways, thanks for being more consistant in your posting than I have been in reading them lately.(hangs head in shame). I will strive to do better, at least for the rest of this year.
Wonderful pictures! A lot of beautiful couples and great food.
Looks like everyone is having a wonderful time at the party. Pictures are great,thanks! Happy faces! Food! A raised glass to a 3rd season! Hope you all hear good news soon.
Hey, I’d just like to thank you for answering my previous question. Best of luck to you.
Thanks for Sharing the men were well Groomed the Ladies AWSOME!!!!
AmmoMonkey wrote,
I knew it! Carl is a serial killer!!
(or, AmmoMonkey has been eating too much spicey food lately.)
Hi Joe, I haven’t commented in quite a while, for no particular conscious reason. Anyhow, thanks for all the party-pics, it’s always fun to see the cast and crew having a good night out.
And yes, you’ve all made a great show!
(For anyone who wishes to misinterpret that, yes I do mean SGU :P)
Tammy Dixon:
Okay, I’m baking the White Chocolate Cheesecake right now. I’ve posted the pictures of what I have so far (final assembly is on Wednesday and I’ll post a finished picture then):
http://www.flickr.com/photos/55871901@N05/5199883437/in/photostream/
You may want to sneak up on the Almond Extract and start at 1 Tsp the first time out. I’m currently using 2 Tsp. It gives it a little bit of an “almond cookie” aftertaste (which I think compliments the strawberry flavor), but other tastes may vary 😉
I don’t expect that Joe will enter this into the contest given his aversion to mixing cheesecake and fruit, but I’ll leave that up to him. Hmmm, maybe I should make one of my Butterscotch/Caramel Cheesecakes? Or Pizza? Decisions, decisions…
Safe Holidays everyone!
Oh and,
@PBMom
Sending you prayers and well-wishes for your surgery!
Morning coat or mourning coat? 🙂
Also, is Ken’s Holywood kinda like Bollywood but in Jerusalem?
Just kidding–thanks for the wrap party pix!
From the picture, I imagine the curry chicken tasted quite typical. Good curries can be hard to find unless you know someone who makes them. It’s a pity my neighbour went back to India.
From the looks of most of the food you post and the descriptions you give, I believe my taste in food is rather dissimilar to yours. I’m more picky and guess what? I’ve recently decided to cut down on eating pork. Yup. Accidentally took a mouthful of what I hoped was beef, even though the grains looked wrong and didn’t like it! I used to love pork. What happened to my tastebuds?
I promise not to keep dragging this out, Joe, but I have a bit of a quibble with this response. First of all if Ms. Kennair was strictly referring to characters who only got back half focus for THIS SEASON, then why would she mention TJ? TJ’s story regarding her baby’s “death” and whether the baby is safe and sound with the left behind crewmembers from “Faith” , has been one of the major arcing storylines of the first half of season two. In fact it and the addition of the LA characters were the two first major new arcing plotlines established in season two. As a result TJ has gotten a storyline, more development and more screen time in the first half of the current season. The same can’t be said for Greer so there’s no way, in my opinion, that Ms. Kennair could have grouped the two characters together. In my opinion I think Ms. Kennair ‘s point was not about the evolution of Greer and TJ over the course of the sophomore season, but rather it was her feeling that the two had instead been developed much more in the second season than they were in the first. Of course you spoke with her and I didn’t and therefore maybe I am misinterpreting her intent.
Last of all TJ’s arcing story is another example of the type of plot developments that Greer lacks. Greer never has gotten a storyline that plays itself out over a few episodes let alone an entire season. He doesn’t discover a bridge that he tries to keep secret, or gets infected by aliens, or worries about a loved one left behind on Earth, or pines over a colleague, or succumbs to the pressures of command, or, in the case of TJ, hold on to hope that a child that was presumed dead may be alive somewhere out there thanks to the benevolence of a powerful race from another galaxy. All of Greer’s stories are far more self-contained and have no effect on the overall plots and storylines of the series.
Oh, great photos by the way.
Hi, i am from Hungary.
The series excellent, for me i love it!!! But somewhat with more action scene could be much better.
A question: Why the Atlantis does not fly after the Destiny with the star drive? There could be good battles between Atlatnis&Destiny and the purple aliens. 🙂