I sing now, for the umpteenth time, of the raw egg white, feared by many, adored by classic cocktail aficionados, and a sure way to get me to sit up and pay attention to almost any cocktail.

That’s a good thing, because this week’s drink could definitely use a little love. I stumbled over it at the massive bevatorium assembled by David Wondrich for Esquire and was immediately grabbed by the drink’s eggy simplicity. I was also struck by the immense terseness of the usually voluble Wondrich’s eight-word take: “A wet martini with a head; see the Hearst.”

What could a drink do to be both worthy of inclusion, yet apparently unworthy of sufficient verbiage — or even a reasonably accurate graphic? Was both Wondrich and the Esquire art department tired and on deadline? Was he forced to grudgingly submit to pressure to include this drink from the vast and shadowy gin-sweet vermouth-and-egg-white-industrial-complex?

Finally, why was every other cocktail I could find on line called “White Elephant” a completely different concoction that usually involved ingredients like coconut milk, white creme de cacao, heavy cream, white rum, and other things that are very, very white and nothing but white? This drink, as my brilliant photographic work reveals, is not precisely white, as elephants go. What gives? Who knows, but clearly the first thing to do is try the damn drink.

The White Elephant a la Wondrich

2 ounces gin
1 ounce sweet vermouth
1 egg white
1 cherry (garnish)

The drill is basically the same as for every cocktail involving egg whites or eggs. Combine the gin, vermouth, and egg white in a cocktail shaker, but with no ice. Shake well to emulsify the egg, then add ice and really shake well. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass or reasonable facsimile. Add a cherry for a bit of extra sweetness and color, and toast the pachyderm of your choice.

******

I have to say that while I thoroughly enjoy this drink and find it nicely refreshing yet neither too sweet nor too anything else, I can see what it maybe hasn’t taken off and has become, yes, a white elephant of a mixed drink. It’s not really sweet enough for the sweets lovers, nor is it boozy, complex, bitter, or tart enough for many a cocktail snob. It’s nevertheless got plenty of booze in it, and the combination of egg white, liquid, and ice guarantees it all goes down in the most delightful way. A wet martini not only with a head, but with a wonderfully comfy ova cushion.

I did try messing around a bit with ingredients and proportions. Lowering the amount of gin by half an ounce didn’t really hurt the drink, but the increase in sweetness turned out to be minimal. The results using both of my two fall back sweet vermouths, Noilly-Pratt and Carpano Antica, were just fine, though this time I leaned ever so slightly towards the lighter touch of Noilly-Pratt. Still, the only really wrong move I made was adding bitters. So often, bitters can really save a drink; sometimes, however, it’s just the reverse.

So, why is the White Elephant so benighted that even a chatty cocktail historian has almost nothing to say about it? I think it’s the name. Not only is it unflattering, it’s inaccurate. This elephant is not white. It’s another color entirely.

Here’s an awesome side boob shot of the very voluptuous Carra as she only wearing her bikini bottoms.

Toyota is seeking to reinvent itself after a disastrous few years when trade collapsed due to the global financial crisis and Toyota experienced its greatest ever loss, production was impeded after the earthquake and tsunami in Tōhoku in 2011, and the company mounted the world’s largest recall campaign in 2009 which blemished the company’s once-immaculate safety record.

One solution

For decades, Toyota emphasized its staid reliability, which is oft-mentioned by motoring.com.au, a leading source of automotive news. In 2012, however, it announced that it wanted to be one of the cool kids. The largest automaker in Japan said it would re-jig its development system to grant engineers greater freedom to experiment with designs that were bolder and more daring. Chief executive, Akio Toyoda, the grandson of the company’s founder, declared, “We want to take more risks.”

Previously, as many as 100 executives could review design changes, but the process is no longer democratic, and less executives are now involved. More research and development work will be devolved to teams in emerging economy nations so that models can be tailored to local needs. Engineers will be constrained by pressure to reduce costs by employ standard parts.

The Camry – a boring, beige appliance

The Camry is an eminently sensible means of obtaining groceries and the best-selling car in North America, but its design has long been mocked. A 2011 article by Motor Trend magazine stated that terms such as “boring,” “appliance,” and “beige” were often used to describe it. Tokuo Fukuichi, who became Toyota’s chief designer in 2011, said this was the result of a consensus-driven process that attempted to please everybody but consequently excited nobody. Fukuichi said that if people are to be passionate about a design, some people are going to hate it. He knows of what he speaks, having designed the first generation Previa – the “egg van” – which is among Toyota’s most love-it-or-hate-it vehicles.

The Kluger is now more masculine

One example that shows that Toyota is achieving its goal is the Kluger, which is sold in the United States as the Highlander. It was a favorite of busy mothers but was made more masculine to increase its appeal to males. It’s now longer and marginally wider than its predecessor and features improved aerodynamics, sculptured side-door panels, and a progressive silhouette. Toyota hopes that this auto’s increased sophistication and dynamism will tilt the Kluger’s balance more to yang than yin, and Toyota Kluger reviews will attest to its success in this venture.

Designer were given free reign with the Avalon

Then, there is the Avalon, for which U.S. designers were given free rein in its re-styling. Reviewers acknowledged that wraparound taillights and a trapezoidal grille had changed the way the vehicle feels to a great degree. When Toyoda first clapped eyes on the revised vehicle, he is said to have exclaimed, “Cool! Don’t change a thing.”

And, finally…

Toyota’s engineering and production was once driven by kaizen, the making of continual, incremental improvements rather than radical changes. Fukuichi said that this could produce a fashion model but not an actress who was unforgettable even if her figure were less attractive and her face unusual.

When asked if Toyota’s design process could soon emulate that of Apple, which is famed for eschewing market research and going with its designers’ tastes, Toyoda said his company was “headed more in that direction” and needed to be “more visionary.”

Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Benedict Cumberbatch, Karl Urban, Simon Pegg, John Cho, Anton Yelchin

J.J. Abrams

To look back on the controversy circling around J.J. Abrams’ reboot of the “Star Trek” franchise is like trying to remember a distant dream: you vaguely recall that the fans of the long-running sci-fi franchise were freaking out about the idea of new actors slipping on the uniforms of James T. Kirk and the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise, but so many Trekkies came to embrace Abrams’ “Star Trek” so quickly that it’s almost like the controversy never happened. Y’know, like pretty much everything that ever happened in the original “Star Trek” series and movies. Or have you forgotten how Nero (Eric Bana), the villain in the 2009 film, went back in time on a mission of vengeance and proceeded to change the course of history?

Of course you haven’t forgotten. And you can be damned sure the Trekkies haven’t, either. Ever since Abrams’ film effectively wiped the slate clean on “Trek” history, theories have been flying by at warp speed about whether the next film would find Kirk and company on an all-new voyage or if the storyline might feature new takes on more classic characters. The answer? A little from Column A and a little from Column B. Thing is, we can’t really tell you much about the bits from Column B. Or, rather, we could, but we don’t want to spoil the fun…even if at least one of those fun bits has been bandied about as a plot possibility for the sequel from the very beginning.

Like its predecessor, “Star Trek Into Darkness” more or less starts off at full throttle, with the crew of the Enterprise in the midst of a mission to a strange new world which hasn’t yet reached the level of technology as the worlds within the United Federation of Planets, putting it under protection of the so-called Prime Directive. If you’re unfamiliar with the “Trek” mythos, this basically means that the planet is supposed to be left alone to develop at its own pace, but even if you barely know “Trek” at all, you still probably know that Kirk’s never been a big fan of following the rules, and as a comparative youngster in Starfleet, he’s still learning that there are significant consequences when the rules are broken. What he’s also learning is that not every officer is cut from the same cloth as Christopher Pike (Bruce Greenwood); some tend toward the hard-ass method of command, like Admiral Marcus (Peter Weller).

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We were fortunate to review a Sumo Lounge Emperor urban lounge chair, and let me tell you, this is no ordinary chair. The Sumo measures 55” x 25” and is the perfect chair to snuggle up with your partner and watch a movie or read your favorite book! The Sumo Emperor is made of a material called Ballistic nylon, which is PVC-coated nylon that is super durable but smooth. I noticed right away that after a family or friend sat in the Emperor for the first time, it was damn near impossible to get them to sit on anything else in the room. Be careful, as things can get heated when deciding who gets the Sumo when watching a ball game with pals. Our test model was a bright red and it really lights up a room with positive energy.

You can purchase the Sumo Emperor directly on the Sumo website, and it will run you around $249 shipped airtight through FedEx.

If you like platinum blondes with great bodies then you’ll love Stephanie Farris.

Theresa Russell has spent far more of her career on the silver screen than the small screen, so when she takes on a TV role, it’s a pretty big deal. Of course, “Liz & Dick” was already destined to be a big deal whether Russell had been cast as Elizabeth Taylor’s mother or not, simply by virtue of Lindsay Lohan playing Liz, but that doesn’t make it any less lovely to see Russell turn up.

With “Liz & Dick” now available on DVD, Russell kindly set about doing a bit of press for the production, and in chatting with Bullz-Eye, she discussed how working alongside Lohan caused her maternal instincts to kick in, revealed how serious funnyman Bill Murray can be, and detailed the good and the bad about her short-lived stint as a series regular on The WB’s “Glory Days.”

Bullz-Eye: I feel like I’m the only TV critic who didn’t get a chance to watch “Liz & Dick” when it originally aired, so I’m glad they sent me a copy of the DVD release in time to watch it before you and I talked.

Theresa Russell: And…? [Laughs.] What did you think?

BE: I enjoyed it well enough.

TR: It’s entertaining, I think.

BE: Well, I tend to enjoy bio-pics in general, if only just to see how a cast and crew decide to tackle the challenge of bringing someone’s life story to the screen.

TR: Yeah. I think Lindsay did a good job. And I didn’t realize that (Elizabeth Taylor’s) mom was so involved her life, either, until doing that, so I thought it was interesting. I actually met Liz. My former husband, Nicolas Roeg, did…I think it was for CBS, but it was Tennessee Williams’ “Sweet Bird of Youth” with her. She was just a wonderful woman. I even tried on that damned diamond. [Laughs.] She goes, “Here, try it on!” I was, like, “Oh, my God…” We were standing around her pool. I put it on, and the thing was…I’m not a big jewelry person, so I thought it would look like a hunk of glass, but it didn’t. It was beautiful. I mean, looking into it was like looking into infinity. It was unbelievably beautiful. She was a trip, though. She was an amazing woman. She really was special. A special creature.

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The sharp looking Outlander Sport Limited Edition compact crossover was a great choice to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Mitsubishi Motors entering the North American marketplace. Our laguna blue test model was very sleek and sporty and stood out from the crowd.

Mitsubishi designers and engineers have given the 2014 Outlander a fresh, contemporary face that is both appealing and functional with reduced aerodynamic drag. Further aiding fuel economy is a lightweight body that tips the scales approximately 200 pounds less than that of the outgoing Outlander – all while providing a high level of collision safety and structural rigidity through use of high-tensile steel.

Manufactured at the company’s automobile assembly plant in America’s heartland in Normal, Illinois, the 2013 Outlander Sport Limited Edition makes quite a visual statement with its distinctly ominous look, thanks to its blackout side mirrors, center bumper, wheel arch trim and roof rails, accompanied by special argent Limited Edition alloy wheels. Rounding out this exquisitely styled package is special “Limited Edition” badging, black roof rails, front bumper with black center, black side view mirrors, black wheel arch moldings, 18-inch alloy wheels with chrome finish, super wide range and HID headlights.

With its sleek, new interior design direction and high-quality cabin materials, the all-new 2014 Outlander is an affordably priced crossover that is an ideal vehicle for the cost conscience automotive consumer. The 2014 Outlander’s new interior design emphasizes ergonomics, aesthetics, comfort and quality. From the new soft-touch instrument panel, to the eye-catching gloss black center waterfall, to the lovely wood grain trim, the interior of this handsome crossover exudes opulence. In addition to the 2014 Mitsubishi Outlander’s long list of welcome standard amenities, our Limited Edition (LE) model sported features like a next-generation navigation system, a state-of-the-art 710-watt Rockford-Fosgate sound system, the latest version of Mitsubishi’s extraordinary Super All Wheel Control (S-AWC) all-wheel drive system, power driver’s seat, heated front seats, rear camera system, engine switch with chrome accent, Fuse hands free link system with USB port, one-touch engine start and stop, fast key entry system, steering wheel mounted paddle shifters, full color multi information display, ECO driver indicator lamp, rain sensing wipers, leather wrapped steering wheel, leather wrapped shift knob, keyless entry with panic alarm and much more.

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Get ready for the Google Glass and camera revolution. We’re entering a new phase of the mobile technology revolution where everything around us or everything we observe can be recorded. We’ve seen how powerful video can be with people pulling out their smart phones when something happens, but with Google Glass and other devices that can constantly record what’s around you we’ve reached a new level.

Not surprisingly, casinos, hotels and other establishments in places like Las Vegas aren’t really thrilled about this prospect and are looking to ban the use of Google Glass. When you consider how this can impact casino gambling and help cheaters you immediately understand their concern. The casino gaming culture has changed somewhat over the years as casinos have proliferated outside of Las Vegas to America’s heartland and with all of the easy online options like www.ladbrokes.com, but certain things like security never change when there’s so much money at stake. Google Glass and similar devices like sunglasses with tiny cameras change all that.

But in Las Vegas it goes even further. Remember the adage that “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas?” Well that whole idea is threatened as well as more and more aspects of life in Sin City can be recorded by visitors. In some ways this protects the patrons from themselves. Think about it – do you really want a video out there documenting your drunken weekend with the guys if you’re married or have a girlfriend? You can cause a lot of trouble by breaking out Google Glass during a bachelor or bachelorette party.

This of course extends beyond Las Vegas as well, as these cameras threaten privacy everywhere. Tools like Google Glass will open up huge possibilities for productivity and fun, but like with every great technological leap will also raise tons of questions as society adapts. Expect this to be a huge issue in the coming years.

We photographed Natalie in an airplane hanger in England. Here we have this Irish model posing with some hot lingerie and sexy boots.