BODHI

For over a week now I have been watching Bodhi. I visit him three times a day to feed him, play with him, and to make sure that he has a full dish of clean water. Sometimes we just hang out and cuddle. Bodhi's a leaner...he just likes to sit next to you and lean into you! Sometimes we play fetch, but that only lasts about 3 throws before he loses interests and stops bringing the ball back to me. Bodhi's a pretty cool dog. He's sweet and mellow...and he just sits there while I clean his infected ear and bad skin {poor Bodhi has really bad allergies}. ANyways, I think he's damn cute. So here are some photos of my best new bud, Bodhi. 

Bodhi, bringing me back the ball....

But not really...he'd rather keep it for himself....

"He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. 

You are his life, his love, his leader. 

He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. 

You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion"

HOP INK & Greek Cuisine!

So, my friend Gina came to visit for the weekend. We had a lovely time filled with sunbathing, food, chatting, food, and more food. Anyways, before she left on Monday evening I made us an easy and delicious greek feast for lunch. Here's the easy recipes:

Greek Salad:

• lettuce (romaine)
• sliced cucumber
• sliced tomato
• thinly sliced sweet yellow onion
• kalmata olives
• feta cheese

greek salad dressing:

1/3 lemon juice

2/3 GOOD olive oil

salt and pepper

fresh dill

Served alongside our Greek Salad was Grilled Lemon Chicken Shishkabobs with homemade tzatziki.

Grilled Lemon Chicken Shishkabobs:

Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Cut into cubes. Load up the skewer and then douse the chicken with lemon juice (squeeze a whole lemon on there!), and a generous amount of salt and pepper. Pour some olive oil on top or spray with PAM and throw onto a hot grill. I had the grill on Medium-High. I let the chicken cook on one side for about 5 minutes before turning it.

Tzatziki Sauce:

• 1 small container plain yogurt, or greek yogurt
• small handful of chopped fresh dill
• even smaller handful of chopped fresh mint
• salt & pepper
• grated cucumber, (about half a medium-sized cucumber)

Boom. It was delicious. Yummy greek salad and some fresh-off-the-grill lemon chicken topped with homemade tzatziki. I think the whole meal took me about 20 minutes to make...grilling included. Serve a grilled pita on the side -- brush with some olive oil, throw on the grill - a minute or so on each side. MmMmMm.

Here's Gina and I after our lovely afternoon lunch.

“He who receives his friends and gives no personal attention to the meal which is being prepared for them, is not worthy of having friends.”
Jean-Antheleme Brillat-Savarin (1755-1826)

**************

Gina's Company, HOP Ink Studio. She makes hand-crafted notes, cards, envelopes, stationary, books and illustrations. To send to "somebunny" special. Again, her email address is ginaenberg@mac.com She has a store on etsy.com: hopinkstudios.etsy.com which will be updated with new inventory at the end of this month.

Sunshine means it's Iced Coffee Time!

MmMmMm been lovin' this weather. Soaking up the sun as much as possible, letting the Vitamin D revitalize and rejuvenate my soul after a not-so-fabulous month of rainy cold weather. To keep refreshed in this weather I have three favorite beverages: iced coffee, lemonade, and agua de sandia. There's something about these three delicious drinks that cools you down and leaves you feeling fresh. I figured that I would share my recipe's with you...as well as the best store-bought version, in case you don't have a few minutes on your hands.

Iced Coffee: Iced coffee is not just coffee poured over ice. That's where many are mistaken and are left with a watery, less-than-desirable sweaty glass of bleh. Underwhelming. The key is strong coffee, cold coffee, whole milk or cream, and WHEN the sweetener is added. Follow these simple steps and you are golden:

1. brew coffee an hour or so ahead of when you are going to want the iced coffee. in the summer i usually make a big brew and leave it in a pitcher in my fridge. you want the coffee to be EXTRA strong, so double up on your coffee grinds {whether its drip, bialetti, percolator, or french press -- definitely definitely add an extra few tablespoons of grinds}.

2. now - if you refuse to use fake sugar {aka splenda}, then add your sugar as soon as the coffee is finished brewing....if you wait until the coffee is cold and add your sugar then, than it won't dissolve. mix the sugar into hot coffee.

3. put your extra-strength, sweetened coffee into the fridge.

4. now comes the time to pour the coffee over ice and add milk. i recommend whole milk or cream {or soymilk..given it's creamy texture} because otherwise you are left with a watery iced coffee -- which is AWFUL. bah, i shudder just thinking about it. so please, use a thicker milk or cream, it is truly the only way.

5. for the advanced coffee drinker - i recommend making coffee ice cubes. YES, coffee ice cubes. that way, when the ice melts, it's not watering down your coffee!! real simple - just pour some of your leftover brew into an ice cube tray and set in the freezer.

If you want to get fancy, top with some whip cream or add some chocolate syrup - but I'm an iced-coffee purist. For those who are on the go, then MC DONALD'S iced coffee is a pretty phenomenal substitute for the homemade goods. I gotta hand it to McD's...they make a hell of a cup of coffee. I ask for mine to be unsweetened, light on the cream, with splenda on the side. I know, it sounds obnoxious - but otherwise you get 3/4 cream with a boatload of sugar. Trust me, if you order like I did: unsweetened, light on cream w/ splenda on the side you will be truly delighted with the results.

My second favorite warm-weather beverage, Lemonade. This is a delicious, easy twist on that. All you need are 2 lemons, 1 lime, sweetener {sugar, agave or splenda}, water, ice, a blender and a strainer. Fresh mint is optional, but adding only a few leaves really perks it up. Quarter the lemons and lime and put in the blender. The whole lemon...including the rind. Everything. Then add 1/3 ice and about 2/3 water. Add however much sweetener you'd like {I like my lemonade tart, so I only add a few tablespoons of Agave Nectar}. Blend. Let the blender work it's magic for a minute or two. Pour through a strainer (so it can catch the ground up rinds and seeds} and then serve over ice. Perfecto. Cloudy Lemonade. Garnish with some fresh mint and serve to your friends. If you're on the run, pick up a NANTUCKET NECTARS "Iced Tea Lemonade". Bah, it's EPIC.

Last, but not least, is Agua de Sandia. So deliciouso. And SO easy to make. Cut up some watermelon and fill up the blender with the chunks. Add a bit of water so it blends nicely, add handful of fresh mint, and some lime juice (1 lime). Hit the blender for about a minute, add water if it starts to stall in the blender, and then chill in the fridge for around an hour. Serve over ice. I'm not sure what you could substitute on the run for this one, so this perfect recipe will have to be saved for a lazy afternoon.

one year.

a lot has happened this past year. 

i've been a ton of places, meet some amazing people, and ate some damn-fine food. 

and for the past year i have been with my boyfriend, shawnie. 

it feels like only yesterday we met at the beach -- thanks to his beautiful dog, maude. 

we've had a ton of fun, a bunch of laughs, and at the end of the day he's my best friend. 

and really -- all that matters is that you're having fun. 

woohoo...cheers for one year!

The Grand essentials of happiness are: 

something to do, something to love, and something to hope for.

-- allan k. chalmers

those who matter

all that matters in life are those who matter, and no one else.

'64 Chevrolet Chevelle Camino

Oh lord, won't you buy me a '64 Chevelle El Camino...

Boom. I love it. There aren't any cars out there that really blow my skirt up. I love my bright blue Ford Fuckus with the big dent in the back door. There's no car that I want more than the Fuckus. It's cute, funny, efficient...and totally mine. BUT, if I were to buy a new when -- shall I say, WHEN I buy a new car, I want an El Camino. My dad drove a red one, back in the day, and he looked absolutely badass. After searching high and low, I decided that I like the Camino's from 1964...the Chevelle model.  What do you think? Can you see me crusin' in the Camino, boards hangin out the back and Maude cruisin with her head out the window? I can.

How Deep Is The Ocean.

The OH SO BEAUTIFUL and TALENTED, Peggy Lee.

I love a good love song. And I feel like all of the good love songs were produced during the "big band" time...performed by singers like Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee, Louis Armstrong, Benny Goodman, Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland, so on and so forth. I love the simplicity of the words, and the delicacy in which they are delivered. My latest favorite is titled "How Deep Is The Ocean".

How Deep Is The Ocean

How much do I love you?

I'll tell you no lie

How deep is the ocean?

How high is the sky?

How many times a day do I think of you?

How many roses are sprinkled with dew?

How far would I travel

to be where you are?

How far is the journey

from here to a star?

And if I ever lost you

how much would I cry?

How deep is the ocean?

How high is the sky?

Billie Holiday.

Check out Billie's version here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUG2SQK03tU

Spring Cuisine

I'm trying to channel Spring.

I feel like maybe if I dress, act and eat like it's Spring,

that it will finally arrive.

SO, Today for lunch I had:

Grapefruit & Avocado Salad

Lemon Linguini

w/ Sparkling White Wine

It was pretty tasty...certainly a Spring menu, so I figured that I would share the recipes with you. The grapefruit avocado salad is a version of an old Martha Stewart salad recipe...and the Lemon Linguini is my interpretation of a Nigella Lawson recipe. The sparkling white wine -- well, that's just genius.

Grapefruit Avocado Salad

- 1 Grapefruit

- 1 Avocado

- Romaine Lettuce

- Salt & Pepper

- E.V. Olive Oil

Slice up the grapefruit into sections...for a quick and easy time, you could even buy the Del Monte pre-sliced Ruby Red Grapefruit. Slice up the avocado as well. Prepare lettuce as you normally would, decorating with the avocado and grapefruit. The salad dressing is made out of the juice squeezed from the grapefruit(2/3), 1/3 olive oil, salt and pepper. For some extra sweetness, add a splash of Balsamic Vinegar. Boom. That's it.

Lemon Linguini

- Linguini (1/2 lb)

- Fresh Parsley

- 1 Lemon

- 1 Egg

- Parmesan Cheese

- E.V. Olive Oil

- Garlic {Powder}

- Oregano

- Salt & Pepper

Prepare linguini. Coat the cooked pasta with olive oil. When completely coated, beat egg YOLK (toss the egg white) and pour over pasta. Mix in well. Squeeze the juice of one lemon over pasta. Sprinkle with 1 to 2 tablespoons of oregano, 1 tablespoon of garlic powder, and a dusting of parmesan cheese. Salt and pepper to taste. Cut up a handleful of fresh parsley and mix into pasta.

For those who don't drink...instead of Sparkling White Wine, substitute with a fizzy Spring beverage: 3/4 Seltzer Water, 1/4 Juice {Cranberry} and a lime wedge.

Perfecto. Come on Spring...we're all rootin' for you!! No more rain or cold weather!

Happy Spring Everyone!!!

Hopefully all of these April showers will bring May Flowers.

April is a promise that May is bound to keep.

~Hal Borland

Bunnies & My Best Friend

This is my best friend, Gina Enberg.

I think about Gina all the time, but Easter always reminds me of her the most because she LOVES bunnies.  When I met Gina in college, all she talked about was her black and white bunny named Mickey, who had passed away. She painted pictures of him, drew pictures of him and told stories. He was like a dog...would cuddle her in the bed, go outside to the bathroom, and he had one ear that flopped over. So over the years, I have bought everything "bunny" for gina: from vintage cards, to bunny-shaped wicker baskets, bunny jewelry, t-shirts with bunnies on them....just everything and anything you could imagine. It's not hard to shop for G, but if all else fails and I'm stumped, I just have to go on Etsy.com and find some cool Mickey-esque bunny goods.

I met Gina in Professor Luttropp's Graphic Design I class my junior year of college. Considering that 99.9% of Montclair States students are complete jack-asses, I was very fortunate to of found such a spectacular person. A diamond in the rough! We would go out on Wednesday nights to Chevy's for margarita's, we would have lunch together in the afternoons (usually Gina's famous tunafish sandwiches) with iced tea, she would drag my ass to the on-campus gym where we would chat away and do crunches, run (and walk) around the track on campus, and just hang out to listen to music and create art. Gina made my college experience what it was, and I'm so thankful for that! We would trek into NYC and eat good food, and buy PAPER. Gina loves paper. She has worked at the Montclair Paperie for years now. She is a professional slicer, gluer, designer, creator extrodinaire! She has designed invitations and cards for the rich and famous (literally...Montclair is a happenin' town), and she always takes time to create cards for her friends and family. For years now I have received atleast 2 cards a month from Gina...90% of them being homemade, down to the envelopes! I have been saving them all, and when Gina is a famous illustrator I'll joke about selling her cards for millions!! Really though, I've never met someone so thoughtful in my whole life. She is a slave for the paperie, and on her day off she goes to church and then cooks lunch for her grandmother. Whenever she has a free second she goes down to her basement art space and starts creating. 

Aside from her (serious) obsession with bunnies, she also has a passion for Led Zepplin, paper, cupcakes, and brushing her teeth...a lot. She's beautiful, sincere, and humble - a rare person. SO, I decided that I would share my best friend with all of you. If you ever need any invitations, illustrations, or really anything that deals with art - Gina is your gal. And pay her twice what she's asking...because she always charges too little!  

Here are two things that Gina has designed for me. One is a poster for a show. Me, as a mermaid, wrapped around a tree - which is a guitar. The other is one that she designed for me...which I have yet to use...as a mermaid. 

I hope that everyone gets one special quirky, lovable, passionate, bunny-obsessed friend like I have. Because really, having somebody like Gina just makes life a better experience!

"I'd like to be the sort of friend that you have been to me.

I'd like to be the help that you've been always glad to be;

I'd like to mean as much to you each minute of the day

as you have always meant, old friend of mine, to me along the way"

FOR GINA ENBERG's ARTISTIC SERVICES, please inquire here:

ginaenberg@mac.com

ESPRESSO YOURSELF!

I love coffee.

I know coffee...intimately.

I've brewed a huge variety of beans, a million different ways.

I have finally found the best coffee.

Espresso by Goya :

aka "the Brick"

I know...it's not local, or organic, or EXPENSIVE...for $2.22 you can buy a 'brick' of Goya's Espresso. I guarantee you the best damn cup of coffee that you've ever had. It is strong, definitely not for the faint of heart. It is PERFECT for my Bialetti, works great in the common Drip, and deliciouso in the french press (though, I recommend scaling back on your measurements. this coffee is an espresso roast and grind). Goya's espresso brick is especially perfect for the Vietnamese coffee press, because it produces a dark, rich brew - which will blend gloriously with sweetened condensed milk.

So...

1. hop in your car

2. drive to the grocery store

3. find the "international foods" or "ethnic foods" aisle

4. find the brick, pick it up, and bring it to the register

5. pull out your 2 dollar bills and a quarter

6. get back in your car and put on your favorite song.

7. rock out, because you are about to have one fantastic cup of friggin' coffee

Boom.

Only the best for my readers.

" I believe humans get a lot done, not because we're smart,

but because we have thumbs so we can make coffee. "

~Flash Rosenberg

LAURIE NOTARO is Funny.

A friend gave me a bunch of books by {female} author, Laurie Notaro. You may have heard of her...she wrote the New York Times bestseller The Idiot Girls' Action-Adventure Club. Anyways, I have three of her books in front of me. I've only gotten so far as to read the "About the Author" sections, but they are hysterical. I thought that I would share them with you -- because really, who do you know that has a funny "about the author" section in their book?

Autobiography of a Fat Bride (True Tales of a Pretend Adulthood):

Laurie Notaro has never written for Rolling Stone, Esquire, Harper's, The New Yorker, Lowrider, American Logger, Farm Show or McSweeny's. She lives, and will probably die, in Phoenix, Arizona. Miraculously, this is her second book.

I Love Everybody (and Other Atrocious Lies):

Laurie Notaro is currently unemployed and childless and enjoys spending her days searching for Bigfoot documentaries on the Discovery Channel, delights in a good peach cobbler, and has sadly discovered that compulsively lying on her headgear chart in the seventh grade has come around to bite her in the ass. Despite several escape attempts, she still lives in Phoenix, Arizona, where she is technologically unable to set up the voicemail on her cell phone, which she has never charged, anyway.

We Thought You Would Be Prettier:

Under the cover of night, Laurie Notaro ran away from her former home in Phoenix and is now holed up in Eugene, Oregon, a town so nice it took her a remarkable three whole months to build up enough anger to flip someone off in traffic. She loves ghost stories and seeing models cry, and is under the impression that she looks cute in hats (sadly, this is not true). Against all odds, this is her fourth book.

Hopefully the novels are as clever her 'about me' sections.

"Laugh as much as you breathe."

Word Wednesday: Shelf Talkers

BAH. I forgot about Word Wednesday...

but now I remembered, so it's BACK!

Today is Wednesday.

The word is: "Shelf Talker"

shelf talker

:definition:

Printed card or other sign attached to a store shelf to call buyers' attention

to a particular product displayed in that shelf.

Also called shelf screamer.

Well, I've been doing some freelance design work lately. Currently my job is designing "Shelf Talkers". I keep telling people this and they respond with a blank face, saying "What the friggin' hell is a shelf talker?!". I, myself did not know what the hell they were when I was first approached, but after a brief explanation I knew exactly what they were talking about. Though shelf-talkers can be found in every supermarket, department store, and so forth - the one's that I am familiar with are the ones in the wine section at the liquor store. Appropriately, the shelf talkers that I am designing are for a WINE company! I was hoping that I would be paid in scrumptious red vino, but no such luck - just cash. A shelf talker (at a liquor store) is usually around 3" x 4.5" in size. It contains the name of the Vineyard, the type of wine (chardonnay, pinot noir, etc), and the year. Below that information is most commonly the area of the vineyard (napa valley, tuscany, etc.), along with a brief description of the wine and what it should be paired with, as well as a rating if applicable. A typical shelf talker might read Pomelo, Sauvignon Blanc, 2007. California. Aromas of citrus, ripe cherries and fresh florals. The palate will recognize a sweet, smokey oak and grapefruit in this smooth, refreshing sauvignon blanc. Pair with Asian fare, mild goat cheeses, and fresh fruit. Shelf talkers are GREAT because in such a booming industry, where there are 40 Pinot Noir's to choose from, the consumer could use some help widdling down their selection. Now, when I know that I'm going to be having BBQ Ribs for dinner, I can skim through the shelves and discover that a bold but smooth Cabernet Sauvignon from Cartlidge & Browne vineyards compliments BBQ'ed Red Meat -- the shelf talker tells me so! Also, you know longer need 20, 30, 40 dollars + to buy a great bottle of wine. There is an AMAZING selection, all around a 10 dollar range. If you see a number on a shelf talker...83, 87, 90, 98.....these are part of a rating system. Basically a bunch of foodies and vino addicts, or shall I say "sommeliers", gather in a room - they are blindfolded - literally - , and they taste wines from all different 'classes'. They then rate the wine from 1-100 based on the tasting. So, BOOM, if you see a bottle with a shelf talker that boasts a 90 for only 8.99, you are in luck!

Well, there you have it. SHELF TALKERS....trying to make us a more educated, informed consumer.

“It is well to remember that there are five reasons for drinking: the arrival of a friend, one's present or future thirst, the excellence of the wine, or any other reason.”
-Latin Proverb

The Belgian Cafe ... MmMm

What a lovely day in the City of Brotherly Love.

Today Shawn had to visit his accountant and in the evening his work was on display at a Temple Alumni Art Exhibit (Opening) - so we opted for a day in the city. While he was going to be busy punching numbers, I had coaxed Susan into entertaining me for the day. She's like family, and she {conveniently} lives on Queen Street in Philly. I only had coffee for breakfast (rare...very rare), and after a ride up that seemed to take forever, Shawn thought it best to stop at Lorenzo's for a slice before I totally melted down. Good call on his part - I just began to get delirious, dizzy and incredibly bitchy {food rules my life for those of you who haven't noticed}.

Lorenzo & Son Pizza, 305 South Street, Philadelphia

For $2.50 I got the biggest and most delicious pizza that I've had in a long time. Perfect crust...it was thin, but still had some umph to it. I hate thick, doughy crusts (think Dominoes delivery...ew). I guess that I can't really be a good judge about the slice though because the hunger I was suffering from had me in a state of delirium. After I inhaled the slice Shawn pawned me off onto Susan: he left for the accountant, and we left for shopping, bopping, and more eating!

Reading Terminal Market : 51 North 12th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107

"Mouth-watering aromas. Produce fresh from the field. Amish specialties. Fresh meats, seafood, and poultry. Unique, hand-made pottery, jewelry and crafts from around the world. The hustle and bustle of a multitude of diverse people. It’s all here in Philadelphia’s historic farmers market, Reading Terminal Market. An exhilarating selection of baked goods, meats, poultry, seafood, produce, flowers, ethnic foods, cookware and eclectic restaurants are peppered throughout the Market."

Susan and I walked a distance to the Reading Terminal {Amish} market, "Fresh & Local, Every Day". At the market Susan and I split a corned beef special on rye {i mean, come on, when in rome....}, as well as splitting a freshly rolled soft pretzel with spicy mustard on top. I also picked up a jar of my favorite snack at the Pickle Vendor...PICKLED GREEN BEANS! They were spicy though. Real spicy. Perhaps too spicy. Also, I read the ingredients and one was "yellow #5" , which really turned me off. Pickled Green Beans are pure, there is no reason for the #5. Oh well, you live and you learn. Anyways, after the market we walked through Chinatown where I loaded up on a few boxes of my favorite, Genmai-Cha (Green Tea w/ Roasted Brown Rice) and I finally found a bottle of plum drinking vinegar! A blog about Asian drinking vinegars will be coming this week, and until then I will just leave you sitting on the edges of your seat!

Wandered home, Shawn met up with us, watched some pretty awful Sci-Fi shows, played with the cats, napped for a few seconds and then packed up and headed off to Shawn's opening. The opening was held at the Icebox Gallery @ the Crane Building. A b.e.a.utiful building. Old and timeless and beautiful...one of those buildings that you stop, stand, and stare at.
The mission behind the Crane Building is:

· Creating a unique community that encourages and supports artistic production by both emerging and established artists.
· Assisting the development and growth of Philadelphia’s creative resources, assets, and potential.
· Creating a unique location for certain creativity-based businesses to thrive alongside the vibrant, Crane Arts community.
· Providing unique space for the visual and performing arts to showcase events on a local, regional, and national scale.

Crane Arts, 1400 N American Street, Philadelphia

Shawn's show was awesome. There were some truly odd "pieces of art" that are just too difficult to describe, so I'll just leave that to you. To read more about the exhibit go here: http://www.temple.edu/tyler/victory/index.html

By this time, I'm obviously ravenous, ready to eat my fist. I suggested a place that I've been before and adored, The Belgian Cafe by the Eastern State Penitentiary {a very cool, somewhat creepy old building - i hear they do a wicked "haunted house tour" around halloween: http://www.easternstate.org/ }.

THE BELGIAN CAFE. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE THE BELGIAN CAFE.

They are known for their mussels here, and though I'm sure everything else on the menu is delicious, I would not dare order anything other than their FAN.TAS.TIC mussels. MmMm. Muy good. The mussels come in two sizes: small or large. The small is the perfect amount...I cannot imagine even being able to eat the large pot, even with some help from friends. So for $9.95 you get a "small" {but totally big} bowl of mussels in your choice of sauce {there are several amazingly mindblowing sauces to choose from}. The bowl is served with a good roll, for dipping of course, as well as a basket of their AWARD-WINNING, fresh-cut frites with two dipping sauces: a homemade bourbon mayonnaise and a homemade spicy-sweet-smokey ketchup. So satisfying. That's how I describe this meal, satisfying...every drop, every morsel. I will say though that I was totally disappointed in the frites this evening. My other times dining at the Belgian Cafe they were big and crispy...the fries today seemed, eh, so so. Thinner fries that perhaps sitting in the back for two long. They were still way better than any fries I've had this year, and it didn't stop me from eating the whole basket. SO, for $10 you not only get a delicious meal, but it's also just the right size and the most pleasing atmosphere. It's small and intimate, but not so small that you are sitting on top of eachother and hearing one anothers conversations. It's a happening place, but not so awful that yuppies have taken over and you have to wait hours for a table. Kick ass food, served within 15 minutes of you ordering. And the paintings, *sigh, the paintings. They are beautiful. Organic and graceful. They make me smile. Especially the one by the window that is half woman/half mermaid.

The Belgian Cafe, 21st & Green, Philadelphia

We strolled back to the car through the brisk, cool spring breeze and headed back to the shore.

What a lovely day in the City of Brotherly Love.

EPIC EVENING.

Wow. Last night was amazing. I just got chills thinking about. Coffee Comedy had well over 50 people in the room...and to my delight, there were a ton of new faces! I played 26 songs...20 of which were original songs, and of those 20, over half were NEW originals (either written in Seattle nov.08, or Costa Rica winter09). Thanks to EVERYONE who came out last night. I'll blog later once I get some of the fabulous photos taken by miss Sharon Stabley.

Audience Etiquette

photo by Sharon Stabley.

Today I'm performing at Coffee Comedy (on JFK Blvd) in Sea Isle City. I'm so excited because it's an all originals show {only a few covers}. I wrote some new songs during my winter in Costa Rica which I am super excited to share with everyone. Coffee Comedy is a great set-up: awesome acoustics, intimate, and it's just the right space for the amount of people I bring in. After some amazing shows this past year, and some not-so-amazing, I realized that some people just have no idea about "audience etiquette". The songs that I write are either directly about me, or something/someone/some situation that I hold close to my heart. Intimate thoughts and feelings that I've composed into a song to share with you. So while I'm singing my heart out and someone's texting or someone's chatting with their neighbor, you can't help but to hurt the performers feelings. It shows that you either a) don't care, or b) i suck. So I strolled the world wide web for some good guidelines and here is what I came across:

Being a great audience member requires respect—respect for the artist/presenter, other patrons and yourself.

The success of a presentation or performance depends in part on the audience members...YOU!

When you help create a supportive and focused atmosphere, you help create the best experience possible for everyone involved.

One of the most basic elements of being a great audience member and one of the most important skills any one can learn is listening.

Remember, everything you do and say has an affect on a live performance. When you are watching a live presentation or performance, the people on stage can hear and see you.

Please avoid activities that will distract from the presentation or performance. Help those on stage give the presentation or performance that you deserve by not talking during the presentation.

Please turn off all cell phones. It is rude to send text messages or talk on your cell phone during a performance.

If you enjoyed yourself, please feel free to applaud at the end of the presentation or performance to show your appreciation, unless otherwise requested by the artists.

If you see or hear something during the presentation that you especially like, let a member of the staff know after the presentation or performance. They appreciate your comments.

Keep in mind, each live presentation or performance is an entirely unique experience. What you are participating in will never occur the same way twice.

Above all, enjoy yourself!

Lucky Bones & Purple Teeth

My friend Paulie and I try to have date night atleast once every week. Date night usually entails going out for dinner...a nice dinner. Appetizers, entrees, dessert - and drinks, of course. The past few months have been madness with family matters and travel, so we were way overdue for one of our nights out. We both decided on Lucky Bones in Cape May...a favorite of Paul's, and something completely new to me. I'd heard great things about the restaurant though, rave reviews - AND I designed their brochure when I worked for TAC Printing and Marketing so obviously I felt a connection. ha. Anyways, they have a badass logo - unusual for places down the shore which often fall victim to that kitschy-shore-seashell-pastels crap. Those who know me know that I usually select my wine at the liquor store based on the label...same goes for everything from lotion, cleaning products, gadgets, tortilla chips, to seltzer water. I'm a sucker for good graphic design...what can I say?!

Paul detests dining rooms...we usually sit at the bar, or at a table in the same room as the bar (as we did last night). Paulie had a pint of beer, and I had a big glass of red wine. MmMm good. We split the Mussel appetizer, with an extra side of their fantastic, fresh and delicious foccia bread on the side for soaking up the superb blush spinach, tomato and gorgonzola sauce. Following our app was the house salad with homemade balsamic vinaigrette. Paul never eats his salad when we go out. Never. I am always the one to finish it. But not only did he eat some of our perfectly portioned, superbly sauced, refreshing salad -- but he finished it! For dinner he had the grilled ginger-lime salmon with mashed sweet potatoes and grilled asparagus. I had the crab-shrimp cakes with polenta, a lemon bernaise, and grilled asparagus. Both were amazing, but I think that mine was the winner, hands down. They were done in a very light breading, super crispy on the outside, and none of that artificial-bread-filling-crap - just meat. As if that wasn't enough, we ordered dessert. TWO desserts, because we couldn't decide which would be best. Paulie got the Ecuadorian Rainforest Chocolate Decadence Cake that was served with a raspberry puree, whipped cream and blueberries (he ordered a side of vanilla ice cream as well). I ordered Lil's Homemade Ice Cream Sandwich. Fabulous, REAL vanilla ice cream is sandwiched between two homemade chocolate chip macadamia nut cookies, served with a side of fudge sauce for dipping. Holy CHRIST. It was amazing. 3 rounds later and 3 courses later I was totally ready to trade in my "skinny jeans" for some sweatpants. BUT, we decided to pop in on Jill for a visit, and bring some wine with us. We barged into her house, fed her our leftovers, drank some MORE wine and gossiped. Woohooo.

Woke up this morning with a purple tongue, purple teeth, and a headache. I wasn't hungry until dinner this evening. Damn, Lucky Bones was MUY GOOD.

"If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world."

JRR Tolkien

BEETS.

"The wise man should consider that health is the greatest of human blessings.
Let food be your medicine."

- Hippocrates

MmMmMm...I love Beets! And this is why I have a hard time understanding everyone's fear of the fabulous, bright and delicious vegetable! So, I figured that if I perhaps educated everyone a little about it that maybe they wouldn't look at 'beet' as such a scary thing...

Brief history: Beets are part of the Amaranth family (most species being herbs or subshrubs). The most familiar and common beet is the garden beet, a red rooted vegetable. Beets have been cultivated forever, as far back as the 8th century BC. Their popularity exploded in Europe around the 19th century after the discovery that sucrose could be extracted from the sugar beet. (Sugar beets are now the main source for table sugar).

The Garden Beet. Also known as the table beet, beetroot, red beet...or simply, beet. They can be eaten boiled, pickled, cooked like a vegetable, or raw and cold. In Europe, beet soup (called "borscht") is a very popular dish. In addition to their bright red coloring, there are also yellow-colored beets {though grown on a much smaller scale}.

"He that takes medicine and neglects diet, wastes the skill of the physician."
- Chinese Proverb

Beet's for your Health! Beets are rich in Betaine. Betaine is very important for our cardiovascular health, and therefore adding more beets to your diet helps prevent heart disease, stroke, and peripheral vascular disease. It also helps protect against liver disease, so for all you drinkers out there, eat up! Because beets are also rich in nitrates, they are great for lowering the blood pressure. After drinking a glass of beetjuice, your blood pressure will drop within the hour!

Beetroot juice has been considered an aphrodisiac since the time of the Romans! Boron, which is a major element in the production of human sex hormones, is plentiful in beets! woo-wooo!

Here are some of my favorite beet recipes. Don't be afraid.
Boiled Beets: Boiled beets are great for a salad. Trinity Pub in Atlantic City makes a kick ass Beet and Goat Cheese Salad. Here's a great recipe that I've used to make my own:

• 4 medium beets - scrubbed, trimmed and cut in half
• 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 (10 ounce) package mixed baby salad greens
• 1/2 cup frozen orange juice concentrate
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 ounces goat cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. Place beets into a saucepan, and fill with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, then cook for 20 to 30 minutes, until tender. Drain and cool, then cut in to cubes.
2. While the beets are cooking, place the walnuts in a skillet over medium-low heat. Heat until warm and starting to toast, then stir in the maple syrup. Cook and stir until evenly coated, then remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the orange juice concentrate, balsamic vinegar and olive oil to make the dressing.
4. Place a large helping of baby greens onto each of four salad plates, divide candied walnuts equally and sprinkle over the greens. Place equal amounts of beets over the greens, and top with dabs of goat cheese. Drizzle each plate with some of the dressing.

Pickled Beets: I love pickled beets just the way they are! But, other delicious ways to eat them are with some crumbled blue cheese on top...add maybe a splash of balsamic vinegar on top. To make it into a salad, just add lettuce!

Raw Beets: MmMm Raw is my favorite way to eat them. I eat em just like I would a carrot, dipping them in dressing or better yet, in HUMMUS. Another great way to eat them is to just slice them thin, dress with a Asian Sesame dressing, and sprinkle a bit of cayenne pepper on top for some zing. Here is my Hummus recipe,great for dipping:

1 can chick peas
1/4 can of olive oil (use the chick pea can for measuring)
juice of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons sesame seeds or 1 large tablespoon of tahini
red pepper flakes (season to taste)
2 cloves chopped garlic
salt and pepper (to taste)
*and if you have any of the following throw them in: fresh cilantro, parsley, cumin, turmeric...get creative.

Put all of it in a food processor and blend to a consistency you like!

And here is a BORSCHT recipe. Though I have never had it, you can't "google" a beet without this coming up. So give it a try. The Europeans love it, and THEY know food...

Ingredients

• 8 cups beef broth
• 1 pound slice of meaty bone-in beef shank
• 1 large onion, peeled, quartered
• 4 large beets, peeled, chopped
• 4 carrots, peeled, chopped
• 1 large russet potato, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 2 cups thinly sliced cabbage
• 3/4 cup chopped fresh dill
• 3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 cup sour cream
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method

1 Bring 4 cups of the beef broth, the beef shank, and onion to boil in large pot. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until meat is tender, about 1 hour 30 minutes.

2 Transfer meat to work surface; trim fat, sinew and bone and discard. Chop meat; cover and chill. Cool broth slightly. Chill in pot until cold, at least 4 hours and up to 1 day.

3 Spoon fat from top of chilled broth and discard. Add remaining 4 cups broth, beets, carrots, and potato; bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.

4 Stir in meat, cabbage and 1/2 cup dill; cook until cabbage is tender, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in vinegar.

Ladle soup into bowls. Top with sour cream and remaining 1/4 cup dill. Serves 6.

Don't ya know it, don't ya know it...it just so happens that one of my favorite writers, Tom Robbins, has a quote about BEETS....

"The beet is the most intense of vegetables. The radish, admittedly, is more feverish, but the fire of the radish is a cold fire, the fire of discontent, not of passion. Tomatoes are lusty enough, yet there runs through tomatoes an undercurrent of frivolity. Beets are deadly serious." --Tom Robbins