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i am so happy to be alive
to be
that is the potent truth
to eat, to work, to love, to rest, to sleep.
to talk, to whisper, to shout
"i am alive"
therefore, i cook with extreme gusto
consume in gratitude
and love with all my heart.
tonight we are simulating a dish i ate with my friend
at a place simply called "the grill", in NOHO
chicken picatta with japanese noodles
on the side is cornbread and my homemade applesauce. this is easy: peel the apples, cut them up and boil them in water with a little cinnamon and honey until the liquid is reduced. don't throw away any water; just don't put too much in. it's not potatoes.
where's my fresh baked bread… i only know how to make corn bread or muffins. but i am about to venture into the science of bread baking.
podloonaroon 
I had my lap top on my kitchen counter!I love your life too ScottI wish you could send some of your dinner too!I have a recipe for a bread that needs no machine and it is not a a flat bread.you know the old days in the 50 people population village I was born, the bread machines would have been a scare! no electricity back then , maybe it could have been an ashtray?I will send the recipe to you ,one of these days.
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all look delicious! thanks for sharing your dinner!any left overs??? 😀
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you must be very hungry angelika, you pounced on dinner before i even edited the post. lol i wish i could cyber-transport a dish for you.i think i need to buy a machine. my sister-in-law had one and it seemed to make perfect bread. no electric blanket necessary.i always make enough for two or three, in case someone comes by.
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no, tell angelika, please. the story hits on many levels and i would love to know your thoughts.there's enough for all of us. all you have to do is drop in… a ga ga ga ga yuk yuk.matthew got it.
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I am hungry right now…just before signing off for the night (no food for me–being a good girl)..so I am salivating on my keyboard! That looks fantastic!Thanks for sharing. 😀 :heart:
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that would be much appreciated. i expect to experiment. but it is always best to learn the standard methods first.once the mulla (nasr eddin) was passing through the kitchen when his wife handed him the water bucket saying "please, go down to the river and get me some water, i can't go myself, because, i am waiting for the bread to rise."the mulla took the bucket grudgingly, because he knew that getting the water was a woman's job.anyway, he went down to the river and dipped the bucket into the stream. but the stream was running so fast that it tore the bucket right out of his hand.he watched as it sank to the bottom of the deep water. he stood there staring at it for such a long time that a neighbor got curious and asked, "what are you doing there mulla?""uh… i'm waiting for the 'dough' to rise."
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Sounds delicious – the applesauce in particular. I like to make apple-cinnamon syrup for my waffles.
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Hahha. I spend a lot of time "waiting for the dough to rise." Introspection is nice.
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:right: :yikes: :left: :doh:
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Bon appetite! 🙂
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Anonymous writes:Like you're crafting your next masterpiece… soon to be consumed. Ahh, the myriad of manners in which we satisfy our souls. Hi Scott.
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I'm gonna go make some food now! :happy: You've made me hungry.
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Anonymous writes:
"Ahh, the myriad of manners in which we satisfy our souls"how?how can one satisfy the soul?how a sparrow can hide under a window shield and feel safe for life?how only one voice can say tell lonely feelings?and if it is only one voice how can a myriad of need can be expressed?? what is a manner any way??
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Bon apetit Scott. Odeur magnificent ici :chef:
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looks nice! and you're right! we're all have to be grate for being alive. but for so many times we forget it.
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"the mulla took the bucket grudgingly, because he knew that getting the water was a woman's job."I did hear that every mulla can now get the water too with a 98% success!what about that?? Have a wonderful,day!Whats for dinner??honey I'll be home at 9pm!(ET):)
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Oui, bien sur, Monseur Scott 😀
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venez-vous a notre maison… vite! artichokes pour tout le monde. j'ai suffit des artichokes… ahhh avec le buerre et lemon dip. fantastique!
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lol angelika… chicken and artichoke. big dinner because i'm going on a long hike and will be very very hungry.hi nic,est-ce-que vous avez faim peut etre?hi b. thanks for seconding the motion.anonymous 1,yes, everything gets its due attention.anonymous 2,when i am lonely, i make friends with myself… now i can't tear myself away. 'manner' is the same as 'way' as in the 'way' we do things.
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Naturellement. A la cuisine danoise. 😀 Soyez les bienvenus tout le monde :jester:
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I will not go hiking but I will be hungry!see you at 9p ET!:heart:
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98% chance of a successful delivery!If I knew what I know now I would have hadMichael dough rise and him have the two C sections!
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ouzo… i know ouzo also… stronger than wine. sort of licorice (anise) they usually dilute it with ice and cold water.
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well, this bartender is retired from the liquid sports. but i have fond memories. i would take four aspirin before going to bed if i could remember. great preventive cure.
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cool. and i'll bet you are having lasagna with eggplant instead of meat.i post one every now and then because elmar driver likes them.gee you don't happen to have some retzina? *friends forever.
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since I can not share the retzina,here is a Greek beer that has a name to remember! 😆
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it 's risen and baked!I will bring the wine too!:lol:enjoy your dinner!I am having Greek Lasagna (not to be confused with the Italian) :Dthanks for opening the memories from my childhood with Nasruddin Khodja! My grand father came to Greece as a child from Anatolia,I grew up with these stories :heart:
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vegetarian all the way!(I do have chicken and fish twice a month).Retsina is great ,I have "Amstel". cold to" brake teeth" as we say in Greek!I am buying ouzo tomorrow for my kids Sunday Bday party!They will have the water, I will have the ouzo!:cheers:
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P.S. We usually buy it along with extra stength Tylenol! 😆
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exactly!I think I found an expert Bar Tender! 😀
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i'll set the table… bring the bread.
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I've only eaten the root of Jerusalem Artichokes. Are the heads edible, too?
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dinner is almost ready.
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I miss my artichokes. I was never a big fan, until I grew my own. Now, there's no real point in cooking anything else, because I'll eat artichokes until I'm full. I haven't really been able to get them to grow here, though 😦
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matthew,so sorry you can't grow artichokes anymore… try jerusalem artichokes. maybe they will take.good timing, angelika, gives me time to shower first. hey, wait a minute now… what do you have a lear jet? well anyway, don't go to LAX , use burbank airport, it's less than a mile from here…i am suddenly reminded of that sad scene in 'the gold rush', when charlie chaplin does the little bisquit dance.
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I had Yoga today, walking a mile will bring my appetite to a new level!, thanks for the tip!dont' think of sad things now!see you ! 🙂
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:lol:yes it comes on a discounted prices at the liquor store!:lol:
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thank you honey! I am getting the Retzina and I will be there in 20 minutes!:D
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better hurry dinner's getting cold.
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no matthew, they are not edible. they are like potatoes,though they don't taste like potatoes,and they grow underground. (of course i have never dug one up.. i buy them in stores} they taste like the heart of the other artichoke; which, as you know is a flower.o.k. i'm here… i await your arrival. the dough has risen.
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did they look like this matthew?thanks to wikipedia
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i don't think i would like them raw. all the rizomes i know need cooking.
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We used to eat them raw when I was a kid and my mom was going through her Whole Earth phase. They are a little like bamboo, in that they root propogate – and they'll keep coming up, even after you've decided they aren't planted i nthe apprpriate spot. Why might you decide that they are not in the proper spot? If yo uare my mom, it's because you planted them right outside the south facing windows, and they look very much like 12 foot sunflowers when they mature. No light in the south-facing windows.
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plug the electric blanket!! :lol:enjoy Scott!my kid is swamped in Geometry homework and I am happy helping , keeping my brains alive and away from Alzheimer's!Dinner looks delicious,you are a keeper! 🙂
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That's about it. And there were hundred of them. Huge leaves, smallish sunflower-like flowers. And roots that you can eat.
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Check out the interesting information about their health benefits. I may have to reconsider them!
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i did. and i found a recipe for sunchokes and chicken. looks good. thanks for the stimulus.
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🙂 sharing a recipe(serve with oregano butter topped bread, and grilled chicken )Or enjoy with crackers!creamed pearl onions———————12 ounces pearl onions1 cup heavy cream2 bay leaves1/2 teaspoon fresh grated nutmegSalt and pepper, to taste1 cup chicken brothBlanch the pearl onions by placing them into a large pot of rapidly boiling water. Cook them for about 1 minute. Remove the onions from the water with a strainer, then plunge into an ice bath to stop the cooking process. Drain them, then remove the skins. Put the onions in a 3-quart saucepan and place over low-medium heat. Add the cream, bay leaves, and freshly grated nutmeg. There really is no substitute for freshly ground. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and let simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened. Then, remove the cover and add stock. Season again. Allow to cook down for 5 minutes to tighten up the cream sauce. Discard the garlic clove and bay leaves before serving.
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if I continue visiting this post,I will gain weight!However I needed to keep a promise,here it is my last recipe to you :DRecipe: No-Knead Bread3 cups all-purpose or bread flour, more for dusting¼ teaspoon instant yeast1¼ teaspoons saltCornmeal or wheat bran as needed.1. In a large bowl combine flour, yeast and salt. Add 1 5/8 cups water, and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest at least 12 hours, preferably about 18, at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees.2. Dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it; sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest about 15 minutes.3. Using just enough flour to keep dough from sticking to work surface or to your fingers, gently and quickly shape dough into a ball. Generously coat a cotton towel (not terry cloth) with flour, wheat bran or cornmeal; put dough seam side down on towel and dust with more flour, bran or cornmeal. Cover with another cotton towel and let rise for about 2 hours. When it is ready, dough will be more than double in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.4. At least a half-hour before dough is ready, heat oven to 450 degrees. Put a 6- to 8-quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in oven as it heats. When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven. Slide your hand under towel and turn dough over into pot, seam side up; it may look like a mess, but that is O.K. Shake pan once or twice if dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes. Cover with lid and bake 30 minutes, then remove lid and bake another 15 to 30 minutes, until loaf is beautifully browned. Cool on a rack.Yield: One 1½-pound loaf.Easypeasy, right??? The only thing I did differently was switch the all-purpose flour to whole wheat ..:D
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I wonder why you would blanch the pearl onions, if you are going to continue cooking them? Weird.The switch to whole wheat didn't change the outcome? Nice!
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easier to peel…did I turn a cook out of you?? nice!
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Of course. Silly me. Pearl onions aren't something I spend a lot fo time with. I like onions, and I buy them by the bag. 😆
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My wild night life. :lol:I think I'll make vegan onion soup tonight.
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Matthew your wild night life will get you in trouble one of these days! I am sure you are familiar with another kind of pearls…:)***tip of the day,to peel regular onions, put them first in the microwave for 2 minutes.Peeling will be a snap! 😀
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invitations accepted 😀
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organic gluten-free vegetable broth at you supermarket isle
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I have to figure out how to do it. Most use beef stock. Hmmmm…
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Yep. And some soy sauce. Very cool! Going to have to go with low sodium, too – between broth and soy sauce, there is a lot of potential to make this really salty.Could use worcestershire sauce, but it has shrimp in it. I don't avoid the shrimp, but since I said "vegan" earlier, I'm sticking with it!
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Hahaha. yes, I can see how that would be true. It never occurred to me. I won't be trying the recipe, as creamed gvegetables do not appeal to me, but I will remember the method. I've used it before with tomoatoes.
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angelika,i will try this pearl onion recipe. and thanks for the bread recipe… i will follow it carefully.matthew,how would you like to skin each of those tiny onions one by one? with the blanching they will slip out of their jackets like magic.try adding a dollop of nice dark miso paste to your onions. you can throw in some chunks of spinach for green vitamins. and some firm tofu for protein. then at the end float some scallion rounds and it will be appealing to the eye.
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I often make my own stock. I just won't have the veggies parts to do it this weekend – unless I use the whole veggie.I love veggies, and I think creaming is a horrible thing to do to them 😆 That said, I Love potato soup, I love clam chowder (New England style, not that awful Manhattan stuff), and I like a lot of things that have either white or cream sauces.
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no creamed taste for you?? wow you are loosing points here :lol:I always have a container or two of home made vegetable broth in my freezer. When coming back from work,cooking is a breeze(Scott I said about a last recipe before, I hope you didn't believe me),It's easy to make your own vegetable soup stock/broth. Just keep a large ziplock baggie in your freezer to throw in the ends of vegetables when making other meals..When your bag is full you can make your soup stock by either simmering in a large pot of water on the stove, or throwing them in a crockpot covered with water..I usually do about 4 1/2 quarts of water plus 1 cup white grape juice or ginger ale (a white wine substitution)..You can roast them beforehand or sautee them over high heat to enhance/intensify the flavors of the vegetables by bringing out their natural sugars….Appropriate vegtables you can use: parsnips, leeks, zucchini, watercress, lettuce (but not endive or radicchio), red and yellow peppers, carrots, turnips, mushrooms, shallots, kale, swiss chard, bok choy, corn on the cob or stripped cobs, eggplant, cucumbers, celeriac, green beans, fennel, tomato, celery, onion butts (with or without skin), fresh herb stems, spinach. Starchy vegetables like winter squash, butternut, acorn or delicata, potatoes, corn, and turnips, will cloud the stock, so don't use for minestrones or consommes. . Strongly flavored veggies like broccolli or peppers are not as good for broth, save those separately for other uses , Make sure to remove the skins off any vegetables that may be waxed like eggplant, cucumbers and turnips.Make large batches then freeze in smaller quantities ( 2 cups, 4 cups etc) to use on spur of the moment.:heart:Angeliki
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angeliki,i couldn't believe you. i could tell that you derive pleasure from sharing.that is a very clever idea about the cuttings/leavings freezer bag.i do about the same thing by saving the pulp from juicing. i even made wine with my apple grape berry pulp. but with the carrot and celery pulp i have derived a good stock.my favorite soup is 'hamud'. i learned from an egyptian friend, samir el ansary, simple chicken broth simmered with garlic and lemon juice.strain so it is clear then float some rounds of yellow squash and simmer until they are soft. it is mouth watering.
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Scott, this is so cool! Please keep putting up the recipes of the food you take pics of. I might be inspired to try one of the easier recipes.
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I agree with Naomi, Scott :chef:
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right on naomi… will do.you too nic? don't you cook every day?
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yeah, nic, you are exactly like me… sushi… the food of the gods. superior fresh live protein.although my mother was a very serious gourmet cook, i don't usually use a recipe either. it slows me down. but i can cook almost any nationality food by 'flying by the seat of my pants'.and what i really agree with that you said, is, that i ask my body "what do i want?" so cool to find someone who functions the same way.it is kind of like painting. some things just don't go with others.and dancing is the healthiest exercise because it includes emotion.
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keep practicing Nic, Keep practicing!may be one of these days we'll see a video of you dancing the tango??(forget the video I sent you the other day).I am talking about something that mortals can do! :heart:
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I´m afraid not Scott. The conditions at work brings me the opportunity to frequent an exellent staff restaurant which is very well-stocked and fairly cheap. But I love to cook in the weekends OR if my tango dancing partner visits me. She often presents new and exciting raw materials for cooking :heart: I don´t use recipes much anymore. I use my stomack as an indicator to what to buy. Sometimes it gives the strangest mixture of things. I like to cook as I paint: Surprizing myself all the time :lol:Most often the taste is ok.Earlier in my life I´ve been suffering from severe depressions, but a lot of physical – and mental training, in order to avoid medicine, made my body a good informer to tell me to what to eat, in order to stay fit and sane.I found out that protein attacs my depression directly….Í have absolutely no proof or knowledge about it but mere experience :)Love, prayers, art , craftmansship and good cooking, that´s the recipe for me :happy:
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hi Nic,it seems to me that you found the best recipe of all!dancing,good company,healthy eating and activities that you enjoy!it seems to me also that your recipe will keep you young at heart for the years to come….:heart:
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Oh yes ofcourse Angeliki. Dancing too :up: But it´s not quite under my skin yet. Still need a lot of practise!! :heart:
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Dear friends. It´s past midnight here. I feel passionate and hungry at the same time. I can´t dance now. It would wake up the other inhabitants in this house. Therefore I´ll cook…most silently with this:It´s what I could find here and there:Dchilipowderacasia honeysalt/pepperhzel nut coresraisinsolive oilredvine vinagrechampignonBrown Ricecalves meatonionsgarlictomatoeslemonhmm and I might add carrots and haricot verts (green beans)
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TADAAA finished YUMMY. GOD I´m hungry :chef:
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that's the best time to cook nic, it adds to the pleasure to be hungry. it's also kind of interesting to notice how fast i cut stuff up when i am hungry…. mmm looks really good.
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😆 I felt that Scot. You move fast when hungry. I tasted really well. And I have enough to eat the same tonight :up:
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As you know Angeliki, Chez Scott is a good place to be inspired! :happy:
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with all the hunger I give you a BIG credit for writing the long list of ingredients!:lol:I am dealing with professional chefs here!Thanks for eating with your Opera friends Nic!:)
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i'll say it again… good food preparation enhances the quality of our lives. and not to look at it as a chore helps. it's beautiful, artistry helps, and attention to timing and sequences make it a fascinating craft.
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Couldn´t agree more Scott :up:
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monday i have two beautiful thick lamb chops. not sure what else. foodbank day tomorrow and who know what goodies i'll find there.tonight was good i invented my own version of sweet and sour chicken. it was delicious. tempura battered chicken and green peppers cooked in apple juice with pinapples. on soba noodles.
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what do we cook on Monday??
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I don;t know the color of the flowers ,however if you boil it and add olive oil and lemon it is delicious! Plenty of anti oxidants too! 🙂
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Greek Lamb Chops:*****************These lamb chops are loaded up with great flavor. Marinate them longer for tenderness and grill them hot and fast.INGREDIENTS: * 4 lamb chops * 1/2 cup olive oil * 1/2 cup red wine vinegar * 1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped * 3 cloves garlic, minced * 1 teaspoon salt * 1 teaspoon black pepper PREPARATION:Combine olive oil, vinegar, mint, and garlic in a small bowl. Mix well. Pour into a resealable bag and add lamb chops. Refrigerate for 2 hours. Preheat grill. Remove lamb chops from marinade and season with salt and pepper. Place on hot grill and cook for about 5 to 6 minutes per side or until done.
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sweet and sour chicken can put some hair ro your chest!!:lol:I sounds delicious!I had chicory salad with tofu burgers and chocolate cake:Dlamb chops sounds good! what time is dinner?? :DHave a happy day!Angeliki
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Isn't chikory a little (OK, a lot) bitter? It grows wild here, and has a lovely blue flower.
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Yeah. They used it for coffee in the old days. maybe some still do. It's a bitter concoction, I hear.
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Oh the joy of living!:)
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I am sure they use it for coffee as well.Not only is healthy but has no caffeine as well. I enjoy it boiled (no bitter taste if boiled), drained and I add this salad dressing(which can be used for many more salads):1/2 garlic clove1 tablespoon coarse-grain mustard1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar1/4 teaspoon black pepper1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil for salt users add 1/2 salt and enjoy!
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10:30PM??I will be available, both teens will be at MSG for the hockey game(NY Rangers vs Pittsburgh Penguins) a $254.00 per ticket/per teen gave me the night off! :DI need to work on my latest project but dinner is on!:yes:
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this is turning into quite a mine of recipes… thanks, angelika.and i am going to follow your recipe for my lamb chops. can't wait. late dinner tonight… ten o'clock… maybe ten thirty.when i was living in atlanta it was a common practice to stretch coffee with chicory. ms. b.,thanks for chiming in….
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i won't have the fresh mint until later, but it's a start.i am looking forward to a delightful dinner. i'm hungry already.
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it looks like another successful one!oh this Opera, tries to spoil our dinner!all Avatars are changed!!It must be the ghost!:lol:
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i thought it was my bruja friend in mexico…. it's universal, that's better… selfish me. i restored to two days ago just in case it was just me.must be those monkeys playing around with the settings.
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ahhh, maybe that's it… never thought of that. hi googley lizard. 😆
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Happy April Fools' Day. 😆
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It's been tomorrow for some time in Norway. 😆
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I love to see "the animal in you" out in the open!You both look wonderful!Good Night guys!Happy "believe me not" day! 😆
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You two look good as googley cats. 😆
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and we brush each others furs while purrrrr..ing :lol:Good morning handsome!Green looks great on you !!! Is this a suit made out of dollar bills??Now you definitely worth "a million in prizes" :heart:
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Why am I a lion? I wanna be a bird! 😥 Matt, what the heck is Opera up to??? I don't suppose this is an April Fool's joke? I thought that was an American thing. :confused:
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Yup, saw it first on Amir's blog & thought it was something he had done.I guess that's what a lack of sunlight does to your brain. 🙄
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Apparently, it's a Norwegian thing, too. I don't know what's going on, I just know what I heard.From a guy who heard it from a guy… It was weird. Last night, they came up in waves. Eventually, it was everyone.
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hi nic, welcome to the joke… nice haircut dude.
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😆 This is crazy :jester:
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maybe google has invaded sweden.
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Hey, don't make fun of our lion manes!!! It takes a lot of maintenance to keep these things looking good, right NoPanic?
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I'd like to know why we've all got messed up eyes. :eyes: Must be from staring at Opera too much. 😆
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finally the two lost cousins got together! 😆
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you got it!! 😆
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I will miss these eyes when we are back to normal…At least now I reminded to spend more time working and less blogging!I did finish close to mid night last night and instead of resting I was blogging.Eyes hurting and all.I even missed dinner at Scotts!:(Any left overs??
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You guys crack me up 😆
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:love:
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OK-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_ :whistle: :bye:
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😀 I´m back. I guess :right: :confused: :left:
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I need to buy a second refrigerator.:lol:too much food and nobody to eat it!I need to kick the door to close.I wish you were closer.I could enjoy sharing(I hope you like veggies and fruits)****Tonight we are having crab cakes with salad and lemon cake.You still have a 1/2 hour to take the family and get the super sonic :)****I want our Avatars back too. I was about to flirt with you thinking you are Nic! 😆
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😆
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MMMmmhhh a lot of food and love around here :happy: Scott, your place is becoming quite a forum for warmhearted people 🙂
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Wish I could get a nanny. I need someone to cook & clean for me. We don't have any food for dinner. That's what comes from running your own web site. I need to blog more and work less. lolAnd spend some time READING. If I can only find my library book…Angeliki, what are you having for dinner tonight?I want our avatars back. This is just too darn confusing!
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That's ok, you can flirt with me anyway. :flirt:
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P.S. I you want a good laugh see my latest 😀
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i love the way you guys hang out at my house… this is the "kool-aid" house. in case you don't know, when you have kids, your house is where their friends like to hang out. i guess i've always had the kool aid house.tickles me that i broke my record of comments on one post. cool. :cool:left-overs for two nights now. tonight sweet and sour chicken, did i post that? then tomorrow i will devour the other two lambchops.
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"tickles me that i broke my record of comments on one post. cool."the "kool aid" can go a long way with this group :lol:Nice to see your faces again! Nic :flirt: Scott ::love: Naomi::heart: Matt: :yes:
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ohhhh that is a relief. :chef: cookin' up a storm again refreshing the sweet and sour chicken.
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So why is Scott's blog the cool blog & my blog is the nutty blog? 😆 We ended up eating mac 'n cheese (No, not out of the box, but yes with good old American plastic cheese). Good comfort food for tired, frazzled people.
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Angeliki, who's the hot screen siren on your avatar?Scott, I like the new pic.
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naomi… everybody must be hungry, i guess.
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exceptional taste! I feel the same about Gary Grand 🙂
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if only bette davis were in my time… i would have wined and dined her.
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Naomi looks get you more dinner invitations! 😆
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Good morning Scott,I know we are having the 2 lamb chops tonight, is any side dish on the works??here is a Potato salad that never becomes a left over:2 pounds assorted baby potatoes (preferably an assortment of colors)(or 4 medium size), 3-4 Tbsp. red wine vinegar1 Tbsp. kosher salt1/2 Tbsp. freshly ground black pepper1/2 small onion, chopped finely3 Tbsp. fat-free mayonnaise1 1/2 Tbsp. tarragon mustard2 Tbsp. sweet relish3 dashes hot sauceScrub the potatoes and cut them in half (or smaller—go for even-sized pieces). Boil them in salted water until tender. Toss them with the red wine vinegar, salt and pepper and let them cool overnight.(or for 3hours in a room temperature).When ready to serve, add the onion, mayonnaise, mustard, relish and hot sauce. Stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary. You may find you like more mayonnaise or mustard, or more relish or salt and pepper 🙂
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Probably picking out new jewelry? 😆 I think the woman owns some serious bling.Bette Davis freaks me out. Those :eyes:. But still love the pic.CultureSurfer's visitors have increased from 4,000/month to about 6,000/month in the past few weeks. I am very happy. :hat: I can't wait to see what happens when the site is properly set up & I start marketing the site online.
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hi friend,bette davis,I just finished my Yoga stretches and I am having my coffee.One kid off to school the other getting ready..I was having the Barbra Sterisand CD on while exercising andwhile listening I was wondering how a diva like her spends her day?? I hope your day is a great one too!:)
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oh those eyes did melt many hearts!I think Barbra with all her political passion maybe is selling some of her jewels for supporting a campaign ..or I would like to think :DI am glad your visitors are now 6,000 ! wow that's a big increase . Great news! Many more 🙂
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Just wish the virtual food were real.Who is the hot lady, Angeliki?
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Thanks, Greek Angel.Those eyes were very, very scary. :yikes: The rat-on-the-silver-platter scene in "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane" totally freaks me out!
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sorry, St Louis Angel!I will soon be Katherine Hepburn .. :lol:I did this for some of our friends that like "older pictures" :Dso what is the filming about(I did see it in your status):)
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I LOVE Katherine Hepburn. SO classy and SO smart!!!Filming 2 exhibits at the Sheldon Art Galleries:Xuhong Shang: MomentaryFebruary 16 – April 5, 2008The work of Xuhong Shang deals with illusion and the perception and experience of the landscape using both Asian and European traditions. His installations have often involved elaborate sets in which landscapes are simulated through a variety of metaphoric means. In his Sheldon installation, Shang constructs a cityscape in miniature with meticulous detail around the circumference of the Bernoudy Gallery of Architecture. The scene conjures the experience of seeing a city emerging from the landscape in the distance, miniaturized and "ownable." Possession of the landscape through the gaze has traditionally been the precept of viewing, photographing and painting the land(scape) and in this work, Shang further accentuates this strategy through his process of building and miniaturization.Born in Shanghai, China in 1960, Shang has been exhibited and published in the United States, Europe and Asia. His work has been reviewed in Asian Art News, Sculpture Magazine and Art Papers and he received a National Endowment for the Arts regional visual arts fellowship in 1995. His work is represented by Leda Fletcher Gallery in Geneva, Switzerland and in Shanghai, China, and Contrasts Gallery in Shanghai and Beijing, China. Shang has taught at the Tyler School of Art, Savannah College of Art and Design, Kansas State University, and is currently teaching in the Department of Art, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale.Cabinet of Wonders: Selections from a Private CollectionFebruary 16 – April 26, 2008 First seen during the Renaissance, the Wunderkammer or "cabinet of wonders" was a room or display case in which private individuals exhibited a wide range of objects d'art, from paintings, prints, drawings and metalwork to minerals and shells and ethnographic art, which were often collected during their travels. These rooms served as precursors to museums, as well as metaphors for the continuing human quest for knowledge, and the miniaturization of the world to a human scale.This exhibition, drawn from a local private collection, features a wide selection of beautiful works of art from silver vessels by Fabergé, Kalo and Georg Jensen, cameo glass and inlaid Gallé furniture, to extraordinary mineral specimens, jewels, fine 19th and early 20th-century photography, and a collection of 19th and 20th-century Northwest coast native American masks and bone carvings.
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My grandfather used to go to church with Katherine Hepburn (and Art Carney) in Old Saybrook, CT. It always astounded me how respectful of their privacy everyone was.
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No WAY!!!!So no goods on them?
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Maybe Kathryn knew more about grandpa too…..The woman drew men like a magnet and they did wild things for her :eyes:
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:eyes: Do tell.
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I never tell on dead or alive unless I have a permission! :DMaybe Matt has to share a family secret about grandpa and Kathryn .
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was the 12 year old boy interested more in the cookies or in the 69 year old (she was born in 1907)lady??I wish I was there!That's what made her so special.She was selling cookies at a church function. An actress that will be remembered as the most Academy awards(4) recipient. She was also a Taurus(12 of May).As for grand pa he seemed to be a wise man! Thanks for sharing your memory 🙂
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No family secret. Grandpa only went to church because his wife did, and stayed at home as often as possible. 😆 He'd rather go fishing then rub elbows with the rich and famous. I met her at a sale the church had once, and she was very kind, but much more interested in selling cookies than talking to a 12 year old boy.
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yes she did transcend what went around hershe was a very special lady and she was careful with her words even when she was brutally honestshe will always be one of my favorites
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She was lovely, even given that I was 12 and she was 68. Regal. I've known one other woman like that, and they transcend what goes on around them. It's really interesting (I wish I transcended something – anything), because so few people do it, and those who do either aren't trying to, or don't know that they are.
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i enjoyed her in the older movies but when she started doing movies like 'baby jane' i started not liking her… which isn't fair, of course. it's just a movie. but she was a truly great actress and deserved every one of those oscars.
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Over all she was one of the greatest!she was one of my dinner guests when I was tagged. I guess I was hopping to have a glimpse of her unique character.She never came,maybe I will meet her in another life:) Which I don't even believe!what I believe is that closing the day with a sonnet it is worth it( I get one each day, and to subscribe it is free)Good Night my Opera friends ,Shakespeare Sonnet-a-Day Sonnet #151Posted:CLI.Love is too young to know what conscience is;Yet who knows not conscience is born of love?Then, gentle cheater, urge not my amiss,Lest guilty of my faults thy sweet self prove:For, thou betraying me, I do betrayMy nobler part to my gross body's treason;My soul doth tell my body that he mayTriumph in love; flesh stays no father reason;But, rising at thy name, doth point out theeAs his triumphant prize. Proud of this pride,He is contented thy poor drudge to be,To stand in thy affairs, fall by thy side.No want of conscience hold it that I callHer 'love' for whose dear love I rise and fall.
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wonderful sonnet. thanks.
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Matt, I can't believe you met Katherine Hepburn. That is so cool! GLAD to know she was gracious. We gave Jeff's parents a dvd of "Desk Set" for Christmas. I love her movies with Spencer Tracy. I've heard that they had a bit of an off-screen romance as well.
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Angeliki, I haven't read the Bard in ages. Apparently, I've become a bit rusty. 😮
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You guys keep me sane, so of course I make time to visit. And things are a bit less hectic for me at the moment.
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Hi Scott!I am glad you liked the sonnet. Each day is a new one and I usually open them before I go to bed. Last night was an exception.Do you have any "kool-aid" left?? I think I will buy some…We intend to continue visiting! Kisses from NYC!
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You can never get rusty! The way you run I am surpised you even have a moment to say hello. We believe you think of us and that's enough to warm our hearts! :)The affair of Katherine wasn't just a small one. They couple was extremely private for a long, very long time. However there are times that you feel that connection that doesn't come around very often and no matter how smart of strong character you are ,desires and feelings take over. I always felt the public did respect their privacy, they were forgiving because of the talents they both were and in a way they did fill the fantasy of every simple human that looks for something beyond love.It seems these two had it :heart:
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I think Matt was making blubber lips at me. Or whatever you call it.Yum, Greek food. Send some here!
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i see that now… i thought he was lifting a spoon to his mouth.at your service naomi,yesterday i collected all this and more… i sure am a good 'hunter-gatherer'. now i have plans for all of this. hours of work before i rest.
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matthew, where'd you get the cute smiley?today we're eating light… sort of a greek platter.
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Food is beautiful, tasteful, spiritual and sensuous. So is the body.P.S. I ate from the male body! He was much more appealing 😀
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yum… that is bound to be fun. sometimes i get these cheap little pizzas and have to get creative with them… add more cheese and some tidbits. like black olives and diced green peppers.
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Since Scott is providing the Greek plater,please allow this Greek to brake the rules.I had similar dinner at an event in Manhattan, I thought I should bring tonight some Sushi… This is Naked Sushi.“When I saw it done in Japan, it was very impressive,” said Curtis Lee, owner of Geisha. “They had a high respect for the woman. It was like being in a gallery with an art piece. Almost like a ceremony. Very appreciative of the art form.”
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I think between you and me Scott we can feet an army!!I love your new display!man you know how to make your place inviting! :heart:
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We do a crust with basil in it, put some mozarella & parmeson on it (not much, just sprinkled), add sliced tomatoes, & add salt & olive oil. Bake for about 20 minutes. Yum. (and healthy)Ok, eating sushi is weird enough. But this custom of eating sushi off of women, well, that's just bizarre.:rolleyes: I mean, what if the poor woman has an itch? :eyes:
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This all makes me want to cook. Inspiring. I think we're having home-made pizza tonight.
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i just happen to love sushi already… i would enjoy eating sushi off of beautiful girls… it's a little bizarre… but bizarre is cool once in a while.i can't help wondering how the ladies must feel.
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to you maybe… lmao. really? that must have been quite a unique experience.
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Angeliki, do tell about your experience of eating food off of a man! I am thinking there would be issues with body hair? (Sorry to be gross, but I had to ask.)
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what did the wives expect? lmao. of course. it would be hypocritical to do otherwise… chuckle chuckle.
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I will not tell my experience, I will let you see for your self when you visit New York. Naked sushi became very popular in many cities.The funny things that(oh I have to tell this), all older men were removing food from the middle section of the lady's body . The wives were pretty pissed. Very enjoyable to see
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There are models and there are beasts.In this case they were models :)they always have lining between the body and the food.
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😆 :lol:I don't know who was the lucky guy that ate the eatable film at the end! :lol:Sorry, Naomibut I really had to add it! 😆
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Ew. Edible film? Didn't know that was in fashion in the US, for how long? Something to start in St. Louis. lol
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It started about 5 years ago :)Much earlier I invited to fly to Paris on American Airlines (the first flight in 1990 I believe I am correct on the year,I know I didn't have my son yet), we did stay only one night at Bristol Hotel and we came back the next day. That day we did have Naked Sushi. So, it is something that takes place in Japan and Europe for years. The eatable things that culinary art uses today are enormous. You make a cake with an eatable picture.Having an eatable body suit it is kind sexy ,don't you think??****************to change the subject,I am finally alone at my desk area. For some reason the past 5 days my kids follow me every where. I love every moment of it.The question is why?? I don't ask. I want them to feel free to be around me as much as they want.(with teens it doesn't happen often).When they were small I couldn't talk on the phone. They remembered every thing to tell me that very moment and they usually had the siblings' fight.My friend Scott,How was your Greek plater ??What did you have to drink with it?? I did read an entry at Locu's poetry by ricewood and I did have to have wine. Very smoothly went down.I should try to sleep tonight since last night I skipped sleeping. I am tempted to start a new book instead :)Did you guys see my todays entry ??Its about another legendary lady with a very sharp tongue! Speaking of entries,I didn't see any new comments tonight, that tells me every body has company and is happy!That's good enough to me!Good night every body!:heart:Kisses from New York City
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oh,dolmas can be another connection for our friendship Scott!greapes leaves agree with me in many ways too! 😆
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marvelous and luxurious comment angelika. well, i had all of these lovely grapes that i juiced and ate some strawberries for dessert.one thing i love, it's dolmas… i may very well have been greek in some other existence. because stuffed grape leaves just agrees with me.
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once, in new york, i went to a greek restaurant that had the best dolmas. i was used to eating them cold as a condiment… even worse, nut still tasty, in the can. here they served them hot and the rice mixture and natural herbs… god they were good. even the dill dip was better than any.i know i went into the kitchen and talked to the chef. the recipe is somewhere in one of these boxes. eventually, i'll come across it.
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i can't wait… i thing it will take years to find the recipe i mentioned. so i will love to try what you have. i know there was lamb and mint and pine nuts, i think. but the sauce was the 'piece de la resistance'
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I am anxious to see that recipe too,sometimes a small variation can do all the differenceat the main time I can give you tomorrow two kind of dolmas recipesa. grape leaf with rice /meat and dill garlic yogurt deepb. dolmas in cabbage in lemon dill sauceboth delicious enough to remind you your NYC trip all over again!good night Scott 🙂
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yes, jill, sure… in spite of what i might have said. i enjoy posting on anything that really happens. that's what interests me. real life. i am sure it will be useful to others, little tips… like use common sense… when we say a dash of this and a dollop of that… i hope people don't rush to their dictionaries. cook and taste it. dang! i could write a book about cooking in a more relaxed way.it's not so much what we choose to eat as how we pay attention with our whole being. that's all art is… being attuned. being interested and present.we can't remember anything unless we are more here. (a little philosophy)i knew i could turn this cooking activity into a higher purpose. since you and others respond so well, it must mean that there is a real need to experience the ordinary in a new way. but really, i have to get back to painting.
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and then after hours of moaning and groaning i will be pulling on a hunk of rye bread rolled around a dollop of cheddar cheese and a slice of raw onion. you can't have everything. at least not at once. energy is finite.
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Speaking of lamb, made it for the guys tonight. They just adored it. The other night, last night?, I'm losing track, as you and Angeliki were exchanging recipes and ideas I was just printing everything out. I wanted to horn in, but you guys were really on a creative roll, so i didn't dare!I love Angeliki's idea for saving left over veggie's for soups and sauces in a freezer bag and, your dinners…WOW and an even bigger WOW when I saw your left overs.These last few posts have really been a treat to read! (mouth still watering..LOL!!!)And dinner is not just shoving food in our mouths, it's an event, an experience and a good feeling. And so, although I've mentioned it before, I love how your table is set, how it's dressed for an event!I just wanted to say that I hope you'll continue sharing your table with us. It is really special, Scott!:yes: :chef: 🙂
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🙂 I love when people comment while hungry! 😆
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(YOGURT GARLIC)Tzatziki Cucumber Dipping SauceIngredients4 cups plain yogurt, regular 3 large cucumbers, peeled and seeded salt 3 garlic cloves(or more to taste) 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1 tablespoon olive oil fresh ground pepper (optional) 1/4 cup freshly chopped mint leaves(or to taste) (optional)Directions 1. 1 Line a sieve with a double thickness of dampened cheesecloth. 2. 2 Spoon in yogurt and set the sieve over a bowl. 3. 3 Refrigerate for two to three hours or until yogurt is about half its volume, nicely thick and creamy. 4. 4 Shred or cut cucumber into julienne strips. 5. 5 Place in a colander in sink or over a bowl, sprinkle generously with salt, mix well and let drain for at least 30 minutes to an hour. 6. 6 Rinse and gently pat dry. 7. 7 In a mortor and pestal muddle the garlic into a bit salt. 8. 8 Add to the thickened yogurt, cucumber, lemon juice, olive oil, and if desired, the pepper and mint. 9. 9 Mix well. 10. 10 Serve or refrigerate for a day or two so flavors mingle. 11. 11 Stir again before serving and sprinkle with additional minced mint leaves if desired.
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STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES WITH MEAT (I USUALLY SUB LAMBWITH TURKEY OR CHICKEN )FOR VEGETARIANS USE THESAME RECIPE BUT ADD 1/2 CUP EXTRA RICE AND BOILGRAPE LEAVES IN CHICKEN BROTH OR ORGANIC VEGETABLE BROTH 2 c. rice, washed1 1/2 lb. coarse ground lamb2 tbsp. lemon juice1 tsp. salt1 tsp. allspice1 lamb bone100 fresh grape leaves1/3 c. lemon juice1 tbsp. saltWaterMix all stuffing ingredients well. Pour boiling water over fresh grape leaves to soften them slightly. Then take each leaf and put about 1 tablespoon of stuffing on leaf in shape of small log. Begin to roll folding over sides. Roll tightly and squeeze. Arrange each stuffed leaf in pot in which you have placed a lamb bone on the bottom to give flavor. Continue to arrange in rows and layers until process is complete. Put 1 tablespoon of salt on top and 3 cups cold water. After pot begins to boil add 1/3 cup lemon juice and put a dish on top to weigh leaves down. Cover and let simmer on very low heat about 30- 35 minutes.
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vegetarian:Stuffed grape leaves 500 grams of rice. 2 or 3 hearts of artichoke, 2 onions, zucchini 2-3, 2 potatoes. 300 ml of olive oil, 1 lemon, fresh mint leaves. Place grape leaves in boiling water for a few minutes so you soften. Drain and prepare the fillin. Put the rice in the pan. Finally grate the potatoes, zucchini, onions and artichoke hearts and mix with rice. Cut mint to pieces and add salt, pepper, olive oil forming a homogeneous mix. Put a tablespoon or more of the filling on each grape leaf and roll carefully. In a large pot, place the stuffed grape leaves in a circle paying enough water to cover. Leave then Cook over low heat until the water is not absorbed and the rice is ready. . Before removing from the heat, squeeze the lemon and pour the juice of the gra. pe leaves
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CABBAGE DOLMAS Ingredients1 head cabbageStuffing * 1-1 1/2 lb ground beef(preferably chuck) * 1/2 cup parboiled long grain rice * 1/2 cup breadcrumbs * 2 teaspoons grated pecorino romano cheese * 1 onion, minced(in food processor) * 1/4 bunch fresh parsley, minced(in food processor) * oregano * salt * pepper * 1 dash olive oil Sauce * 1 onion, chopped * 1/2 bunch parsley, chopped * 3-4 garlic cloves, chopped * 2 tomatoes, chopped * 1 cup crushed tomatoes * 1-2 teaspoon tomato paste * oregano * salt * pepper * 1/2-3/4 cup olive oil * water Directions 1. 1 Boil a large pot of salted water. 2. 2 Remove the outer leaves of the cabbage until you can't easily remove them anymore. Blanch the outer leaves for 3 to 5 minutes until pliable. Then, put the remaining cabbage head in the water, and blanch 3 to 5 minutes, repeatedly until outer layers get easier to remove. I remove the leaves under cold running water, transporting my cabbage back and forth with a slotted spoon. 3. 3 In a large bowl, mix your stuffing ingredients around by hand until they get well incorporated. 4. 4 Then stuff your cabbage, about a teaspoon or so on each leaf. Place your stuffing on the thickest part of the leaf, or the base. Give it one roll, then flip in each side, and continue to roll until it fully closes. Don't worry if it's not perfect, it still comes out good. 5. 5 Now, in a large pot, sauté the onion, parsley, and garlic in the olive oil on medium high heat. 6. 6 Once the onions turn translucent, season with salt and pepper, stir in some tomato paste for a minute. Then add the chopped tomatoes. 7. 7 Once the tomatoes release some juice, add the crushed tomatoes and stir. Season again and add some oregano (not too much). 8. 8 Now place your cabbage rolls tightly into the pot. You may stack them on top of each other. 9. 9 Fill the pot half way up with water and then top your rolls with an up-side down dish or plate in order to keep them from opening or falling apart. 10. 10 Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low and cover. 11. 11 Simmer for about an hour. Do not increase the heat, you do not want the bottom rolls to burn. It might seem like some of the sauce hasn't reduced, but once you remove the cabbage rolls, you will see the actual amount of sauce left. At that time, you may decide to thicken your sauce by reducing it with the lid off for a minute or two.
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YOGURT DILL DIP 1 c. plain yogurt1 c. mayonnaise1 c. sour cream1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice1 tbsp. crushed dill1 tsp. salt1/4 tsp. pepperUse with fresh vegetables. Blend all ingredients together. Refrigerate 2-3 hours. May also be used as a salad dressing.
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recipes to share:**Recipes are for freshly picked leaves.I USE CALIFORNIA MADE LEAVES IN A JAR. I FIND CALIFORNIA'S MORE TENDER.ALL SUPERMARKETS CARRY THEM NEXT TO PICKLES AND OLIVES1. Dolmas (stuffed grape leaves with meat)2. Dolams Vegetarian3. Yogurt garlic "Tzatziki" Dip4. Dill Dip5. Cabbage Dolmas Enjoy :heart:
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"it's not so much what we choose to eat as how we pay attention with our whole being. that's all art is… being attuned. being interested and present.we can't remember anything unless we are more here. (a little philosophy)"EXACTLY what I need to do, but it's hard to remember where or who I am these days with the way things are moving.
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naomi,i know it's hard, but it's worth trying. it's just coming back to myself. coming down to now. we can be spinning around and still be present. everything benefits by a greater awareness, don't you think so? so we try.ohhhh angelika this is totally great.i have invented my own yogurt dill dip. but i use half as much mayonaise and mix in thin sliced cucumbers with cucumber juice.i've never had a recipe for this. thank you.your lamb dolmas recipe will be very useful. i will experiment.can't wait to try the cabbage rolls also.
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🙂 enjoy!I love the cabbage dolmas . It is easier to make and at times I tease my 2 Korean friends.I tell them this is the sushi Greek style! 😀
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one more Japanese entry for my friend Naomi,TeacupsA student asked Suzuki Roshi why the Japanese make their teacups so thin and delicate that they break easily. "It's not that they're too delicate," he answered, "but that you don't know how to handle them. You must adjust yourself to the environment, and not vice versa."From: "To Shine One Corner of the World: Moments with Shunryu Suzuki: Stories of a Zen Teacher Told by His Students" (Edited by David Chadwick): http://cuke.com
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that has an immense significance."but that you don't know how to handle them. You must adjust yourself to the environment, and not vice versa."
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it sure is Scott, it sure is 🙂
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I'm feeling a bit maladjusted myself at the moment. :p
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there is a solution,they call it rest and sleep :DI wonder,what are you going to do with all your millions Naomi? 😆
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I you by any chance single. I have a very poor cousin 😀
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What millions? 🙄
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😆 The millions are theortical at this point. :p
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Naomi you either spend the millions every evening, or you have Mr. Scrooge over to dinner and you count them together! :lol:What ever the case I am very proud of all the hard work you do and the amazing videos and interviews we all can see at CultureSurfer.com. Keep up the good work! Millions will follow :)Nic,Cousin ???Let's have a talk.I am preparing the coffee :DP.S. what about that status in your profile?? I thought your were done! This must be a Versailles place when it finishes!:D
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My cousin don´t need rich women anymore, he says. He´s got a job now :up:
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Sorry girls. My cousin just gave me the evil eyes because I tried to send him overseas 😆 Angelique? Versailles?. Hmm porqui non?! 😀 Enfin! Ei joest loeve ousebuilding :cool:Sorry Scott. Your post here has been a forum for various issues. But it´s issues that tells us "why we loeve life" Pardon! 😀
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Angeliki, thanks!!!By the end of today, CultureSurfer will have beautiful new slide shows to replace the old photo galleries! 😆 Sorry Nic, I'm married to the guy who films my videos. :p
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Nic,there is nothing better to enjoy Versailles in a moment that even the Queens loves alone! :lol:as for the cousin,he had a chance to travel the world instead of being in a cubical 9a-5p. Too bad!Millions can not bring happiness but they can help !Naomi knows all about it! 😀
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Well Versailles certainly has a lot of empty rooms :wink:Naomi seems very happy indeed :up:
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*snif snif* HEY Scott, are you cooking again. Thought I smell something here. My big nose vibrates 😀
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when I visited the mirror room at Versailles I could just imagine the glorious meetings and I wished I could hear all the secrets and the gossip spoken between the member! No matter how many empty rooms are , you can still hear the whispers behind close doors! What a magnificent palace it is!
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Great! :up: Must go there too next time I´m in Paris. Have a plan to visit Louvre sometime next year :happy:
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it sounds like a superb plan to me! :)at the main time enjoy your Versailles at home 😆
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:lol:Je suis très heureux de savoir que vous aurez le confort à la maisoin. Un homme souriant, est toujours un bel homme ! Avoir un jour fantastique ! XX A. :heart:
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Oui, naturellement Angelique 😀
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Merci Angelique tu aussi :heart: mon abilités de linguistique frances son tres malle 😦
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Nic, j'ai un accent et je toujours peux faire semblant je parle français aisé. Dans la réalité je peux traduire seulement des chansons. Il y a rien n'aime une chanson française d'amour !
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Nic-I love the Louvre. Make sure to take a look at the medieval walls of the museum, down in the basement. A lot of people are unaware this exists.I'm not so much into Versailles. Impressive but way too frou-frou. 😆 And if you only knew where they used to go to the bathroom…
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@ AngelikiTres bon Angelique :up:@ NaomiThanks. That´s important info. I´ll go to the basement too, for sureAccording to Angeliki, my bathroom looks like Versailles. So I´ve kind of been there 😆
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I like mirrors! :)I like my image in the mirrors!I wouldn't mind visiting the Golden Bathroom in Honk Kong!It all started during the Golden Week in El Dorado exhibit and now days more that 10 restaurants and hotels do own a sold golden bathroom!Now how on earth did I remember this from 2004??I think it's time for me to get a life! 😀
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Did you post a pic of your bathroom? Personally, I would not want to look at myself in the buff with that many mirrors around. 😮
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@ NaomiI´ll soon make a post about THE bathroom :D@ Angeliki:lol:
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So how does Angeliki know what your bathroom looks like? 🙄
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i finally caught up with this 'runaway blog'. i was as my short recent post says out of commission due to a torn muscle yesterday… hope it's better tomorrow. hot baths, and heating pad and a salve are helping a little. i read a whole book today in the sun. still in pain. but i'll be back soon. wow, this post passed the 200 mark.
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I hope that you are soon healed, Scott. Pulling muscles is not as much fun as it was 30 years ago – and it wasn't much fun then!
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hi Scott,I hope the warm caresses from the sun bring your complaining muscles back to a grand form!what was the book you did read today??Sorry, for the 200 turn. It's my fault. Nic did not touch his status for some time. I thought he was done with his WC and I only mentioned it.My bad.To my delight we all ended up in France!:lol:Come to think of it, it wouldn't be"love to live" for any body that is not using the WC for more than a couple of days! ! 😀 get Well soon.
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Hi Scott,. I recomend Tiger balm for your shoulder. Works fine with me 🙂
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@ NaomiI think Angeliki is psycic. She sees things :eyes:
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Nic-You are right!!! Angeliki it totally psychic but she doesn't admit to it. 😆 Which country are you from, by the way? Just curious.
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I´m from Hamlets homeland and hometown. The country is Denmark :heart: and the town is Elsinore :heart:AND THERE`S NOT SOMETHING ROTTEN IN THE STATE OF DENMARK :irked:About Angeliki…I have no comments. I rest my case :left:
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Angeliki smiles and says hello to all!kisses to Scott only!I hope you feel better 🙂
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Hi Greek Angel! You'll be happy to know I just took a 2-hour nap. It's time to rejuvenate from too much work!Nic-I know there's nothing wrong in the state of Denmark (well, ok, there's always something rotten in every state on the planet, realistically). My husband & I were in Copenhagen for a few days back when we were young & restless. 😆
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Girl you need another nap.Europe has only countries :lol:Naomi, I love the way you are now. The restless years are gone from all of us and we do appreciate Hamlet now more than before! XX from New York,I am delighted to know you take care of your self,you did an enormous work these past 3 weeks.Kisses to the birds 🙂
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I will kiss the birds for you again. They are resting downstairs together. I took a 2-hour nap today. :yes: It's wonderful to slow down after so much work. Tell Shakespeare that Europe only has countries. He called Denmark a state, I was just quoting him. Or rather Nic. 😆
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Nic is a king in his own state!He is even building a palace :lol:I guess I need some sleep too, 3 hours a day will not favor my weight or my clear thinking!Did you know you can loose weight if you sleep extra? I am down now to 130lb but I have to loose another 5lb in the next 2 months.So,I need to upgrade my hours of sleep to at least 6 hours!Bikini time is just around the corner! did you see my latest post??the WC there has nothing to do with Nic's!I just got inspiration from all my friends,Matt with his political entry,Nic with the WC,Scott with his reading (I miss Scott very much, Get Well Soon!),and your political comments at Matt's post…I think the post represents G.W.Bush perfect! 😀
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it took almost a week to get out of the pain. but i have been taking care of myself. i will post some new stuff real soon.
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glad to know you are feeling better!:) Welcome back !
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come and have some meat and potatoes.
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:cheers: + :cheers:I will bring the beer!thanks !:)
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with beer, i am a purist. i love the bitter dark beers.
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right on nic. i seem to have some ancestral credentials here… with warm mead and fresh beer.
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So do I Scott. And it doesn´t have to be too cold :cheers:
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Mmmmh. You should try Lager beer. Very tasty 😀
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i was always more of a sucker for wine and brandy. that dang french blood.
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Brandy I´ve always liked..especially with coffee. Ower the years I´ve grown more fond of wine. They´ve had some wine tasting sessions at work. Very educative. So today I´m very broard spectered 😀
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I like my brandy straightthe new 7* Metaxa ( not the 5* which is excellent too),can take you to a flaming trip around the world after only 2 shots! with meet loaf I will go with either beer or wine! 🙂
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We have a world famous mead maker, locally. They started in the 70s, and made so much money they became a full-fledged winery. I've never had the palette for mead, myself. More power to those of you who connect to your roots through this ambrosia I don't understand.
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I like the Camus and Renault Cognac. Tasting those brands, I dont need the coffee 🙂
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I am having my coffee right now Nic! (short off)…actually I was reading Dax's comments at Naomis latest post (CiltureSurfer) and I spat it out laughing but this morning coffee does taste good without brandy! :DI love my tea with brandy.Especially when I have a cold. It brings me right back! 🙂 I don't get any post notices from you Nic,is it because of Opera f@@t or you are taking picture of the Versailles ?? (oops Scott will through me out !!) 😆
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I´ve been exhausted from work and stuff. Sorry Angelike. My actions has been very random recently 🙂
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Join the club, Nic. I'm exhausted from work as well. We're spending the day relaxing in front of a fire. Yes, it's that cold outside. And the flowers are blooming. :eyes:
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LOLLast night it was actors, not models or singers.I'm having a "wild" day dozing on the couch with Delia in front of the fire. Ahhhhhh…..
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try having a lazy day once in a while. i highly recommend it.my motto for years has been 'no pressure' that doesn't mean that i can't exert myself to the limit when i am of a mind to. balance, that's what's so hard to achieve.
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take a cruise all of you and come back rejuvenated!life is too short to see it with tired eyes!or for a faster fix will you please get some sleep , you became "party animals"!Naomi,dealing with models, singers and staying out late, in my books is called "wild city life" 😆
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I´m glad you understand Naomi. I´m really tired 🙂
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hehehe listen to this lady , she sounds exhausted!carrying a bird on your shoulder can be very tiring! :lol:I love you girl,put Delia back on the couch. :Dp.s.Are we going to see last nights' interview on Monday or a little later??xxooxx A.
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sure, we do this because we want to don't we. one might even say that it's an indulgence.
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yes 😎
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Or a compulsion? lol
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Scott, I agree. Having a GREAT day doing nada. 😀 (except checking in on my Opera friends from time to time)
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@ NaomiI might take a cruise to my neighbor country Sweden tomorrow. They have put new ferries in the route. Only takes 20 minutes :up: It´s like having your own yacht..sitting there on the top sun deck 😀
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nic is compelled to cruise… bon voyage. take more pics of the township, the seaport, please.
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Nic,have a wonderful time ,your pictures are always special to me !
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I´ll go to a café tomorrow and have a pile of brunch. If the weather is up for it, I´ll go for a cruise to Sweden with the public yacht 😀 I´ll take pics 🙂
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I´m glad Angeliki. I´ll visit you soon. Having my last cup of coffee before I turn in 🙂
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A partner that drains out your energy it is a treasure 😆
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She´s a godess. Very patient. Very wise. :love:
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is it the famous coffee with brandy??Good night Nic,I hope your dreams tonight are dancing in Argentina! 🙂
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Please don´t remind me. I´m pretty much behind with my training the Tango. I hope I have the energy tomorrow. I owe that to my partner 🙂
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🙂
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or the money! 😀
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I couldn't see you with any other partner :)an artist always has appreciation for beauty,he is unpredictable,and he is always deep.She seems perfect for you :)I forgot to ask,is she patient as well ?? 😀
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I have a well known model friend. She dislikes her smile that made her famous,she wears most of the times closed toes shoes(she calls her toes crabs), and she feels that her nose is big. Talking to her you realize that behind the amazing beauty there is a low self esteem. On the other hand if you go out with her the photographers are eating her up. Since we all look for a simple and every day look, why beauty opens so many doors and changes you life for the better? Is this visual generation in denial ??
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For every job a model gets, he or she is rejected for many more. I think that this fosters insecurity, for every model I've known has had low self-esteem.
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often they marry father caracters. Maybe because of their insecurity :confused:
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Exactly and over the years they become stereo types..pity.
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I agree completely about ordinary people. Nicely said.
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maybe thats why they usually marry very ugly men. It makes them feel better for themselfs 🙂
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But What is beauty?The more I look at ordinairy ppl the more beautiful they get. And sometimes you find out that all ages has it´s own beautyYES! Patience it´s one of her greatest virtues :heart:
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Beauty and the Beast
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a man on his money stack is always 6 feet tall!they also call it the green blindness :Da not so rare condition.from the picture it seems he is having "rich meals! " 😀
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@ MatthewAh yeah. Sarkozy is my firstname bro 😀 @ Angeliki:lol: Bon apetit. A bit boney meal, but ok :whistle:
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Good morning Nic!Sun rise in NYC this morning is breath taken!I wish I had your photographic eye…I did take pictures yesterday from blooming trees and despite of the rainy day they came out "bloom y "! :lol:have a fantastic Sunday!
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My favorite café was closed. So I had to make brunch myself, but that was ok 🙂 Glad your photos came out right :up:
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@Nic. How was Sweden?@Matt & Angeliki-So THAT'S why the ugly men snag the beautiful women. I've always wondered that.I've had issues putting my face, personality, etc. out there online. I'm actually getting over my insecurities, realizing it's not my looks that are the most important thing. I'm much more concerned that I might sound like an idiot. 😆
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Naomi, you are one of the finest people I ever metand I am very proud of your accomplishment!never let events of the past touch the woman you becameyou worked hard on it be always proud :heart:
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Nic,the best coffee always is the one from my kitchen too! :heart:have fun !!!!
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:love:
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Thanks, Angeliki. :flirt:
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@ NaomiI didn´t go. The weather wasn´t too good and I´ve been pretty tired all day 🙂
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LOL @ Sarkozy!
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Bummer. :awww:
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It is always refreshing in your house 🙂
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thanks matthew for the beauty and the beast link. and thanks you guys for keeping my page alive, the 'kool aid' house isis always open.
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Kool-Aid guy!!!!What is that stuff made of anyway? :eyes:
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sugar and artificial flavoring… it's from a pre-nutrition conscious era. at camp, we used to call it bug juice. i don't know why. it was tasty though. and i forgot to mention, cheap. if your going to water the neighborhood kids you can't afford lemons or applejuice.
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I am having desert Scott,vanilla yogurt topped with slivered almonds and drizzled with honey.It is a typical Greek desert and it can keep you happy for hours 🙂
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Scott, but where do they get the artificial flavoring from? At some point, doesn't everything artificial originate from something natural? From that point of view, even soda is natural. 😆 Angeliki, you are the consummate gourmand. Compared to you & Scott, my food tastes hail back to Neanderthal times.:lol:
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@ Naomi,when is the Salmon ready ?? :Dor is gone already ??:heart:
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I hated chemistry class at school,then I started going grocery shopping.I realized then that it was time to open those chemistry books all over again!What we buy is:Maltodextrin, Calcium Phosphate,Red 40 (good thing red 30 was removed for ever)in Kool Aid and our other highly priced foods.To the food companies an uneducated consumer is their best customer 😦
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Aliens.
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Although I did have home-made chicken soup for lunch yesterday and today. (But the broth did come from a can, so I'm not sure if that counts.)
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😆 Matt, I bet you're right that :alien:s gave us Kool-Aid!!!Angeliki, I eat neither Japanese sushi nor Jewish sushi, i.e.lox. Yuck.
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Both can put hair on your chest! You are missing out! :lol:again, you might enjoy brain dinner instead of coffee with Richard,it seems he knows the right places for brain dinner in St Louis ! 😀
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yum! brownies!!!that can put hair on your chest too!!! :lol:so,are we going to see any pictures??or even better,are you going to share the family recipe???here is my recipe, I am hoping your grand ma wouldn't mind if you shared with your friends too :DAngeliki's Brownies Ingredients:1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened3/4 cup sugar1/4 cup light corn syrup2 eggs, beaten1 teaspoon vanilla extract2 oz unsweetened chocolate, melted1 cup all-purpose flour1/2 teaspoon baking powder1/2 teaspoon salt1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips1/2 cup chopped walnutsDirections:1. Cream butter; gradually add sugar, beating well at low speed of an electric mixer. Add corn syrup, eggs and vanilla; beat well. Stir in melted chocolate.2. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; stir into creamed mixture. Stir in chocolate chips and walnuts.3. Spread mixture into a lightly greased 9-inch square baking pan. Bake at 350 F for 25 to 30 minutes. Cool and cut into 1-1/2-inch squares.
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Uh-uh. NO way, Jose! Not eating brains.I don't really want hair on my chest. :p Making brownies tonight. 😀 It's my grandmother's recipe (thank God I had her tell me how to make them before she died or the family would have lost the recipe). The recipe includes chocolate chips and corn syrup. Best brownies I have EVER had in my life. At family gatherings, they used to put the whole plate of brownies in front of me as a joke because of my weakness for chocolate. 😆
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yummy desert angeliki, and good for you too.naomi, most artificial flavors are just chemicals. that's why things that are artificially flavored always cost less but never taste as good. a perfect example is log cabin pancake syrup… not a drop of maple sugar in it.
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But again, everything artificial on this planet came from something natural on this planet, right? I just think that's a funky concept. Or maybe I just have weird thoughts.I'm still astonished at the parallel brownie universes. :wizard:
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the brownie recipe goes in my food file.i have to admit i stooped so low recently as to use the boxed mix from the supermarket.vis a vis corn syrup… naaaa it's been in use since colonial times.my mother used it a lot as far back as i can remember.the kind of halva i like is the arabic kind.
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This is SO cool!!!!My grandmother's name was Miriam, but everyone called her Mary. Her last name was Don. She was born in the US.Must be something with Jews and corn syrup.lolWhich is weird now that I think about it because supposedly corn syrup wasn't big in the American diet until the 1960's or so.I believe we have a mystery on our hands.I can't wait to tell my family about this!!!There must be parallel universes with parallel grandmothers and parallel brownie recipes in them. 😆
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yes, Naomithis is from yiayia Ester.The woman that raised my mom.I think we do have to smile every time we bake them! What was your grand moms name?? I can not believe it either !:heart:
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OMG!It's EXACTLY the same as grandmother's recipe minus the nuts!!!! Did this come from the Jewish woman who was your "grandma"?I cannot believe this!
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I am speechless. I thought it was one of our family recipes ! Yiayia left Austria for Salonika Greece where a big Jewish community still lives. With Hitler on their neck Ester and Sal (her husband)had no choice but escape. She was a pediatrician and the Nazis stamped her Degree as NOT valid to be used in Europe. Since work in Salonika was not available herself and her husband moved to Xanthie. A tobacco industrial city. They worked in the same tobacco Company with my grand father Aristides.My moms biological Dad.When my mother became an orphan and her father moved to Germany(from all places) ,Ester raised my mom as her own.They were very strong characters and very much alike.You couldn't ever guess that they are not a real mother and daughter.Ester's husband killed in a car accident . Her Greek name was Estia (means family and her last name from Rudel became Rhodes). Later I found her cousin Nina Rudel in America who became my mentor… Now you know why I celebrate Passover …:)Who knew that there are more to share 🙂
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Our only east coast relatives are in Connecticut, but I'll ask. I just sent your family history to my mom to look at. We'll see what she comes up with.If we were the same age, I'd swear we were separated at birth!!
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:lol:I was a twin but I am the only one living :(However it is:Nice to know we eat the same brownies! 😆
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good night naomi. 😎
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Good Night Naomi,:smurf:
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the way things go I won;t be surprised if more connections come to life! :love:When they say we meet for a reason , it has to be true!Ask your relatives in the East Coast if they ever had any connection to a Nina Rudel. That can drive me to drink! She was a great philanthropist , and very well known.:heart:
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Angeliki-I can't believe it either. I can't wait to see the reaction of my family members. How amazing. I'll relate your family history to them as well to see if we can come up with where both grandmothers would have come across this recipe.Who knew we'd have brownie recipes in common! :flirt:
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Good night, all. Time for this Surfer girl to go to sleep. :smurf:
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we thought you are in bed!!! :lol:are you ever stop thinking ??I am reading a wonderful book and I think I will be up till early hours!I am on my wayG/night ! :smurf:
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:heart: Watch Tracy Johnson's new video "The Art of Dreaming" on CultureSurfer. She's a fantastic singer out of San Francisco. I found out about her because the video was written, directed, produced by the husband of the reading teacher at Jeff's school. I love the connection game!
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i had to interrupt my cooking…. stopped everything. now, it looks like i am going to finally have dinner around midnight.will check that out tomorrow naomi, thanks for the heads up.angeliki,that is another of the 'real' pleasures of life. a good book that you can't wait to get back to. and that you can read for hours; sometimes even until the sun rises. but that can sometimes make the morrow rather strenuous. so i don't do it anymore.
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Good Morning Scott,you are right,four hours of sleep are never enough! :lol:have a great day 🙂
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Angeliki-No, I never stop thinking. Nor do you. lolGood morning to all. My intern finally sent me a list of ideas for the site. Thank God! I was hitting a very bad frustration point, so let's hope she really helps me out.
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any additional idea is a good thing!either it will help you to add something new or it will help you to appreciate what you have already! :DHave a great day too! 🙂
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Scott I really enjoy seeing your gourmet food creations! Makes my mouth water. ha ha But your words about your happy life inspired me. Makes me remember and appreciate my life too. It's so easy to get focused on the difficult times. But the value and strength comes in remembering the little things that we are grateful for. Happy cooking and happy living to you 🙂
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