Live, Laugh, Love

Happy Valentines

2012-02-13T17:12:00.000-06:00

Fashion Week In NYC

2012-02-12T17:02:00.001-06:00

NY Times Article

Fashion week is upon the big apple. I went to an event launching the much anticipated week with friends at the Empire Hotel the other night. Let the fashion show begin...

Last Week - Fun With Dad In The City

2012-02-06T18:28:00.004-06:00

Fun Times In January

2012-02-06T18:20:00.000-06:00

Basil Bruschetta

2012-01-18T19:15:00.000-06:00

Ingredients

6 roma (plum) tomatoes, chopped

1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil

3 cloves minced garlic

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup fresh basil, stems removed

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 French baguette

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions

Preheat the oven on broiler setting.

In a large bowl, combine the roma tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, basil, salt, and pepper. Allow the mixture to sit for 10 minutes.

Cut the baguette into 3/4-inch slices. On a baking sheet, arrange the baguette slices in a single layer. Broil for 1 to 2 minutes, until slightly brown.

Divide the tomato mixture evenly over the baguette slices. Top the slices with mozzarella cheese.

Broil for 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.

Little Girl In A Big World

2012-01-16T21:17:00.003-06:00

My cousin who is like one of my sisters is on a big adventure right now. Taking advantage of some of those wonderful opportunities as students she is studying abroad in Scotland. I remember when I studied in England - LOVED it! Hope she enjoys her experience as much as I loved mine. I'm looking forward to keeping up with her photos and stories on her blog. We didn't have blogs back when Jim and I studied abroad.

Happy New Year

2012-01-08T19:39:00.002-06:00

Merry Christmas

2011-12-25T20:04:00.000-06:00

Holiday Fun With Family and Friends

2011-12-24T09:14:00.002-06:00

This Past Thanksgiving Fun

2011-12-16T05:38:00.001-06:00

We enjoyed joining the kids in their Thanksgiving tradition this year.

Baked Orzo With Tomatoes, Roasted Peppers and Zucchini

2011-11-29T18:36:00.000-06:00

Published in NYtimes: August 10, 2009 (we made last month.....YUM)

Orzo is a type of pasta that looks like rice. It’s popular in Greece, where it is baked in casseroles like this one. If you like comforting dishes like macaroni and cheese, you’ll like this.

1/2 pound orzo (about 1 1/8 cups)Salt to taste
1 large red pepper, roasted and diced
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 medium zucchini, sliced about 1/4 inch thick
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 pound tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced; or 1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes, with juice
1 or 2 plump garlic cloves (to taste), minced
2 ounces freshly grated Parmesan or 2 ounces crumbled goat cheese (1/2 cup, tightly packed)

1. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil, and add the orzo. Cook eight minutes, or until it is cooked through but still firm to the bite. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Toss with the diced roasted pepper and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil.

2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Oil a 2-quart baking dish. Heat another tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat in a large, wide skillet. Add the zucchini and cook — stirring and turning over the slices, or tossing them in the pan — until just cooked through and lightly colored, about five minutes. Scrape into the bowl with the orzo.

3. Return the pan to the heat, add the final tablespoon of oil and the garlic. Cook just until fragrant, 20 to 30 seconds, and add the tomatoes and salt to taste. Cook, stirring from time to time, until the tomatoes have cooked down slightly and smell fragrant. Taste and adjust seasoning. Scrape into the bowl with the orzo, add the Parmesan or goat cheese, and mix everything together. Add freshly ground pepper to taste, and adjust salt. Transfer to the baking dish.

4. Bake 30 to 40 minutes, until the top is just beginning to color. Serve hot or warm.

Yield: Serves six.
Advance preparation: You can assemble this several hours, even a day, before baking.

Recipe by Martha Rose Shulman can be reached at martha-rose-shulman.com.

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T21:14:00.000-06:00

Our rural ancestors, with little blest,
Patient of labour when the end was rest,
Indulged the day that housed their annual grain,
With feasts, and off'rings, and a thankful strain.
~Alexander Pope~

Movies To Watch Over Thanksgiving:

Everybody's Fine

Julie & Julia

Pieces Of April

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

The Man Who Came To Dinner

Hannah And Her Sisters

A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving

My Sassy Girl

Wedding Date

Friends With Money

Lovely And Amazing
The Darjeeling Limited
The Royal Tenenbaums
Everyone Says I Love You

Arkansas Bride

2011-11-21T20:24:00.001-06:00

Arkansas Bride did a little write up on my sister's wedding....

http://www.inarkansas.com/article/arkansas-bride/27672/real-wedding-ashley-duncan-david-buyse-in-little-rock.

Fall In New York

2011-11-20T21:25:00.000-06:00

Banana Bread

2011-11-20T20:29:00.001-06:00

Ingredients

3 or 4 ripe bananas, smashed
1/3 cup melted butter
1 cup sugar (can easily reduce to 3/4 cup)
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour

Method
No need for a mixer for this recipe. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). With a wooden spoon, mix butter into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the sugar, egg, and vanilla. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in. Add the flour last, mix. Pour mixture into a buttered 4x8 inch loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour. Cool on a rack. Remove from pan and slice to serve.

Makes one loaf.

Birthday Girl

2011-11-20T20:17:00.000-06:00

Celebrating birthdays is something we enjoy in our home. Here are some moments of celebrating.....

My friends at school made this one so special for me - I love these guys!

One of my lifelong friends was in the city for the marathon festivities.

It was so great to spend time with her - we always enjoyed celebrating our bdays together in years past. We were born one month a part and on our bdays we would decorate the school with old photos and sing happy birthday to each other over the school intercom. Our other life long 'bestie' Jenny was a part of all this too.

Aunt Jeanne took us to dinner for my birthday - she is so thoughtful - such a love.

And They're Off...

2011-11-06T08:59:00.001-06:00

NYC Marathon

We have a couple of friends running today, Jason and Kevin. There was a neat article in the NY Times yesterday on Kevin who is running to raise money in support of cystic fibrosis research. What an inspiring day!

Kids & Halloween Fun

2011-11-05T09:14:00.001-05:00

Good Weather - Good Fun!

2011-10-17T16:52:00.000-05:00

Lemon Caper Fish & Fried Eggplant

2011-10-09T13:06:00.003-05:00

We got some fresh produce from the parents garden and put together some delicious fresh dishes. One of which was fried eggplant paired with fish in a lemon caper sauce.

Ingredients for Fried Eggplant:
1/2 cup of flour
salt and pepper
1 egg
1tbs water
4 tbs. of olive oil (could use more)

Mix together flour, salt, and pepper. Put egg in bowl/plate and mix with water. Dip Eggplant in egg wash then flour mixture. Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Place eggplant in skillet. Cook 2- 3 mins each side then place on plate with a paper towel.

Lemon Caper Sauce:
2 tbs olive oil
2 tbs dijon mustard
2 tbs white wine
2 tbs lemon juice
1 tsp salt
Mix together

Add
2 tbs shallots
1 tbs drained capers
1 garlic clove

Pour sauce over fish bake 15 mins at 350

Sunset On The Hudson

2011-10-08T21:18:00.001-05:00

Out for a walk in Riverside Park at sunset - ran into Aunt Jeanne and her friend Marylin.

We sat on a park bench and enjoyed the sunset together.

Happy Birthday Bo

2011-09-18T21:10:00.000-05:00

GO HOGS!

(too bad it's not red)

Always Remember

2011-09-18T17:40:00.001-05:00

"God is our refuge and strength," said President Obama, quoting Psalm 46 from the Bible, following an observed moment of silence that marked the first hijacked jet crashing into the north tower of the World Trade Center at 8:46 a.m. ten years ago.

"The President chose a scripture which he believed was most appropriate -- he believed it was particularly appropriate to use -- to read scripture this morning. And he chose a passage that talks of persevering through very difficult challenges and emerging from those challenges stronger," Josh Earnest principal deputy press secretary said.

Psalm 46
(New King James)
¹ God is our refuge and strength,
         A very present help in trouble.
² Therefore we will not fear,
         Even though the earth be removed,
         And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
³ Though its waters roar and be troubled,
         Though the mountains shake with its swelling.  Selah
⁴ There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God,
         The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High.
⁵ God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved;
         God shall help her, just at the break of dawn.
⁶ The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved;
         He uttered His voice, the earth melted.
⁷ The LORD of hosts is with us;
         The God of Jacob is our refuge.  Selah
⁸ Come, behold the works of the LORD,
         Who has made desolations in the earth.
⁹ He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
         He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two;
         He burns the chariot in the fire.
¹⁰ Be still, and know that I am God;
         I will be exalted among the nations,
         I will be exalted in the earth!
¹¹ The LORD of hosts is with us;
         The God of Jacob is our refuge.  Selah

Parties - Wonderland Inspirations and more....

2011-09-09T09:15:00.006-05:00

This summer while backstage before a performance a friend and I got to discussing all the neat party ideas with the Alice In Wonderland theme. Whether a wedding, a kids birthday, or just an event so many neat ideas can come from this classic fairy tale. A few weeks ago my sister came across a designer line with a Mad Hatter collection. A tea party is another fun idea from this theme. Here are some photos for inspirational ideas....

I loved this party on Sex And The City the movie.

Recently I watched Giada on Foodnetwork planning and giving a party for her daughters first birthday. It was all about eat, play, fun! The kids had their own poundcake to decorate - you could do anything like cookies such as sugar cookies and even cookies in shapes if you had a theme like animals you could incorporate shapes that way. Just have fun!

A site I learned of through a friend has many is Kara's party. There are so many sites and places to find neat ideas - blogs for one! My friends and family amaze me with their creativity in event planning with the birthday parties for their kids. Oh, I love it! So fun and that's the main thing I believe - whether you have a theme for a big event or just have a few people over - have fun! Big or small - nothing is right or wrong - it's all a matter of preference and preference at that moment. Just enjoy even if you just keep it basic and simple - that can be the best! I think of myself and how I have to keep it basic and simple. I see all these neat ideas and if I were to try to pull some of them off how I could end up in a disaster. And that's the beauty of it and just to laugh and go on come what may! But a key ingredient I think is to have help. It's always fun to be doing things together with a friend. And you can benefit from a second eye and skill set. We can all benefit from a little help along the way.

US Open Today

2011-09-08T21:17:00.000-05:00

Ingredients

2011-09-08T07:51:00.002-05:00

A Documentary Film

The local food movement takes root.

"American food is in a state of crisis. Health, food costs and our environment are all in jeopardy. A movement to put good food back on the table is emerging. What began 30 years ago with chefs demanding better flavor, has inspired consumers to seek relationships with nearby farmers. This is local food."

Knowledge is the key to unlocking doors and opening yourself to something better. Knowing what you're putting in your body, where it comes from, and conscience eating is key to healthier living. May we all work on this together and support each other. We can begin by finding our local farmers market.

The key to a good meal is good ingredients. The best meals can be so simple - it's all about the fresh full flavors. You do pay a little more to eat fresh, support local farmers, and live healthy. But buying fresh and local is still less expensive than going out to eat. And chain restaurants are serving corporate cost effective ingredients and meals that are loaded with salt, sodium, and worst of all unnecessary calories. For example: on the boarder dox xx fish tacos with creamy red chile sauce: 2350 calories.

There is indeed a level of comfort, which I identify with and understand, in chain eating. Marketing is in conjunction with mass and familiarity and what illicit those feelings of comfort - effective marketing will bring the masses and increase business. But with more business corporate is involved and it's all about cost and quality is comprised. Ultimately we're the ones paying the cost.

Corporate restaurant chains are not the kind of places that support fresh, healthy, and local. They are the places that destroy these sacred things of our past and heritage. We must make an effort to support what is best for our bodies, best for our health, and best for those we love. The cost and sacrifice for authentic, fresh is well spent and the cost for supporting corporate is one we can't afford. May we all develop a strong 'hunger for change.'

Chicken Tikka Masala

2011-09-06T21:16:00.002-05:00

Ingredients

Marinade:

1 cup plain yogurt, whisked until smooth
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
3 cloves garlic, put through a garlic press or finely minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into large bite-size chunks

Sauce:

3 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons olive oil
6 cloves garlic, minced
2-inch thumb ginger, peeled and minced
2 serrano pepper, minced (seeds removed if you don't want it spicy)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon garam masala
8 Roma tomatoes, diced
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 cups water
1 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves, optional
1/2 cup heavy cream
Fresh cilantro leaves, minced
Serving suggestion: Cooked rice, warm naan bread or crusty bread.

For the marinade:

In large bowl, mix the yogurt, ginger, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Poke chicken with a fork, then add to marinade. Fold to cover and marinate at least 30 minutes, at most refrigerated overnight.

For the sauce:

When you're ready to make the curry, place a large skillet over medium heat, and add the butter and olive oil. When butter has melted, add the garlic, ginger, and serrano pepper. Saute until lightly browned around the edges.

Add the tomato paste and cook until the tomato has darkened in colour, about 3 minutes. Add the paprika and garam masala, and saute for about 1 minute to draw out their flavours. Add the tomatoes, salt, and water. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat to a simmer and cover. Cook for 20 minutes. Take the pan off the fire, and allow the sauce to cool for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, fire up your broiler, and cover your broiler pan in foil. Pull the chicken thigh chunks out of the marinade and place on the sheet. Place under the broiler, and cook about 7 minutes on each side, until charred and cooked through. Cook's Note: Don't worry if the chicken is still a little uncooked, but very charred on the outside; you can finish cooking the chicken in the sauce. Pour sauce into a blender or food processor, and process until smooth. Pour back into the pan, and bring back up to a boil. Add the chicken and fenugreek leaves, if using. Reduce heat to a simmer, and cook, covered, for about 10 minutes.

Add cream and stir through. Garnish with minced fresh cilantro if you like, and serve over rice, with naan or a crusty piece of bread!

Leather Jacket

2011-09-02T10:27:00.004-05:00

In addition to that little black dress in a girls closet there should be a little leather jacket. I've observed the leather jackets are already coming out in NYC. Such a versatile piece - like a great accessory (which I'm all about) it can change an outfit.

"Throw a leather jacket over a ballgown, throw it over a romper, throw it over anything and everything it's the quickest way to get that edgy, cool I didn't try too hard look." - Rachel Zoe (Oscars Episode)

Oh yes and for your feet you should always have a pair of red heels for that "pin up" feel and to add a splash of color!

After The Storm....

2011-08-29T17:55:00.000-05:00

....BLUE SKIES

What To Do When Hunkered Indoors....

2011-08-29T11:01:00.005-05:00

....COOK!

Here is one dish we made while indoors waiting out Hurricane/Tropical Storm Irene:

Chicken Pot Pie Barefoot Contessa Style

3 whole (6 split) chicken breasts, bone in, skin on
3 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
5 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
2 chicken bouillon cubes
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 cups medium-diced carrots (4 carrots), blanched for 2 minutes
1 10-ounce package frozen peas (2 cups)
1 1/2 cups frozen small whole onions
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley

For The Biscuits:

2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 pound (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, diced
3/4 cup half-and-half
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 egg mixed with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Place the chicken breast on a sheet pan and rub them with olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, or until cooked through. Set aside until cool enough to handle, then remove the meat from the bones and discard the skin. Cut the chicken into large dice. You will have 4 to 6 cups of cubed chicken.
In a small saucepan, heat the chicken stock and dissolve the bouillon cubes in the stock. In a large pot melt the butter and saute the onions over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until translucent. Add the flour and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add the hot chicken stock to the sauce. Simmer over low heat for 1 more minute, stirring, until thick. Add 2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and the heavy cream. Add the cubed chicken, carrots, peas, onions, and parsley. Mix well. Place the stew in a 10 x 13 x 2-inch oval or rectangular baking dish. Place the baking dish on a sheet pan lined with parchment or wax paper. Bake for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the biscuits. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the butter and mix on low speed until the butter is the size of peas. Add the half-and-half and combine on low speed. Mix in the parsley. Dump the dough out on a well-floured board and, with a rolling pin, roll out to 3/8-inch thick. Cut out twelve circles with a 2 1/2-inch round cutter.
Remove the stew from the oven and arrange the biscuits on top of the filling. Brush them with egg wash, and return the dish to the oven. Bake for another 20 to 30 minutes, until the biscuits are brown and the stew is bubbly.

Note: To make in advance, refrigerate the chicken stew and biscuits separately. Bake the stew for 25 minutes, then place the biscuits on top, and bake for another 30 minutes, until done.

Caesar Salad

2011-08-25T20:01:00.003-05:00

Jim and I enjoyed chicken caesar salad tonight....

1 egg
Juice of 1 lemon
1 garlic clove
2/3 cup of olive oil
2 anchovies
1/4 cup or so of freshly grated parmesan or parmesan reggiano
Salt and Pepper
Romaine Lettuce

Finley chop garlic clove and anchovies and create a paste. Combine lemon juice, garlic clove, egg, salt and pepper and whisk. Slowly add olive oil while whisking. Add parmesan and mix again. Pour over a package of washed and cleaned romaine lettuce. Add grilled chicken if you'd like and garlic bread. If you'd like to do homemade croutons take day old bread and chop/tear up saute with olive oil over medium heat. Top salad with parmesan.

For the garlic bread chop off the top of a head of garlic - put in foil - pour olive oil on top and season with salt and pepper. If you're short on time put the oven on 425 and cook for 35 mins or 1 hour at 350. Let cool, squeeze out - mix with melted butter and brush over a baguette you've cut in half. Heat baguette with garlic butter for 10 mins. at 350.

Oh Canada - Summer Travel

2011-08-18T18:12:00.000-05:00

Something Outrageous

2011-08-17T06:57:00.000-05:00

And That's Our Show!

Summer In The City

2011-08-13T21:00:00.001-05:00

Life After Racing

2011-08-11T14:35:00.000-05:00

For the race horse life after the race can be a race for their life. When a horse is retired from racing it is usually very young, and needs to be worked with to understand life off the track. To address this need a non profit organization called Trott (training racehorses off the track) formed in January of 2010. It's an all volunteer program that depends on the support of those who give and all the money raised goes to help the horses in restoring their bodies and spirits.

Campaign To Help The Children

2011-08-10T20:39:00.003-05:00

Today marked the start of a celebrity social media campaign, I'm Gonna Be Your Friend, to help the "Save The Children Organization" aid the children of East Africa by raising money to feed the millions of children and families in need. The food crisis in Somalia and across East Africa is the worst in decades there are as many as 10 million people affected. I hope this endeavor helps raise awareness, but most of all promotes a great outpouring that helps many.

The song and film can be downloaded through ITunes, from www.imgonnabeyourfriend.org or via Bob Marley's Facebook page, for 99p / $1.29. The Facebook page will also feature click-through links for direct donations to Save the Children's East Africa appeal.

East Village Best Eats...

2011-08-06T10:13:00.005-05:00

Our friends own two great places in the East Village.

Perfect combination of delicious food and fun ambiance.

Two must experiences:La Cervecia (formerly Bar Paya) and Wine Bar.......

Something To Celebrate

2011-08-05T21:41:00.003-05:00

Jim and I just celebrated our 7th anniversary - cheers!.....

Glamour With Your Feet and Legs Capri Style.....

2011-08-05T20:55:00.004-05:00

When I was traveling Europe with my family several years ago while on the Isle of Capri we came across this wonderful cobbler making fabulous shoes.

Just a few weeks ago I came across his concept, Tuccia Di Capri, in Henri Bendel NYC.

Capri is also know for the famous Capri pant.

Even Barbie wants to be glamorous with whats on her feet.

Although not from Capri, but France,

Christian Louboutin is making his fabulous signature

red sole shoes for Barbie and FAO is caring his line.

Dream State In Post Production

2011-08-01T12:12:00.001-05:00

Brought to you by Dark Kidney Film.

Cavatappi Pasta With Mushrooms and Sausage

2011-07-26T23:33:00.003-05:00

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 pound mushrooms, trimmed, cleaned and finely chopped
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus 3/4 teaspoon
3/4 cup dry Marsala wine
1/4 cup white wine
1 pound cavatappi pasta
1 pound of a pork sausage (ie: garlic and pepper)
3/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 cup cream
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Remove sausage from casing and cook in skillet on medium/high heat till cooked through (about 10 mins) and set aside. Place the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook for 1 minute. Add the mushrooms and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Saute, stirring occasionally, until all the moisture has evaporated and the mushrooms have cooked down, about 10 minutes. Add the marsala and continue cooking until almost all the wine has evaporated, about 5 minutes then add the parmesan and cream.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Stir in remaining salt. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta and add it into the mushrooms, marsala and onions, parmesan and cream and sausage and cook about 3 more minutes. Stir in the parsley and pepper. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve.

Adapted from Giada.

McNulty's Tea & Coffee

2011-07-07T19:34:00.001-05:00

An establishment in the West Village, NYC - keepin' it real all these years...

Love getting our coffee beans here!

Independence Hall - Where It All Began July 4, 1776

2011-07-05T10:23:00.003-05:00

"We hold these truths to be self-evident,
that all men are created equal,
that they are endowed by their Creator

with certain unalienable Rights, that among

these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

- Within The Deceleration of Independence -

Fire Island Fun With Friends

2011-07-03T09:32:00.010-05:00

Nothing like a fun day on the beach with friends.....

We kicked off the holiday weekend yesterday doing just that!

A Father's Love

2011-06-22T00:00:00.004-05:00

"Let me tell you a secret about a father's love,

A secret that my daddy said was just between us.

You see Daddies don't just love their children every now and then.

It's a love without end, amen, it's a love without end, amen."

- George Strait

Merchant's Gate

2011-06-12T23:19:00.002-05:00

Unveiled: 1913

Sculpted: 1901-1913
Architect: H. Van Buren Magonigle • USA
Sculptor: Attilio Piccirilli 1901-1913 • Italy
Gift of the National Maine Monument Fund Committee

At the entrance of Merchants' Gate, the main gateway into Central Park, stands the colossal marble statue and fountain of the Maine Monument. A powerful 1913 Beaux Arts monument to commemorate the controversial sinking of the battleship Maine in 1898 and created in a 1901 design contest sponsored by a Spanish-American War commission vice-chaired by media magnate William Randolph Hearst who had a driving interest in promoting the cause.

It is a massive 44-foot limestone pylon, crowned at the top with a gilded bronze sculpture of Columbia Triumphant in a seashell chariot pulled by three hippocampi, sea horses that signifies the United States' dominance of the seas. At the pylon's base, surrounding the ship are the mythological figures, Victory, Peace, Courage, Fortitude and Justice.

Though the destruction of the Maine as it sank in the harbor of Havana, Cuba claiming the lives of 266 seamen, was later revealed to be a terrible accident the popular jingoistic slogan, "Remember the Maine" lives on.

Cousins....:'Are Two Of A Kind'

2011-06-12T22:44:00.000-05:00

I ran across this photo of me with my sister Ashley and our cousins...

(L to R beside me Kc, Megan, and Lindsey).

Love this photo!

Basic Baked Lemon Butter Cod

2011-06-06T21:55:00.006-05:00

Ingredients:
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1/4 cup of white wine
2 cups ritz crackers or panko crumbs
Juice of 1 lemon
1 lemon for lemon zest and lemon slices/wedges for serving
1 1/2 pound wild cod fish filets
7 tablespoons butter, melted
salt and pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Heat butter and put in 9 x 9 dish add wine lemon juice and garlic – mix.

Place the cod pieces, side by side, in an oven-safe baking dish (preferably glass). Sprinkle the fish with salt, pepper and make sure to dip both sides in butter mixture. Generously top each piece of fish with the crumbs, gently pressing them into the top of the fish. (Note: The crumbs will only be on the top).

Bake for 25 minutes, or until the fish is opaque, but still moist, in the center.

Remove from oven and add fresh parsley and lemon zest. Serve with a lemon slice.

Serves: 2.

Serve with broccolini. Saute with olive oil and 1 garlic clove over medium heat - cover and stir often. Will be tender and ready to serve in 10 mins.

Millinery

2011-05-31T11:13:00.005-05:00

I love the scene in "Hello Dolly" where Cornelius Hackle and Barnaby Tucker go into the Millinery shop where Irene Molloy and Minnie are working. I imagined visiting a hat shop in the big apple myself someday.

A few weeks ago at an event I had the pleasure of meeting a lady who owns a Millinery in NYC, Ellen Christine Millinery. Her hats have gotten around......

Happy Memorial Day

2011-05-30T20:10:00.002-05:00

Books To Check Out

2011-05-26T21:09:00.009-05:00

A few non-fiction books to check out:

The article that Gloria Vanderbilt's son Anderson Cooper wrote for

Vogue was very well written and insightful. When I first visited the

Vanderbilt's summer home in Newport I began to wonder about Gloria. Good reads!

Gloria Vanderbilt Photographed by Horst for Vogue, 1966

Gloria Vanderbilt - Anderson Cooper pays tribute to his mother in Vogue....

"I don’t really know who the woman in this photograph is. She is my mom, of course, Gloria Vanderbilt—I recognize the face, the look in her eyes, the shape of her nose—but she has lived so many different lives, inhabited so many different worlds, that in this picture, as in many photos, I find it hard to really see her. Among other things, she’s been an actress, an artist, a designer, a writer, a wife, a mother, a lover, a victim, and a survivor. Every few years she seems to shed her old self, and is born anew.

The photo was taken by Horst in April 1966. My mom is wearing a Mainbocher dress and is in a grand old town house on Sixty-seventh off Park Avenue, where she lived with my father, Wyatt Cooper, whom she married in 1964, and my brother Carter, who was born in 1965. I am not yet born. In fact, I won’t be conceived for another seven months.

We lived in the house for another five years or so after I arrived, and though I recall some of the rooms, I’m not sure which one this picture was taken in. The one I remember most was a bedroom my mother covered entirely in patchwork quilts: the walls, the ceiling, the furniture, she’d even glued quilts to the floor and had them coated with polyurethane. It was like being inside a collage. I’ve never seen anything like it since.

My mom is 42 years old in this photograph, a year younger than I am now. She looks so much more grown up than I feel. I suppose all children, no matter what age, feel that about their parents.

“I remember being completely fulfilled, contented, and happy,” my mom said when I asked her about the photograph. Contentment is something my mom rarely admits to. She and I are similar in that way. We are both restless, always searching, looking into the future at what is coming next.
They sicken of the calm, who knew the storm,” she often says, quoting her friend Dorothy Parker, who died four days after I was born and was laid to rest in another Mainbocher dress my mom gave her.
I have never seen this photo before. It’s a beautiful picture—elegant, stylish—but it’s not really her at all. I think it says more about the person taking the picture than it says about my mom. It is a photo of how Horst, or perhaps some magazine art directors, saw her—who they thought she was or should be. It is not how my mom saw herself, and it certainly is not who she is now.

Yes, drape that arm around that pillow,” I imagine Horst saying, “and yes, the head, try resting it against that other one. Yes, perfect, languid but glamorous. Yes, as if you are just relaxing before guests arrive.

There certainly were glamorous parties in that house on Sixty-seventh Street. I recently found a photograph of me shaking Charlie Chaplin’s hand when he arrived for a party in his honor. He had just returned to the United States after many years in exile in Switzerland. My parents had shown us his films, but I was surprised to discover the youthful little tramp had become a white-haired man well into his 80s. I remember dinners with Truman Capote, and Lillian Gish. Al Hirschfeld and Charles Addams used to draw pictures for my brother and me.

The elegant life portrayed in the picture was real. That was my mom’s house, and that probably was her dress, and the needlepoint chair in the foreground was embroidered by my mother’s aunt Thelma. But the photograph focuses only on a part of my mom’s life; it doesn’t really capture her strength, her passion, the drive that propelled her forward through great successes and failures.
Unlike others who came from privileged backgrounds, who spent their days at country clubs or gossiping over long lunches, my mom has always had a relentless determination—a need to create, to achieve on her own—born of pain and loss.

My mom’s father died when she was an infant, and at the age of ten, she was taken away from her own mother, the result of a bitter custody battle begun by her father’s sister Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney. At the time, the height of the Depression, the battle of the Vanderbilts made daily headlines. The one constant in my mom’s early life was her beloved nurse, whom she called Dodo. When the judge awarded custody of my mother to her aunt, a woman she barely knew, he also banished Dodo from her life.

I have a black-and-white newsreel from that time, which shows my ten-year-old mom arriving in court, surrounded by a phalanx of fedora-wearing bodyguards. She is staring down, her eyes glazed. She is focused inward, and I see that she has already begun the internal dialogue she continues to carry on with herself to this day. Under the intense pressure of that early loneliness and chaos, and the fame that followed, my mom formed a rock-hard core that nothing could crack.

I sometimes think she would have been better off without that last name. It came with great advantages, no doubt, but great baggage as well, so many preconceived notions that color how other people see you. I am certainly glad I don’t have that name.

The problem with drive, however, is that if you have it, you are rarely satisfied, and you must continue to move forward toward new things, find new skins to inhabit. That’s another reason photos I see of her so often fail to capture her essence. They are mere snapshots in time, poses she is trying on and will soon move away from.

She has not always been successful, but no level of failure or betrayal or tragedy has diminished her drive to create. She’s what is sometimes called a survivor, but she has none of the toughness that term so often implies.

My mom is 86 now, though she has stopped celebrating birthdays and no longer thinks about age in the way she once did. She is the most youthful person I know and still believes great opportunity and great love is just around the corner. The funny thing is, if you spend even a short amount of time with her, you start to believe it as well.

She has a large art studio in an apartment below the one she lives in, and on most days slips down the back stairs to paint or write. She doesn’t call me often, because she is always concerned about interrupting me at work, but she has finally mastered E-mail and sends them frequently, inviting me to come look at a new painting or a new story she is working on.

If I were taking a photograph of her now, it would be of how she appears when I visit her. She is ensconced on a couch very similar to the one in the Horst photo, but she is barefoot because that is how she is at home when talking with me or with friends late into the night. She does not have any makeup on, because that is how she is most comfortable, most beautiful.

All around her are the objects she has collected through her many lives: shiny silver fish in a silver bowl; small boxes she bought in Europe; a Mexican cross from a long-ago trip. Every object has a story, a history. Nearby is the same needlepoint chair embroidered by her mother’s sister.

She may wrap a hand around a pillow, and lay her head back on another one, but she has none of the icy cool of the woman posing for Horst. No longer limited by old concerns, by things that once seemed important, even urgent, she is focused only on what she cares about, excited by what lies ahead, and able to laugh about all that she has been through, all the ways she has seen herself and been seen by others."

Article as published in the November 2010 issue of Vogue, on newsstands nationwide October 26th.

Weekend Happenings

2011-05-24T21:31:00.000-05:00

Out For A Southern Dinner

"Chicken Fried Steak"

Picnic In Riverside Park

Enjoying Tribeca

In Madison Square Park

Dining In Curry Hill

Chicken Mustard Mascarpone Marsala

2011-05-17T19:35:00.000-05:00

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, each breast cut crosswise into 3 pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
5 tablespoons butter, divided
3/4 cup chopped onion or mix of shallot onion
1 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 cup dry Marsala wine
1 cup (8 ounces) mascarpone cheese
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves, plus whole sprigs, for garnish
12 ounces dried fettuccine

Directions

Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over high heat. Add the chicken and cook just until brown, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate and cool slightly.

While the chicken cools, melt 2 tablespoons of butter to the same skillet over medium-high heat, then add the onion and saute until tender, about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and garlic and saute until the mushrooms are tender and the juices evaporate, about 12 minutes. Add the wine and simmer until it is reduced by half, about 4 minutes. Stir in the mascarpone and mustard. Cut the chicken breasts crosswise into 1/3-inch-thick slices. Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the skillet. Simmer, uncovered, over medium-low heat until the chicken is just cooked through and the sauce thickens slightly, about 2 minutes. Stir in the chopped parsley. Season the sauce, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the fettuccine and cook until al dente, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Drain. Toss the fettuccine with 3 tablespoons of butter and season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Swirl the fettuccine onto serving plates. Spoon the chicken mixture over top. Garnish with parsley sprigs and serve.

Colorful Table Settings

2011-05-11T16:29:00.000-05:00

Almond Crusted Chicken

2011-05-09T20:14:00.001-05:00

My sister told me about this recipe - ENJOY!

Ingredients

1 cup unblanched almonds
1 1/2 teaspoons Spanish pimenton or paprika
2 large eggs
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 6 ounces each)
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon sherry or red wine vinegar - whatever you have
5 cups mesclun (small/young) salad greens
Optional: (1/4 bread crumbs and 1/4 parmesan cheese)

Directions

Finely chop the almonds in a mini-chopper or food processor. Transfer the nuts to a shallow dish and stir in the paprika. Lightly whisk the egg whites in another shallow dish. Pat the chicken dry and season both sides with salt and pepper. Dip each piece of chicken into the egg, letting the excess fall back into the dish. Then press both sides of the chicken into the nuts (bread crumb and parmesan) to coat. Place on a baking sheet, cover, and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes to set the crust.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place rack on a baking sheet.

Heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium-low heat and add 1 tablespoon of the oil and the butter. Place the chicken smooth-side down in the pan and then raise the heat to medium-high. Cook turning once, until the nuts set and turn golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer meat to the prepared pan and bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the sides of the chicken registers 160 degrees F, about 20 minutes.

Whisk the vinegar, salt, and pepper to taste in a medium bowl. Gradually whisk in the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil, starting with a few drops and then adding the rest in a steady stream, to make a smooth dressing. Add the salad greens and toss to coat evenly. Divide the salad evenly among 4 plates, top with the chicken and serve.

Adapted from Food Network

Happy Mother's Day

2011-05-08T12:21:00.001-05:00

WHY GOD MADE MOMS

Answers given by 2nd grade school children to the following questions:

Why did God make mothers?
1. She's the only one who knows where the scotch tape is.
2. Mostly to clean the house.
3. To help us out of there when we were getting born.

How did God make mothers?

1. He used dirt, just like for the rest of us.
2. Magic plus super powers and a lot of stirring.
3. God made my mom just the same like he made me. He just used bigger parts.

What ingredients are mothers made of?
1. Clouds and angel hair and everything nice in the world and one dab of mean.
2. They had to get their start from men's bones. Then they mostly use string, I think.

Why did God give you your mother and not some other mom?

1. We're related.
2. God knew she likes me a lot more than other people's mom like me.

What kind of a little girl was your mom?

1. My mom has always been my mom and none of that other stuff.
2. I don't know because I wasn't there, but my guess would be pretty bossy.
3. They say she used to be nice.

What did mom need to know about dad before she married him?

1. His last name.
2. She had to know his background. Like is he a crook? Does he get drunk on beer?
3. Does he make at least $800 a year? Did he say NO to drugs and YES to chores?

Why did your mom marry your dad?

1. My dad makes the best spaghetti in the world. And my mom eats a lot
2. She got too old to do anything else with him.
3. My grandma says that mom didn't have her thinking cap on.

Who's the boss at your house?

1. Mom doesn't want to be boss, but she has to because dad's such a goof ball.
2. Mom. You can tell by room inspection. She sees the stuff under the bed.
3. I guess mom is, but only because she has a lot more to do than dad.

What's the difference between moms and dads?

1. Moms work at work and work at home and dads just go to work at work.
2. Moms know how to talk to teachers without scaring them.
3. Dads are taller and stronger, but moms have all the real power 'cause that's who you got to ask if you want to sleep over at your friends.
4. Moms have magic, they make you feel better without medicine..

What does your mom do in her spare time?

1. Mothers don't do spare time.
2. To hear her tell it, she pays bills all day long.

What would it take to make your mom perfect?
1. On the inside she's already perfect. Outside, I think some kind of plastic surgery.
2. Diet. You know, her hair. I'd diet, maybe blue.

If you could change one thing about your mom, what would it be?
1. She has this weird thing about me keeping my room clean. I'd get rid of that.
2. I'd make my mom smarter. Then she would know it was my sister who did it not me.
3. I would like for her to get rid of those invisible eyes on the back of her head.

Neighborhood Party

2011-05-07T14:45:00.003-05:00

German Flair...

2011-05-07T14:44:00.000-05:00

Spring Happenings....

2011-05-06T13:45:00.000-05:00

Festival Of Tulips

Flat Iron Building

Empire State Building

Echo in Madison Square Park

Me and the dogs in Central Park

News

2011-05-06T13:27:00.002-05:00

Major events have occurred recently in the news. Yesterday President Obama honored the victims of 9/11 at ground zero. "When we say, 'We will never forget,' we mean what we say," President Obama said. President Obama also called the loss of life from the recent severe weather "heartbreaking," and promised those affected by the storms the full support of the federal government. The storms caused me to again focus on global warming, it's harmful effects, and what I can do in small ways to help; one of which is educating myself on the issue and doing my part to pass along that information making others aware.

I was at the end of my junior year of collage, and presenting my topic of study for trip. My presentation was far more detailed and advanced than any other applicant. I will never forget being told that global warming was not a topic that it didn't exist, and the very day after my presentation global warming was the lead story in the New York Times. While, yes, it was an up and coming topic it was certainly making headlines.

It's a shame when fear takes over something we don't understand giving way for propaganda to be spread in effort to be used as scare tactics to prevent the truth and awareness of something important. Because to reveal the truth often time hurts big industry and deep pockets which have such a strong hold and control on us all. Their money and power give way to shaping news not as fact but as what they want people to hear - what serves their purpose - the purpose of helpful to a few and harmful to many often times ending in devastation.

One example is the debate that occurred over Global Warming - ending in devastation and disaster. Big business didn't and still doesn't want public awareness of this real situation because it hurt their ability to continue business as usual. They have such power that they get what they want until eyes are opened to the truth, we start thinking for ourselves, and action occurs.

Despite different preferences there are some issues where it's a must to come together, work together, put aside biases, fears, the almighty dollar, and find it in ourselves to do what's right for the good of many.

One disappointment I would raise is if you look at the understanding of climate change by scientists -- let's be generous -- 95 percent of scientists say we understand the process and we are convinced there is global warming. The media reports it, like a lot of other stories, as 50-50. They want to always show the other side. That's good, but I'm disappointed that the media does not reflect that there is a 95-5 percent discussion. It sounds like it's 50-50. The public reads this and they can't make up their mind usually.

KONRAD STEFFEN, interview, May 18, 2007

We have many advantages in the fight against global warming, but time is not one of them. Instead of idly debating the precise extent of global warming, or the precise timeline of global warming, we need to deal with the central facts of rising temperatures, rising waters, and all the endless troubles that global warming will bring. We stand warned by serious and credible scientists across the world that time is short and the dangers are great. The most relevant question now is whether our own government is equal to the challenge.

JOHN MCCAIN, speech, May 12, 2008

Global warming is too serious for the world any longer to ignore its danger or split into opposing factions on it.

TONY BLAIR, speech, Sept. 27, 2005

Two thousand scientists, in a hundred countries, engaged in the most elaborate, well organized scientific collaboration in the history of humankind, have produced long-since a consensus that we will face a string of terrible catastrophes unless we act to prepare ourselves and deal with the underlying causes of global warming.

AL GORE, speech at National Sierra Club Convention, Sept. 9, 2005

All across the world, in every kind of environment and region known to man, increasingly dangerous weather patterns and devastating storms are abruptly putting an end to the long-running debate over whether or not climate change is real. Not only is it real, it's here, and its effects are giving rise to a frighteningly new global phenomenon: the man-made natural disaster.

BARACK OBAMA, speech, Apr. 3, 2006

How can we come together and help? It starts with educating ourselves - searching out the facts - finding the truth.

An "Inconvenient Truth" gives helpful scientific fact.

Study facts.

Do little things - these little things add up and can be the big things that cause a tipping point of change.

The Lady Of Shalott

2011-05-06T12:22:00.000-05:00

The Lady Of Shalott written by Alfred Lord Tennyson has lived through three centuries through paintings, film, and song. I was reminded of this poem recently when I was introduced to the song "If I Die Young," by the Perry Band, AMC new artist of the year. Interesting how written words can paint images, linger, inspire, and live on through generations and centuries.

A & D

2011-05-01T19:19:00.003-05:00

Wedding Video Trailer

Lake Placid Where Winter Lingers

2011-04-25T13:36:00.000-05:00

While some of the country is bustling with the buds of spring winter lingers in Lake Placid. It was a lovely time we spent part of last weekend. Jim and I had a nice dinner then walked back to our hotel amidst snow falling down on us, with views of mountains encasing us, and with the smell of burning wood surrounding us. We enjoyed sitting by the fire where we warmed up. Alas, spring is just around the corner, even for these parts, and warmer weather will soon find it's way. All the best and warmth to you wherever you may be.

Family Fun in NYC

2011-04-25T13:26:00.000-05:00

Happy Easter

2011-04-25T12:47:00.000-05:00

Gravy NY

2011-04-23T21:28:00.008-05:00

New NYC restaurant, Gravy, featured in NYtimes today ....enjoy some southern staples, as Ina Garten would say, "With the volume turned up!" If you live in NYC make a reservation and if you're planning a trip include this in your must eats!

Website: http://www.gravyny.com
Email: info@gravyny.com
Phone: (212) 600-2105

Twiced Baked Mushroom Potatoes

2011-04-22T18:06:00.001-05:00

Ingredients

4 russet potatoes
3 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
8 ounces small mushrooms, such as cremini or button, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning
1 1/2 sticks of butter
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar
1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions

Put an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Using the tines of a fork, prick the skins of the potatoes all over and arrange on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 1 to 1 1/4 hours until tender and cooked through. Remove from the oven and let cool until warm enough to handle, about 20 minutes.

While the potatoes are cooling, in a medium skillet, heat 4 tbs of butter oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook until the mushrooms are golden and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 6 minutes. Put the mixture into a medium bowl. Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise and, using a small spoon, scoop out all but 1/4-inch of the flesh. Add the potato flesh to the mushroom mixture. Add 4 tbs of melted butter, oregano, and 1 cup of the cheese. Mix well. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Arrange the potato halves, cut side up on the baking sheet. Using a pastry brush, brush both sides of the potatoes with 2 tablespoons of melted butter and season the inside with salt and pepper, to taste. Spoon the mushrooms mixture into each potato half. Arrange 1 half-piece of prosciutto on top and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake until the cheese is melted about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven, transfer to a serving platter, garnish with chopped parsley and serve.

Bo and Tessie's First Subway Ride.....

2011-04-10T18:16:00.008-05:00

Wished I could show you the video with the wonderful Hispanic performers to the left of me, alas the video is in HD, and is hard to upload - but just picture it - great subway times!

A couple of Easter things I put out today.

This basket is one my great-grandmother gave me - precious -

love it and love her...so much!

In preparation for Palm Sunday next week I've been thinking of those years ago when Jesus entered into Jerusalem in preparation for what was to pass.....

"Then those who went before and those who followed cried out, saying:
'Hosanna!
Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’"

Mark 11:9

New King James

The Jewish holiday Purim just passed commemorating the deliverance of the Jewish people in the ancient Persian Empire from destruction in the wake of a plot by Haman, adviser to Esther's husband, Ahasuerus, a story recorded in the Bible in the book of Esther. I've been meditating on this verse of what Esther's uncle Mordecai had sent to her - a message sent from the Lord....

"For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief
and deliverance will arise for the Jews from
another place, but you and your father’s house will perish.
Yet who knows whether you have come to
the kingdom for such a time as this?”

Esther 4:14

New King James Version

Getting Ready For Easter

2011-04-07T09:20:00.000-05:00

Discoveries

2011-04-03T15:46:00.002-05:00

Last month my mom, dad, and sister Melissa came to visit us. Saturday we ended up in Greenwich Village. We popped in at One If By Land Two If By Sea, they let us look around even though they weren't serving lunch. My mom and dad have always enjoyed having dinner there. A neat discovery for Jim and I to try later. We continued walking around the area until we discovered "The Lion" where we enjoyed a wonderful Saturday brunch. Legend has it that this is where Barbara Streisand was discovered in 1960 as she was working as a singer there. After lunch we headed over to SoHo. We had a great such a great time having them visit, and look forward to when they come back.

Fun making and hearing about discoveries in the big apple. Just the other day we discovered Belvedere Castle is practically in our back yard. The saying we've been told is your apartment is your bedroom and the city is your living room.

Out And About

2011-04-02T19:45:00.005-05:00

A couple weeks ago I was craving fish and chips so I sought out to find one of the best places for fish and chips. Well, I think I done it, A Salt and Battery. It's very small, expect a wait, and possibly no table, but you can do like we did and request the VIP seat where they turn the side table by the register into a couple of seats. Not a place for a large crowd, but a place for you to get some good fish and chips which is exactly what I was wanting.

Today I had an audition that was near Katz Deli so we thought we'd check out the famous place for reuben sandwiches and just famous place in general. We waited in line twice. Yes, twice. I got overwhelmed the first time and wasn't quite sure if I was ready to push my way through the crowds of people and be aggressive to get a table especially when I didn't have a big plate of food in my hands. Well, I got prepared and came back for a second take - was aggressive about getting a table and got one and made a couple of friends a long the way. I shared the table with a group who ended up wanting my autograph thinking they'd end up seeing my name in lights someday. I was flattered, of course, and enjoyed their company. Gave my first NYC autograph in a place that's seen anyone and everyone. All in all an experience. Glad I gave it a second chance. Expensive for a sandwich, although a good and big sandwich, you're paying for a staple NYC deli experience - Katz Deli.

Sullivan St Bakery Fundraiser for Japan

2011-04-01T13:19:00.003-05:00

Since Friday, March 11, 2011 when a massive 8.9-magnitude earth quake hit northeast Japan they have been ever present in the worlds news and thoughts. I have a dear life long friend living in Japan who's husband is helping with aiding in the disaster. I'm glad to hear of a strong support system and that they are staying positive amidst a difficult situation. Others are once again coming together in effort to send our support and help. Tomorrow Sullivan St Bakery in NYC will be giving half it's proceeds to the Red Cross for disaster relief to Japan. I have referenced Sullivan Street Bakery on this blog in the past. We use his book "my bread" in our cooking often.

May Japan feel the love, prayers, and support from all over.

Curry Chicken Salad

2011-04-01T13:00:00.000-05:00

4 bone in skin on chicken breast
2 cups red seedless grapes
1/2 cup of slivered almonds
1 cup of Mayonnaise
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 tbs. fresh parsley (optional)
1/2 chopped celery (optional)

Heat chicken in oven for 35 – 45 mins till cooked and tender. Let cool. Peel apart chicken and put in a bowl. Put grapes, almonds, mayonnaise, soy sauce, curry powder, salt and pepper in with chicken and mix well. Ready to serve or chill in refrigerator. Great for lunches during the week or just to have something in the fridge to snack on.

Fun Fashions

2011-03-30T16:31:00.005-05:00

This past weekend I reconnected with a friend and visited her store Idiom across from Yale University in New Haven, CT. It was great to see her again and catch up, also I found some fabulous finds in her cute store. I got some colorful earrings for spring made by metal monk. Love a Kristin Ford piece she has, the Loren Hope hoop earrings, Bed Head pajamas, Michael Stars, and more. You can become a fan of Idiom on facebook.

Birthday Risotto

2011-03-29T20:11:00.001-05:00

Jim requested mushroom risotto if we didn't go out to eat. As it so happens he caught whatever bug I caught and wasn't feeling well. He wanted to come home and have some comfort food.

Mushroom Risotto adapted from Tyler Florence.

Ingredients

4 cups chicken broth, low sodium
4 cups water
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 onion, diced, divided
2 garlic cloves, minced, divided
1 pound fresh portobello and crimini mushrooms, sliced
2 bay leaves (optional)
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped (can use spice from jar)
2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon truffle oil
1-ounce dried porcini mushrooms, wiped of grit
2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup fresh Parmesan cheese and Parmesan Regiano grated
Fresh Italian parsley, for garnish

Directions

Pour one cup of broth into a bowl and heat till warm in microwave (30 - 45 sec.). Put porcini mushrooms in that bowl and cover with saran wrap for 10 mins. Drain excess water into pot of broth water mixter.

Heat the chicken broth and water in a medium saucepan and keep warm over low heat.

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1/2 onion and 1 clove garlic, cook, stirring, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the fresh mushrooms, herbs and butter. Saute for 3 to 5 minutes until lightly browned, season with salt and pepper. Drizzle in truffle oil then add the dried porcini mushrooms which were reconstituted in1 cup of warm chicken broth. Season again with salt and fresh cracked pepper. Saute 1 minute then remove from heat and set aside.

Coat a saucepan with remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. Saute the remaining 1/2 onion and garlic clove. Add the rice and stir quickly until it is well-coated and opaque, 1 minute. This step cooks the starchy coating and prevents the grains from sticking. Stir in wine and cook until it is nearly all evaporated.

Now, with a ladle, add 1 cup of the warm broth and cook, stirring, until the rice has absorbed the liquid. Add the remaining broth, 1 cup at a time. Continue to cook and stir, allowing the rice to absorb each addition of broth before adding more.

The risotto should be slightly firm and creamy, not mushy. Transfer the mushrooms to the rice mixture. Stir in Parmesan cheese, cook briefly until melted. Serve with Top with Parmesan and chopped parsley.

Birthday Party

2011-03-27T10:10:00.002-05:00

Tessie's Birthday

2011-03-22T22:14:00.006-05:00

We've been celebrating Tess turning 1 today. When we were at Canine Style this weekend the manager who knows Tess kindly gave her some special treats. Boy did she love her very own pink cupcake! She did share a blue one with her brother which he enjoyed. She is having a joint birthday party with Jim this weekend - birthday celebrations continue! Photo of Jim and Tessie this winter I love......

Straight As The Crow Flies

2011-03-20T19:35:00.000-05:00

Not too long ago Hoda of Kathie Lee and Hoda mentioned a little know song - "straight as the crow flies." Kim Richey is talented and her song has heart, soul, a good sound, as well as a good message. Enjoy! Thanks Hoda!

Roasting Garlic & Garlic Bread

2011-03-20T19:29:00.002-05:00

I love roasting garlic and make garlic butter for my bread. You can use homemade or store bought bread - baguette, ciabatta - whatever you like.

First: Take your garlic head and cut off the base or you could cut off the top - either or.
Second: Put your garlic in foil, pour olive oil, and grind salt over it then close the foil around the entire head of garlic.

Third: Turn your oven on 375 (no need to preheat) and put the foil with the garlic in the oven and leave there for 50 mins.

Take out, open, and let cool. Then squeeze the garlic out in a small dish and add olive oil or melted butter and mix together. Then take a brush and brush onto your bread. Top with parmesan or asiago cheese and bake in the oven on 350 for 10 mins. Goes great with any meal or by itself.

Think Green

2011-03-17T21:21:00.004-05:00

Traditional Irish Dinner

Jim's Plate

Corned Beef and Cabbage

Magical Moments

2011-03-06T15:33:00.001-06:00

(photos from a friends Iphone)

As I looked at my sister on her wedding day I remembered a little girl full of wonder who played dress up and believed in fairytales and magic. That evening I saw all the magic and wonder of fairytales coming true.

"All you need is love."

First Lady's $35 Dress

2011-03-02T20:10:00.002-06:00

First Lady Michelle Obama appeared on the Today show in February 2011 wearing a $35 dress from H&M. Great that she demonstrates fashion does not have to break the bank. She demonstrates that she's still very much a real person, a real wife, a real mom. While she holds a very respected, important title she also still holds the position of being real. Many of us, in reality, can't afford to spend more than $35 for a dress. Her actions reiterate the old truth in which our confidence shouldn't come from what we wear or how much we spend on our things. What we wear isn't what defines us, but rather what we do with what is given to us is what defines who we are.

"And in my own life, in my own small way, I've tried to give back to this country that has given me so much. That's why I left a job at a law firm for a career in public service, working to empower young people to volunteer in their communities. Because I believe that each of us - no matter what our age or background or walk of life - each of us has something to contribute to the life of this nation." Michelle Obama

Pen of Presidents

2011-02-27T17:31:00.000-06:00

Micron

Balsamic Reduction

2011-02-09T17:26:00.000-06:00

What an easy, delicious salmon sauce that is usable again and again! Get a 16 oz bottle of cheap balsamic vinegar and boil it to it reduces to about half a cup place it in a bottle like you'd use for olive oil a nice smaller half bottle of wine works perfect and it will keep for up to 3 months.

Moving Tips

2011-02-07T14:53:00.003-06:00

Packing:

Label your stuff well i.e.: summer tops
Pack your clothes in garbage bags and then in boxes
Label all sides with what room and check fragile – whatever is needed etc
Spend the money for bubble wrap, packing paper, and boxes it's important to pack china etc well
Be detailed in labeling your boxes i.e.: 3 glass bowels, 4 red glasses, 4 white coffee mugs etc
Give yourself time start 6 weeks in advance do an hour or so each day

Unpacking:

    1.   Move boxes into their specific rooms and organize in a fashion where you can walk around
    2.   Move the big furniture like you want it (you may have to move boxes several times to do this)
    3.   Start unpacking your boxes room by room one by one - most important areas first i.e.: bed & kitchen
    4.   With your big furniture in place and boxes piled in one place in each room you will not be overwhelmed
    5.   Clean as you go i.e: clean the area you pick for your TV then set your TV up same for sofa etc
6. Again give yourself 6 weeks to get settled if working full time much less if not working 1 - 2 weeks

If you don't have someone packing and/or moving you these tips are for you. In our latest move we did it all ourselves with the gracious help of family and friends along the way. These were some of the tips that we learned and thought we'd pass on in hopes to help others who are like us and taking on a move themselves.

Our move lead us cross country one big reason of which was for me to chase my lifetime dream of acting. We stayed with friends along our journey from the south to the north. We had to pack several things for living through the fall and part of winter with Jim's parents while we transitioned into NYC. Upon arriving in the fall we unloaded truck into storage unit - in the winter we reloaded the truck to move to NYC - then unloaded the truck in NYC, mind you a 24 foot truck. What a move! Glad we are settled into our NYC home now.

Super Bowl

2011-02-06T21:09:00.003-06:00

Pizza and the Super Bowl.....

A joint effort:
I made the dough
Jim rolled it out
We both topped it
Jim put it in the oven
I served
We both enjoyed!

While we wished our Pats were in the super bowl Congrats to Green Bay!

Sunday Walk In The Park

2011-02-06T20:45:00.001-06:00

Easy Shrimp Dish We Enjoyed Last Night

2011-02-06T16:04:00.002-06:00

Garlic basil shrimp

Ellie Krieger, "So Easy"

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/4 pounds large shrimp (20 to 25 per pound), peeled and deveined
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or more to taste
3/4 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3 cups cooked orzo pasta, preferably whole-wheat

Preparation

Heat the oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking, then add the shrimp and cook, turning over once, until just cooked through, about 2 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a large bowl.
Add the garlic and red pepper flakes to the oil remaining in the skillet and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the wine and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and basil and season the sauce with salt and pepper.
Return the shrimp to the pan and cook just until heated through. Serve with the orzo.

Per serving: Calories 380
Total fat 10 g
Sat fat 1.5 g
Mono fat 5.5 g
Poly fat 2 g
Protein 35 g
Carb 35 g
Fiber 4 g
Cholesterol 215 mg
Sodium 490 mg

Excellent source of: Copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, niacin, phosphorus, protein, selenium, vitamin B12, vitamin D, vitamin K.

Good source of: Calcium, fiber, potassium, thiamin, vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin C, zinc.
Makes 4 servings

Dead Of Winter

2011-02-02T21:04:00.002-06:00

Chicken Salad

2011-02-02T18:44:00.002-06:00

I took an old familiar Arkansas recipe last week and revamped it coming up with this.....

4 bone in skin on chicken breast
2 - 4 celery stalks
2 cups of grapes
1/4 cup of fresh italian parsley (a handful)
2 tbs of chopped fresh basil (a handful)
1 tsp of dry mustard
1/2 of a small white onion
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 and 1/2 cup of Mayo
1/4 cup of half and half

Pour olive oil over chicken and rub on then add salt and pepper to both sides and cook in the oven on 350 for 30 – 40 mins. Let cool. While cooling sauted diced onion with olive oil until clear. Cut up celery. Give your parsley and basil a ruff julian chop and wash and prep your grapes. After chicken cools take skin off and debone. Shred with your hands and do different sizes in a bowl. Add your celery, grapes, parsley, basil, dry mustard, onion, salt and pepper, mayo and 1/2 & 1/2 and stir. Put in fridge – enjoy at your leisure.

We enjoyed - hope you do too!

Invitations.....

2011-01-10T20:11:00.000-06:00

I received my sisters wedding invitation via U.S. mail today. Perfect and beautiful just like her. Love to see those touches in such special events such as a wedding where the bride and groom can be seen in each detail. As it should be! I'm so excited!!

In Arizona

2011-01-10T20:00:00.000-06:00

Tragedy stuck in Arizona this past weekend. "All of us are still grieving and in shock from the tragedy that took place,” said President Obama after a moment of silence for the victims. May the victims feel the love, prayers, and support of the people in this country and all those around the world.

All Weather Ready

2011-01-07T10:06:00.001-06:00

While on a walk in the Upper West Side last night we popped in NYC's very own Canine Style, and popped out with their signature horse blanket coat. Next purchase new leads and harnesses then sweaters. Love accessorizing anything - people, pets, homes - such fun! They seem to enjoy their new wardrobe especially in the snow this morning.

Happy New Year

2011-01-07T09:48:00.000-06:00

What we were up to this new years eve......

Carrot Cake

2011-01-04T21:24:00.000-06:00

Ingredients

Butter, for pans
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
3 cups grated carrots
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans, optional

Directions

Frosting:

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 stick salted butter, room temperature
1 (16-ounce) box powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 3 (9-inch) round pans; Line bottom of the pans with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Add eggs and vegetable oil. Using a hand mixer, blend until combined. Add carrots and pecans, if using.

Pour into pans. Bake for approximately 40 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes. Remove from pans, place on waxed paper and allow to cool completely before frosting.

For the frosting:
Add all ingredients, except nuts, into a medium bowl and beat until fluffy using a hand mixer. Stir in the nuts. Spread frosting on top of each cake layer. Stack the cakes on a serving plate and serve.

Paula Deen

Mindful Of The Past While Moving In The Present

2011-01-02T10:16:00.000-06:00

Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man. ~ Benjamin Franklin

Prayers

2011-01-02T10:14:00.000-06:00

It was a tragedy to learn of the tornado that swept through Arkansas and Missouri December 31, 2010 causing injury and death. May those who have experienced such great loss have many prayers helping carry them through this difficult time.

Christmas Past

2010-12-31T08:09:00.001-06:00

My great grandmother made all our stockings in my family. It's something very special from Christmas past. They all have their special spot at my mom's and dad's either on the mantel or staircase. My sister Ashley has fun mixing things up each year when decorating, and we all enjoy how she makes it look. I just spoke with my grandmother "Grandmama" over the phone last night - we laughed about times past and thought about the future. She's 98, and we know statistically she doesn't have much time with us. We discussed how we cherish the moments and times past. I'm glad I have these special pieces like the stockings - the gifts of love - the stuff that's priceless. I look forward to seeing my Grandmama soon, and having a nice cup of English tea together. I'm cherishing the moments past and looking forward to the future as I say goodbye to this year and hello to the new one.

Veloute Sauce

2010-12-29T13:46:00.006-06:00

Veloute meaning Velvety in French is another roux-based sauce but this time made with stock. The roux is cooked until golden, then stock is added and the sauce is simmered until reduced. Egg yolks or cream are stirred in to further enrich the veloute. It is often served with chicken dishes.

Put the stock in a saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer. Meanwhile, melt the butter in another saucepan and stir in the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 – 3 minuets, or until golden. Remove the pan from the heat and beat in the hot stock until combined. Return the pan to the heat and bring to boil, beating constantly until the sauce thickens. Simmer gently for at least 20 minutes, skimming the surface from time to time. When the sauce is glossy, stir in the cream and warm through without letting it come to a boil. Serve.

We have done this without the cream and added red pepper flakes and served over steak – very yum.

Basic Tips On Basic Food

2010-12-29T13:32:00.002-06:00

I was asked for some basic tips on how to cook basic items and tips on how to pick the right produce in the store so I thought I'd share the information on my blog for whatever it's worth. Just my thoughts.

Corn – boil water then put your corn on the cob that you’ve cleaned (shucked) in the boiling water – turn burner off and cover for 20 mins then they are ready to serve. If you do sweet corn shuck the corn then cut it off the cob and put it in a wok pan – lets say you have five ears of corn then use 3/4 a cup to a cup of water and 2 tablespoons of butter. Cook for about 25 mins. Covering and stirring often 5 min intervals – keep an eye on it.

Green beans – put in a double “steamer” boiler after you cut/snip the ends off and after your water boils – turn burner off and cover will cook in about five minuets. Add salt and butter or salt and olive oil and serve. You can roast in the oven or do a coarse grain mustard on the stove top – just did this the other night - or do a seasame sauce - lots of options

Mashed potatoes – Boil water in a large pot with washed potatoes in it cut in quarters or as is if fingerling cook about 20 – 30 mins check them when your fork goes in easy and they look soft they are done – drain and mash or use your hand held mixer. Put milk (about a 1/4 a cup) in and sour cream and butter to taste a couple big spoonfuls of sour cream and 2 tablespoons to half a stick of butter. Add salt and pepper to taste and blue cheese/gorgonzola if you want or cheddar and bacon bits and chives – have fun with it – I leave peeling on just make sure to wash really well.

Baked potatoes – wash, coat with butter or oil, salt if you like, can wrap in foil and cook for an hour 350.

Beans (any) - usually only do green beans. The internet is a great resource though.

Gravy – haven’t made gravy – lots of sauces and roux variations though (see below) – Sauces book is a great reference

Tricks you know about buying produce - what to look for:

Oranges – I like them to be orange, firm, and heavy which means they are juicy

Apples – I like golden delicious and I like them to be firm and look golden and fresh in color

Avocados – soft to the touch is ripe - where it indents a little but goes back when you push ready to use right away. You don’t want too soft or they may be brown like the ones on sale usually not so good.

Tomatoes – firm and vibrant color will be good for the week – for use right away get a little soft but too soft/mushy will be mealy

Pecans- my grandmother says look for the lighter colored ones as it's a sign they are fresh

Potatoes – usually these are fine – check the packages though b/c they could have stuff growing on them and be smelly and old. Yukon gold or fingerling so yum! My Nonnie says russet best for fries and I say red/new best for rosemary cut up in the oven with olive oil.