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I'm not normally a slave to the boob tube, but when it comes to the Olympics, it's on nearly 24-7 in my house.
Last night, after Michael Phelps's big win, I decided to go to bed. But then there were the post-race interviews, so I stayed up to watch those. And then there was the local news, followed by more post-race interviews. Finally, around 1:30, I headed up to my bedroom.
Then beach volleyball came on. Quarterfinal match between May-Walsh and the Brazilians.
Sooo...can you guess what I did till 2:30 this morning?
After the Games are over, I'm going to go through withdrawl. Yes, the shows are returning, but they're nothing I would care to watch. All of the sitcoms today are formulaic, with very tired jokes. And I find reality TV to be just plain mean-spirited. I am appalled at just how low people will sink to win money.
There's one genre of television, however, that I really, really enjoy, and it's considered to be dead, although there have been a few people over the last few years who have tried to revive it.
Variety.
I remember watching a special about Ed Sullivan when I was a kid, and being fascinated by the plate spinners. I couldn't believe that people actually watched this sort of thing, in droves, but I still loved it. Broadway performers raved about Ed because his program provided a showcase for all of their musicals and plays. And, of course, without Ed Sullivan, the Beatles may not have been quite as big in America.
Ed Sullivan was just the tip of the iceberg. As you all are aware, I am a huge Carol Burnett fan, and grew up with her sketches. I didn't learn until 1993, when her 25th anniversary special aired, that she also had musical guests and Broadway-style finales on her show every week. The reunion special contained various clips of these musical numbers, and they were amazing. I started to wonder why these elements of her program were left out of syndication--then, as I got older, I learned about rights, royalties, and unions, and how performers are supposed to get money each time their clip is viewed on TV.
A few years pass, and I learn that The Carol Burnett Show was available on Columbia House via subscription. At the time, I was a poor graduate student and didn't have the funds to secure such an item. However, I worked with someone who was as much of a fan of Carol as I was, and she loaned me two of the tapes, one of which I reviewed not long ago.
I was hooked. My mom saw me watch the tapes and she sat with me and shared some of her memories of watching the original runs.
Fast-forward to the present day. I got out of grad school, got a job, moved out, and got so occupied with my life and career that I nearly forgot about Carol. However, whenever I found out she would be on TV, you can bet I wrote myself notes to remind me that she was going to be on the air. I watched the reruns on TV Land and E! whenever I could.
Earlier this year, when Horton Hears a Who came out, I was reminded of my affection for Carol. I found out she was going to be on Oprah with Jim Carrey and Steve Carell and rushed home to watch the show. (I don't have TiVo, and my VCR was on the fritz at the time, so I couldn't record the program. More in the future about these frustrations of mine). Harvey Korman's death reminded me some more of my affection for her, and I did a YouTube search and found dozens of clips. These clips were not just of the old sketches from the syndicated version of the show, Carol Burnett and Friends, no! These were clips that contained the musical numbers, guest stars, and much more! I was overjoyed!
Through YouTube, I was able to discover other variety stars of days gone by--Garry Moore, Dinah Shore, and many more. I found these clips to be much more entertaining than what is currently on TV, and wished that I had DVDs of all of this material.
I really think I was born in the wrong decade. I should not have been born in the 70s, but the 40s, because then I would have been able to live through the Golden Age of Variety Television.
But by the same token, they didn't have any of the recording or preservation technologies that we have today, so I couldn't see them on reruns.
So now, I am a happy subscriber to the Guthy-Renker Carol Burnett Show program, and look forward to more volumes of the show. In the meantime, I would like to entertain you all with some clips of days gone by. Each week, I will post a "Viva Variety Clip of the Week," so you can see what great television once was, and what could be. I still have hope for the future.
If Fox can have an all-reality channel, we need an all-variety channel--and soon!
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Friday, August 15, 2008
Lighting of the Olympic Flame: Beijing 2008
I don't know what language this video's in, but just let the images speak for themselves.
A lot of the comments on YouTube asked, "How is London going to top this in 2012?"
London, you've got some homework to do.
Richard Simmons on Letterman Tonight
One of my favorite things about summer vacation is being able to stay up to watch late night talk shows.
Earlier in the week I learned that Richard Simmons is on Letterman tonight. If you've ever watch him on Letterman, you know that there is some interesting chemistry between him and Dave, and I'm sure tonight will be no exception.
This isn't a clip of one of Richard's past visits to the Late Show, but it's the SportsCenter commercial that he did a while back, which I thought was hilarious.
Beijing Olympics: Women's Gymnastics
I stayed up till 2:30 this morning watching the Olympics.
Most of that time was spent watching the Women's All Around Final, which went till 1:15 AM, medal ceremony and all, and the last hour and fifteen minutes was spent winding down from the event, watching the late night interviews with Shawn Johnson and Nastia Liukin, and sneaking in a little beach volleyball in between.
I have never watched a gymnastics final from beginning to end before this year. I always either tuned in or shut off the TV halfway through the competition. I have a rather silly superstition that if I watch, the team I'm cheering for will lose. So I was a little nervous watching the finals last night, but after the first rotation, I thought, "I either watch the whole competition or I don't watch it at all."
I thought that my superstition was proving correct when I saw that the Romanian girl, Steliana Nistor, was in the lead after the first rotation, just hundredths of a point ahead of Shawn Johnson, and that Nastia Liukin was in 10th place. Instead of switching to another program, I decided to stick with the competition, thinking it would be interesting to see how Nastia was going to climb out of 10th.
I was relieved when I saw that Nastia had climbed to 2nd place after the uneven bars, but still got nervous when Shawn dropped to 5th. After two rotations, one of the Chinese girls, Yang Yilin, was at the top of the rankings.
I really do believe that the Chinese gymnasts are underage; you can tell from looking at their bodies. Yes, a gymnast's body tends to be thin, but the Chinese women had the skinniest bodies out of everyone in the competition. That, and if you have examined the evolution of women's gymnastics over the past ten years alone, you'll see that the women have gotten something they didn't have a decade ago.
Curves.
I first noticed it in the American gymnasts. They looked like they had a chance to go through puberty. Their chests were developed, they were taller, and their voices sounded deeper, not as high as in previous years (think Kerri Strug in 1996 and her mouse-like voice). And then I noticed it with the rest of the competition; their bodies were more mature, too. Compare the curvy, muscular bodies of the overall competition to the thin, bony body types of the Chinese gymnasts, and you can understand why the team is under a cloud of suspicion. They look like babies compared to the other women in the field.
But back to the All-Around. My personal nail-biting moment came when the American women went on the balance beam; Alicia Sacramone's fall during team competition was still fresh in my mind. Fortunately, there was no fall, just flawless routines. Nastia had the advantage here over Shawn, with her long, slender legs and elegant lines. It was like watching ballet.
My favorite event in the All-Around is the floor routine. I love how the women can leap and twist through the air at such fantastic heights, yet manage to stick their landings. Well, most of them, anyway. I was really nervous for Shawn Johnson, because she was in bronze medal position and I was afraid she might lose it if she messed up her routine. She didn't, and secured a silver medal to Nastia's gold. The two American women had previously said that they dreamed of finishing 1-2 in the Olympics, and their dream had come true, in spades.
Now we're on to the event finals this weekend. I just hope that I don't have to stay up too late.
Most of that time was spent watching the Women's All Around Final, which went till 1:15 AM, medal ceremony and all, and the last hour and fifteen minutes was spent winding down from the event, watching the late night interviews with Shawn Johnson and Nastia Liukin, and sneaking in a little beach volleyball in between.
I have never watched a gymnastics final from beginning to end before this year. I always either tuned in or shut off the TV halfway through the competition. I have a rather silly superstition that if I watch, the team I'm cheering for will lose. So I was a little nervous watching the finals last night, but after the first rotation, I thought, "I either watch the whole competition or I don't watch it at all."
I thought that my superstition was proving correct when I saw that the Romanian girl, Steliana Nistor, was in the lead after the first rotation, just hundredths of a point ahead of Shawn Johnson, and that Nastia Liukin was in 10th place. Instead of switching to another program, I decided to stick with the competition, thinking it would be interesting to see how Nastia was going to climb out of 10th.
I was relieved when I saw that Nastia had climbed to 2nd place after the uneven bars, but still got nervous when Shawn dropped to 5th. After two rotations, one of the Chinese girls, Yang Yilin, was at the top of the rankings.
I really do believe that the Chinese gymnasts are underage; you can tell from looking at their bodies. Yes, a gymnast's body tends to be thin, but the Chinese women had the skinniest bodies out of everyone in the competition. That, and if you have examined the evolution of women's gymnastics over the past ten years alone, you'll see that the women have gotten something they didn't have a decade ago.
Curves.
I first noticed it in the American gymnasts. They looked like they had a chance to go through puberty. Their chests were developed, they were taller, and their voices sounded deeper, not as high as in previous years (think Kerri Strug in 1996 and her mouse-like voice). And then I noticed it with the rest of the competition; their bodies were more mature, too. Compare the curvy, muscular bodies of the overall competition to the thin, bony body types of the Chinese gymnasts, and you can understand why the team is under a cloud of suspicion. They look like babies compared to the other women in the field.
But back to the All-Around. My personal nail-biting moment came when the American women went on the balance beam; Alicia Sacramone's fall during team competition was still fresh in my mind. Fortunately, there was no fall, just flawless routines. Nastia had the advantage here over Shawn, with her long, slender legs and elegant lines. It was like watching ballet.
My favorite event in the All-Around is the floor routine. I love how the women can leap and twist through the air at such fantastic heights, yet manage to stick their landings. Well, most of them, anyway. I was really nervous for Shawn Johnson, because she was in bronze medal position and I was afraid she might lose it if she messed up her routine. She didn't, and secured a silver medal to Nastia's gold. The two American women had previously said that they dreamed of finishing 1-2 in the Olympics, and their dream had come true, in spades.
Now we're on to the event finals this weekend. I just hope that I don't have to stay up too late.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Fame and Traffic
If you look over at my Feedjit, you'll see that a lot of people have been coming here from CNN. That's because I linked a CNN article to my previous post about the Opening Ceremonies. CNN keeps track of all of the blogs that link their articles, but I didn't know about this till earlier this afternoon, when I looked at my Feedjit and wondered why so many people were coming from CNN. Well, sure enough, they had a list of blogs that linked that article, and mine was the second one listed.
Ladies and gentlemen, I believe I have had my fifteen minutes of fame. :P
Ladies and gentlemen, I believe I have had my fifteen minutes of fame. :P
Beijing Olympics: Michael Phelps
Is there an American out there who isn't amazed by Michael Phelps?
This guy is the most amazing swimmer I've ever seen. Even in the prelims, he often beats his competitors by body lengths.
Sometimes, though, he saves up his energy for that last 50 meters. I love it when he's in third or fourth and then he takes that last burst of speed and sneaks up on his opponents and swims ahead of them. I also love when they show that little green line on TV that indicates world record pace, and how he swims so far ahead of it. Before the start of each race, have you noticed how Phelps holds both the world and Olympic records for nearly everything he swims?
Finally, check out the armspan on this guy:
Whenever I see pictures like this, it looks as if he's about to take off and fly out of the water. The man has an 80 inch armspan. No wonder he plows through the pool the way he does.
OK, I'm done gushing about Michael Phelps. Can someone find me another Olympian to swoon over?
Beijing Olympics: Opening Ceremony Singer, and Fireworks, Were Fakes
If you watched the Opening Ceremony of the Beijing Olympics, you saw this pretty little Chinese girl sing "Ode to the Motherland" while her country's flag was raised. Millions around the world praised her for her singing, and some in the media said she was a rising star.
Today, word comes out that this little girl was actually lip-synching, because the one who actually did the singing was not deemed "pretty enough" by the Chinese Politboro.
If you click here, you'll read the AP article, and see a picture of the little girl who did the singing. I saw nothing wrong with her appearance, but the Chinese government deemed her "too chubby" and didn't like the appearance of her teeth.
Chinese bloggers are outraged right now, as are many other bloggers around the world--including me.
The article I linked comes off of CNN, which also has this interesting piece of information. Apparently the Beijing Olympic Committee used some computer-generated fireworks during the Opening Ceremony, arguing that the air quality prohibited some of them to be seen very well.
I hope, I hope, I hope, that the torch-lighting was real. (It has to be; how can you fake something like that?)
Today, word comes out that this little girl was actually lip-synching, because the one who actually did the singing was not deemed "pretty enough" by the Chinese Politboro.
If you click here, you'll read the AP article, and see a picture of the little girl who did the singing. I saw nothing wrong with her appearance, but the Chinese government deemed her "too chubby" and didn't like the appearance of her teeth.
Chinese bloggers are outraged right now, as are many other bloggers around the world--including me.
The article I linked comes off of CNN, which also has this interesting piece of information. Apparently the Beijing Olympic Committee used some computer-generated fireworks during the Opening Ceremony, arguing that the air quality prohibited some of them to be seen very well.
I hope, I hope, I hope, that the torch-lighting was real. (It has to be; how can you fake something like that?)
Monday, August 11, 2008
Blueberries for Kitten
Lyman Orchards, in central Connecticut, is one of my favorite places on Earth.
I go there year-round to purchase produce from the Apple Barrel, but I especially go from now till October, when the blueberries, apples, and pumpkins are in season. Right now the blueberries are ripe for picking, and I was overjoyed to learn that the first bushels of apples are ready--ginger golds, among my favorite varieties.
Yesterday I picked a pint of blueberries. At $1.85 a pound, they weren't cheap, but they were a lot cheaper than what I can get in the market. They're also a lot fresher, and better, too. I like to pick a bunch and freeze 'em, so I have enough for the winter.
Does this plotline sound familiar, readers? It should if you read the wonderful book, Blueberries for Sal, when you were younger. Robert McCloskey, who also wrote Make Way for Ducklings, wrote this gem. It's about a young girl, Sal, and her mother, who live in Maine and spend a day picking blueberries together on a mountain. While they're picking blueberries for the winter, a mama bear and her cub venture along the mountain, eating enough blueberries to get them through their winter hibernation. Sal meets the mama bear along the way, and Sal's mother gets acquainted with the bear cub. Both mother are very surprised to meet cubs of the other species, but fortunately, and this being a children's book, there is no violence, just shock and surprise.
So every time I pick blueberries, I think of that wonderful book, and the sound the berries made when they entered Sal's bucket: kerplink, kerplank, kerplunk! I'm going picking again tomorrow, since I picked a pint for my mother but didn't get to pick any myself!
I go there year-round to purchase produce from the Apple Barrel, but I especially go from now till October, when the blueberries, apples, and pumpkins are in season. Right now the blueberries are ripe for picking, and I was overjoyed to learn that the first bushels of apples are ready--ginger golds, among my favorite varieties.
Yesterday I picked a pint of blueberries. At $1.85 a pound, they weren't cheap, but they were a lot cheaper than what I can get in the market. They're also a lot fresher, and better, too. I like to pick a bunch and freeze 'em, so I have enough for the winter.
Does this plotline sound familiar, readers? It should if you read the wonderful book, Blueberries for Sal, when you were younger. Robert McCloskey, who also wrote Make Way for Ducklings, wrote this gem. It's about a young girl, Sal, and her mother, who live in Maine and spend a day picking blueberries together on a mountain. While they're picking blueberries for the winter, a mama bear and her cub venture along the mountain, eating enough blueberries to get them through their winter hibernation. Sal meets the mama bear along the way, and Sal's mother gets acquainted with the bear cub. Both mother are very surprised to meet cubs of the other species, but fortunately, and this being a children's book, there is no violence, just shock and surprise.
So every time I pick blueberries, I think of that wonderful book, and the sound the berries made when they entered Sal's bucket: kerplink, kerplank, kerplunk! I'm going picking again tomorrow, since I picked a pint for my mother but didn't get to pick any myself!
More Donuts in the Making
I was driving on Washington Street earlier this afternoon when I noticed a sign in front of a new building under construction:
DUNKIN DONUTS: COMING SOON TO THIS LOCATION!!
Yes, Middletowners, we have yet another Dunkin Donuts coming to our fair city. This makes the fifth DD location in town and the third that I will drive by on my way to work. Seriously, do we really need another Dunkin Donuts in our city of 45,000? That's one for every 9,000 who live here! I have a friend who's upset it's a Dunkin Donuts and not a Starbucks! However, with Starbucks closing stores now, I doubt we'll see a new Starbucks for quite some time.
I'm going to have to compose a post on making coffee, since, based on the number of coffee shops that have been built over the past decade, most Americans seem to have forgotten how...
Sunday, August 10, 2008
The Air Over There
It's no secret that Beijing has a tremendous problem with air pollution. All you have to do is look at aerial shots of the Bird Nest and see the thickness of the smog. I have trouble breathing just looking at the picture.
I got an especially good glimpse of it as I watched the men's cycling road race today. It's a wonder that no one collapsed from choking on the pollutants in the air.
I really wonder how the Chinese are able to breathe in this air every day of their lives, and there has been no real report on elevated cancer rates in their country.
So far, the air quality hasn't really affected athletic performance; several records were broken today in the Water Cube. (I LOVE the Water Cube! What a great design for a building! And the Bird Nest, too!) However, the Water Cube's an enclosed facility. It'll be interesting to see what goes on when the Track and Field events start next week.
Be sure to remember your running shoes, athletes...and your masks, too...
I got an especially good glimpse of it as I watched the men's cycling road race today. It's a wonder that no one collapsed from choking on the pollutants in the air.
I really wonder how the Chinese are able to breathe in this air every day of their lives, and there has been no real report on elevated cancer rates in their country.
So far, the air quality hasn't really affected athletic performance; several records were broken today in the Water Cube. (I LOVE the Water Cube! What a great design for a building! And the Bird Nest, too!) However, the Water Cube's an enclosed facility. It'll be interesting to see what goes on when the Track and Field events start next week.
Be sure to remember your running shoes, athletes...and your masks, too...
Saturday, August 9, 2008
An Olympic-Sized Dilemma
There are many in the United States who are performing a television boycott of this year's Olympics due to Chinese human rights violations, the maltreatment of those in Tibet, as well as the situation in Darfur. While I am opposed to such travesties, the dilemma still looms large in my mind:
But it's the OLYMPICS!!!
I love the Olympics. Ever since I was a kid, I never missed an Opening or Closing Ceremony. When I was eight years old, my mom popped up some popcorn, set up little tables in front of the TV, and my sister and I watched the Opening Ceremony of the Los Angeles Olympics in awe. We were especially interested because they were in our home country! I remember Rafer Johnson lighting the torch, and Mary Lou Retton's vault. That's all the memory I have of those games.
So with all of this tradition in my family, I couldn't help myself. As soon as I got home from Sing, Virgie, Sing, I turned on the TV to see how far along they were in the Opening Ceremony. It was 11:15, and they were about three-quarters of the way through the Parade of Nations. I called a friend out in Colorado and she told me that the Parade of Nations had just started. So I poured myself a glass of wine and settled in for the action.
I regret missing a lot of the pagentry, such as the drummers and the dancers, but I figure, with today's technology, I can view segments of those later. But the most breathtaking moment of the ceremony had to be the torch lighting. I never saw anything like it. I really can't put it into words how incredible it was, but if you thought the torch lightings from Barcelona in 1992, Sydney in 2000 and Torino in 2006 were amazing, you've got to see this. The clip has to be up on YouTube somewhere.
So while I am angered and saddened by the human rights travesties, I'm still going to watch the Bejing Olympics and cheer on our American athletes. Which reminds me...I think Michael Phelps is about to swim...excuse me while I go to my living room...
But it's the OLYMPICS!!!
I love the Olympics. Ever since I was a kid, I never missed an Opening or Closing Ceremony. When I was eight years old, my mom popped up some popcorn, set up little tables in front of the TV, and my sister and I watched the Opening Ceremony of the Los Angeles Olympics in awe. We were especially interested because they were in our home country! I remember Rafer Johnson lighting the torch, and Mary Lou Retton's vault. That's all the memory I have of those games.
So with all of this tradition in my family, I couldn't help myself. As soon as I got home from Sing, Virgie, Sing, I turned on the TV to see how far along they were in the Opening Ceremony. It was 11:15, and they were about three-quarters of the way through the Parade of Nations. I called a friend out in Colorado and she told me that the Parade of Nations had just started. So I poured myself a glass of wine and settled in for the action.
I regret missing a lot of the pagentry, such as the drummers and the dancers, but I figure, with today's technology, I can view segments of those later. But the most breathtaking moment of the ceremony had to be the torch lighting. I never saw anything like it. I really can't put it into words how incredible it was, but if you thought the torch lightings from Barcelona in 1992, Sydney in 2000 and Torino in 2006 were amazing, you've got to see this. The clip has to be up on YouTube somewhere.
So while I am angered and saddened by the human rights travesties, I'm still going to watch the Bejing Olympics and cheer on our American athletes. Which reminds me...I think Michael Phelps is about to swim...excuse me while I go to my living room...
Kitten Confessions, Part Seven
My name is Kitten, and I read the comics the way some watch soap operas.
I don't know why I get so caught up in comic strips and their storylines. Currently, in For Better or for Worse, the Pattersons' eldest daughter, Elizabeth, is finally marrying Anthony. It was stated, however, in a previous strip, that the wedding would not take place until August 23rd, which is two weeks from now. Right now they're profiling all of the activity leading up to the big moment. Which leads me to wonder: Is something catastrophic gonna happen that will postpone the big event? The suspense is killing me!
Then I wander over to Sally Forth. Since Memorial Day, Sally and Ted have been trying to have another baby. Their daughter, Hilary, is ten years old, going on eleven, and during the past two weeks, Sally and Ted have been telling Hilary about how they purchased their first house. Well, enough with the suspense! Is Sally preggers, or isn't she? Only her creator knows, and he ain't telling!
And then there's Funky Winkerbean, which is as close to reality as you can get in the comics. This week, Les and Summer are back in the neonatal ICU for a reunion of all of the babies who had been there sixteen years prior. Summer, as many Funky fans will recall, was a preemie. I really got tied up in this strip last year when Les's wife, Lisa, was dying of cancer, and I actually cried when I read the strips leading up to her death and funeral.
Why do I get tied up in these situations? I have to occasionally remind myself, "These are only comic strips!" Most of the people I know occupy themselves with the latest plotlines of various TV shows, but not me. I feel that I can't go a week with the suspense of not knowing what'll happen next. With the comics, there's a feeling of instant gratification; I only have to wait for the next day to find out what's going on.
Only lately, the comics have gotten a lot craftier, what with the examples I've mentioned above. Thankfully, I read all of my comics online; they're among the first sites I go to when I first log onto the Internet in the morning. That, in addition to checking my E-mail, I also read the obituaries first thing.
But that's another Kitten Confessional for another time.
I don't know why I get so caught up in comic strips and their storylines. Currently, in For Better or for Worse, the Pattersons' eldest daughter, Elizabeth, is finally marrying Anthony. It was stated, however, in a previous strip, that the wedding would not take place until August 23rd, which is two weeks from now. Right now they're profiling all of the activity leading up to the big moment. Which leads me to wonder: Is something catastrophic gonna happen that will postpone the big event? The suspense is killing me!
Then I wander over to Sally Forth. Since Memorial Day, Sally and Ted have been trying to have another baby. Their daughter, Hilary, is ten years old, going on eleven, and during the past two weeks, Sally and Ted have been telling Hilary about how they purchased their first house. Well, enough with the suspense! Is Sally preggers, or isn't she? Only her creator knows, and he ain't telling!
And then there's Funky Winkerbean, which is as close to reality as you can get in the comics. This week, Les and Summer are back in the neonatal ICU for a reunion of all of the babies who had been there sixteen years prior. Summer, as many Funky fans will recall, was a preemie. I really got tied up in this strip last year when Les's wife, Lisa, was dying of cancer, and I actually cried when I read the strips leading up to her death and funeral.
Why do I get tied up in these situations? I have to occasionally remind myself, "These are only comic strips!" Most of the people I know occupy themselves with the latest plotlines of various TV shows, but not me. I feel that I can't go a week with the suspense of not knowing what'll happen next. With the comics, there's a feeling of instant gratification; I only have to wait for the next day to find out what's going on.
Only lately, the comics have gotten a lot craftier, what with the examples I've mentioned above. Thankfully, I read all of my comics online; they're among the first sites I go to when I first log onto the Internet in the morning. That, in addition to checking my E-mail, I also read the obituaries first thing.
But that's another Kitten Confessional for another time.
Support Your Local Playwrights!
Last evening I had the pleasure of attending the opening night of the Little Theatre of Manchester's latest production, Sing, Virgie, Sing. It was also the Connecticut premiere of this play, which was written by Wethersfield native Anne Pie (accent aigu over the E; I still haven't figured out how to write accents with Blogger).
Anyhoo, the play takes place in 1945, during the ending days of World War II, and deals with the life of the Bellacastelvetti clan of Hartford. The title character, Virgilio, the Bellacastelvettis' son, suffered an electrocution on the Fourth of July, and no longer can talk, but communicates solely through song. His mother, Josie, is constantly saying novenas to Saint Jude, praying for a miracle. His sister, Raphaela, will not respond to her given name, but the Americanized version, Ella. Ella is embarrassed by her mother's constant praying and doesn't believe in miracles, but relies on the movie stars of the day to escape from her life.
Ella's parents want her to marry Ralph Scotstumato, who owns a produce store in the neighborhood. Ella wants nothing to do with Ralph. Her best friend Tootsie, however, has been in love with him since grade school, but complains that he never notices her. Ella's parents believe that it is destiny, or "il destino", that will lead her to marry Ralph. Ella's father, Frank, rescued Ralph's father from a well, and Ralph's father was so grateful that he promised Frank his firstborn.
Meanwhile, a subplot involves Virgie and his activities after the electrocution. After the doctor examined him and pronounced him OK, Virgie goes to all of the local offices of the four major branches of the Armed Forces and applies to become members of all of them. He receives notices from all of them, which require him to report for boot camp on September 1st.
The title of this play is very misleading. I was led to believe that Virgie was the center of the action, but he is not. He spends most of his time in front of the dining room table, looking around and occasionally breaking into song. He does not break into song that often, though, and when he does, he is sometimes escorted out of the room. The Ella/Ralph romance is the main focus, not Virgie and his performances.
As an Italian-American, I had to laugh at some of the references in the script, such as the Sunday dinners, going to Mass constantly, the overbearing mother, and the belief that Italians can only marry other Italians. However, I was disappointed that there weren't any further references to Hartford in 1945, except for one reference to working at Travelers. There were many references to the classic films of that era, though, but too many. Ella compared so many movie plots to her own life that the device, by the end of the play, had become cliched.
In spite of its flaws, Sing, Virgie, Sing proves to be an enjoyable night at the theatre. Marge Patefield's performance as Mama Bellacastelvetti will remind many of the classic Italian mother, with her constant praying to Saint Jude and mea culpa breast-beating. As Ella, Stacey Hartley displays good chemistry with Patefield in many mother-daughter conflicts that occur throughout the play, particularly when it comes to the issues of love and marriage. But Patricia Urso, in her role as Tootsie, almost steals the show with her portrayal. She is great comic relief, particularly when her character transforms from a mousy Plain Jane wallflower to Joan Crawford in Mildred Pierce--which happens to be one of Tootsie's favorite films.
With all of this talk about buying local foods and local products, it's just as important to support local theatre. Sing, Virgie, Sing runs at Cheney Hall in Manchester each weekend until August 24th. Tickets are fairly inexpensive, and there's not a bad seat in the house. Go to http://www.cheneyhall.org/ for more information. And check out some of the other performances going on at Cheney Hall. It's one of the Connecticut theatre's best kept secrets!
Anyhoo, the play takes place in 1945, during the ending days of World War II, and deals with the life of the Bellacastelvetti clan of Hartford. The title character, Virgilio, the Bellacastelvettis' son, suffered an electrocution on the Fourth of July, and no longer can talk, but communicates solely through song. His mother, Josie, is constantly saying novenas to Saint Jude, praying for a miracle. His sister, Raphaela, will not respond to her given name, but the Americanized version, Ella. Ella is embarrassed by her mother's constant praying and doesn't believe in miracles, but relies on the movie stars of the day to escape from her life.
Ella's parents want her to marry Ralph Scotstumato, who owns a produce store in the neighborhood. Ella wants nothing to do with Ralph. Her best friend Tootsie, however, has been in love with him since grade school, but complains that he never notices her. Ella's parents believe that it is destiny, or "il destino", that will lead her to marry Ralph. Ella's father, Frank, rescued Ralph's father from a well, and Ralph's father was so grateful that he promised Frank his firstborn.
Meanwhile, a subplot involves Virgie and his activities after the electrocution. After the doctor examined him and pronounced him OK, Virgie goes to all of the local offices of the four major branches of the Armed Forces and applies to become members of all of them. He receives notices from all of them, which require him to report for boot camp on September 1st.
The title of this play is very misleading. I was led to believe that Virgie was the center of the action, but he is not. He spends most of his time in front of the dining room table, looking around and occasionally breaking into song. He does not break into song that often, though, and when he does, he is sometimes escorted out of the room. The Ella/Ralph romance is the main focus, not Virgie and his performances.
As an Italian-American, I had to laugh at some of the references in the script, such as the Sunday dinners, going to Mass constantly, the overbearing mother, and the belief that Italians can only marry other Italians. However, I was disappointed that there weren't any further references to Hartford in 1945, except for one reference to working at Travelers. There were many references to the classic films of that era, though, but too many. Ella compared so many movie plots to her own life that the device, by the end of the play, had become cliched.
In spite of its flaws, Sing, Virgie, Sing proves to be an enjoyable night at the theatre. Marge Patefield's performance as Mama Bellacastelvetti will remind many of the classic Italian mother, with her constant praying to Saint Jude and mea culpa breast-beating. As Ella, Stacey Hartley displays good chemistry with Patefield in many mother-daughter conflicts that occur throughout the play, particularly when it comes to the issues of love and marriage. But Patricia Urso, in her role as Tootsie, almost steals the show with her portrayal. She is great comic relief, particularly when her character transforms from a mousy Plain Jane wallflower to Joan Crawford in Mildred Pierce--which happens to be one of Tootsie's favorite films.
With all of this talk about buying local foods and local products, it's just as important to support local theatre. Sing, Virgie, Sing runs at Cheney Hall in Manchester each weekend until August 24th. Tickets are fairly inexpensive, and there's not a bad seat in the house. Go to http://www.cheneyhall.org/ for more information. And check out some of the other performances going on at Cheney Hall. It's one of the Connecticut theatre's best kept secrets!
Thursday, August 7, 2008
DVD Review: The Carol Burnett Show, Vol. 1
In my last Kitten Confessional, I disclosed that I had subscribed to Guthy Renker's Carol Burnett DVD series, after seeing an informercial. Well, last Saturday afternoon, it arrived in my mailbox, one week ahead of the schedule that the Guthy-Renker representative gave me. I tore the box open, took out the DVD, and sat back to watch two glorious hours of classic TV.
This DVD series is billed as "The Collector's Edition," and what makes it collector-worthy is the commentary from Carol, Harvey, and Tim that bookend each episode. The DVD opens with a wide aerial shot of a camera panning the seats in Studio 33 at CBS Television City, where The Carol Burnett Show was filmed. (Studio 33 is now known as the Bob Barker Studio, named after the longtime host of The Price is Right). The stage itself had mannequins displaying the costumes worn by Carol's most famous characters--Eunice, Stella Toddler, Nora Desmond, Mrs. Wiggins, the Charwoman, and, of course, the famous curtain rod dress she wore in her legendary takeoff of Gone With the Wind. The trio reminisced about the episodes that were on the DVD, reminiscing that was, to me, unscripted. (Then again, you had Tim Conway as a part of the discussion, so any outline of a script was certainly to have gone to pieces).
The first episode of the DVD contained the famous Went With the Wind sketch, which appeared in the second half of the show. The first half started with a Carol/Harvey sketch about a harried business couple who discuss marriage as if they were in a corporate meeting. Harvey showed Carol charts, graphs, and stats of their "potential merger," while Carol was concerned about their "second quarter dip." It was a sketch that could really work well today, with a little updating: add some cell phones, Palm Pilots, and laptops, but don't change the basic humor or premise of the sketch, and it will still be funny.
Dinah Shore followed, with a bluesy, jazzy rendition of "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover." I watched episodes of Dinah's talk show as a child, because she reminded me of my grandmother--sweet and gentle. I watched her golf tournament on TV, not for the golf, but for Dinah. I didn't realize she was a singer till I was much older, and fell in love with her all over again. Dinah can put the phone book to music and come up with a #1 hit.
After Dinah Shore, there was a Harvey/Tim sketch that featured Tim as the Old Man. In this one, the Old Man was a butcher. I'll let you use your imagination as to what happens with this, but I will say one thing: it's one of the rare sketches where Harvey does not crack up at what Tim says or does. It's still funny, though.
Then comes Went With the Wind. Many remember this sketch for the curtain rod sight gag, and rightfully so. However, there was still some brilliant acting in this one, particularly Vicki Lawrence as Cissy. She was absolutely amazing in this sketch, from her one-liners, her energy, and that accent she uses. I don't think the depth of her talent has ever been fully appreciated; she really belongs up there with Carol, Harvey and Tim in the Comic Powerhouse echelon. Vicki Lawrence is really one of the underrated comediennes of our time.
This episode concludes with a medley of New Orleans-style blues. Carol, Vicki, and Dinah all have solos and a group number. Harvey joins in with a song and a trumpet, which he pretends to play. And the dancers get to show off their stuff, too.
The second episode on the DVD guests Roddy McDowall and the Jackson 5. It leads off with Carol's classic Q&A intro, followed by a medley of love songs between Carol and Roddy. Here's the catch: Roddy is wearing his full Planet of the Apes style makeup.
The second sketch of the show is a milestone in Carol Burnett Show history: it's the first appearance of "The Family". Eunice, Mama, and Ed all make their debuts here, and Roddy McDowall guests as baby brother Philip, who just returned to his hometown after winning the Pulitzer and Nobel Prizes. The actors haven't yet fleshed out the full potential of their characters yet, but it was a strong beginning to what has become a classic in American television.
The next sketch is brilliant. It features Harvey and Lyle Waggoner as two carpenters who argue that women can't be as good as men in their jobs--until Carol comes along, and does the whole job while the two of them argue some more. They refuse, however, to accept Carol as a part of their crew--until Carol changes her outfit into a VERY mini dress. I thought this sketch was brilliant because of its underlying issues of sexism in the workplace. Carol does as good a job--even better, in this case--than the men in this sketch, but still has to keep a little femininity in order to be accepted by the guys.
The Jackson 5 make their first guest appearance in the following sketch, singing their hit, "Dancing Machine." As I watched Michael, I couldn't help but get saddened by what he's done to his life over the years.
The four regulars participate in the following sketch, about four people waiting at a bus stop, when the pay phone rings, and it turns out to be from a radio quiz show. I couldn't help but think how much Harvey looked like Karl Malden in this one. (Remember those old American Express ads, kids?)
Roddy and Carol star in the next sketch as two Brits having tea. This sketch was amazing because each line of dialogue was only one single word. Too bad it's not on YouTube; it's something that really needs to be seen in order to be believed.
The show's finale features the Jackson 5 performing their hit "ABC" as students in a music school. During the sketch, the Jackson 5 and the show's dancers are sitting in their desks when an earthquake occurs. Yes, an honest to goodness, San Andreas Fault, honey we're in California now earthquake. You can see the cameras and stage shake if you look really carefully. The Jackson 5 is caught off guard, but not Carol. She just goes on with the sketch, as if nothing had happened.
The DVD ends with Carol today, thanking us for watching, and she, Harvey, and Tim all pull their ears.
Sigh. They really don't make TV like this anymore. The sketches have amazing writing, and none of it is cynical, bitter, or too intellectual. There's no rapid-fire dialogue, and all of the situations in each sketch are real, even though some of the characters, like those in the "Family," can be outrageous. But my favorite parts had to be the finales, which were like mini Broadway revues every single week. There are some clips on YouTube of some more of these finales, and I'll have to post them eventually.
Overall, The Carol Burnett Show is quality entertainment, something the whole family can watch, even if some of the sketch dialogue flies over the kids' heads. I really, really hope people are buying this DVD collection, because my biggest fear is that Carol will become one of those forgotten TV comedians like Milton Berle or Garry Moore (who was, ironically, her mentor). In this day and age, if you don't get extensive press saturation, you're forgotten. I really hope no one ever forgets her; it would be a travesty if they did!
This DVD series is billed as "The Collector's Edition," and what makes it collector-worthy is the commentary from Carol, Harvey, and Tim that bookend each episode. The DVD opens with a wide aerial shot of a camera panning the seats in Studio 33 at CBS Television City, where The Carol Burnett Show was filmed. (Studio 33 is now known as the Bob Barker Studio, named after the longtime host of The Price is Right). The stage itself had mannequins displaying the costumes worn by Carol's most famous characters--Eunice, Stella Toddler, Nora Desmond, Mrs. Wiggins, the Charwoman, and, of course, the famous curtain rod dress she wore in her legendary takeoff of Gone With the Wind. The trio reminisced about the episodes that were on the DVD, reminiscing that was, to me, unscripted. (Then again, you had Tim Conway as a part of the discussion, so any outline of a script was certainly to have gone to pieces).
The first episode of the DVD contained the famous Went With the Wind sketch, which appeared in the second half of the show. The first half started with a Carol/Harvey sketch about a harried business couple who discuss marriage as if they were in a corporate meeting. Harvey showed Carol charts, graphs, and stats of their "potential merger," while Carol was concerned about their "second quarter dip." It was a sketch that could really work well today, with a little updating: add some cell phones, Palm Pilots, and laptops, but don't change the basic humor or premise of the sketch, and it will still be funny.
Dinah Shore followed, with a bluesy, jazzy rendition of "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover." I watched episodes of Dinah's talk show as a child, because she reminded me of my grandmother--sweet and gentle. I watched her golf tournament on TV, not for the golf, but for Dinah. I didn't realize she was a singer till I was much older, and fell in love with her all over again. Dinah can put the phone book to music and come up with a #1 hit.
After Dinah Shore, there was a Harvey/Tim sketch that featured Tim as the Old Man. In this one, the Old Man was a butcher. I'll let you use your imagination as to what happens with this, but I will say one thing: it's one of the rare sketches where Harvey does not crack up at what Tim says or does. It's still funny, though.
Then comes Went With the Wind. Many remember this sketch for the curtain rod sight gag, and rightfully so. However, there was still some brilliant acting in this one, particularly Vicki Lawrence as Cissy. She was absolutely amazing in this sketch, from her one-liners, her energy, and that accent she uses. I don't think the depth of her talent has ever been fully appreciated; she really belongs up there with Carol, Harvey and Tim in the Comic Powerhouse echelon. Vicki Lawrence is really one of the underrated comediennes of our time.
This episode concludes with a medley of New Orleans-style blues. Carol, Vicki, and Dinah all have solos and a group number. Harvey joins in with a song and a trumpet, which he pretends to play. And the dancers get to show off their stuff, too.
The second episode on the DVD guests Roddy McDowall and the Jackson 5. It leads off with Carol's classic Q&A intro, followed by a medley of love songs between Carol and Roddy. Here's the catch: Roddy is wearing his full Planet of the Apes style makeup.
The second sketch of the show is a milestone in Carol Burnett Show history: it's the first appearance of "The Family". Eunice, Mama, and Ed all make their debuts here, and Roddy McDowall guests as baby brother Philip, who just returned to his hometown after winning the Pulitzer and Nobel Prizes. The actors haven't yet fleshed out the full potential of their characters yet, but it was a strong beginning to what has become a classic in American television.
The next sketch is brilliant. It features Harvey and Lyle Waggoner as two carpenters who argue that women can't be as good as men in their jobs--until Carol comes along, and does the whole job while the two of them argue some more. They refuse, however, to accept Carol as a part of their crew--until Carol changes her outfit into a VERY mini dress. I thought this sketch was brilliant because of its underlying issues of sexism in the workplace. Carol does as good a job--even better, in this case--than the men in this sketch, but still has to keep a little femininity in order to be accepted by the guys.
The Jackson 5 make their first guest appearance in the following sketch, singing their hit, "Dancing Machine." As I watched Michael, I couldn't help but get saddened by what he's done to his life over the years.
The four regulars participate in the following sketch, about four people waiting at a bus stop, when the pay phone rings, and it turns out to be from a radio quiz show. I couldn't help but think how much Harvey looked like Karl Malden in this one. (Remember those old American Express ads, kids?)
Roddy and Carol star in the next sketch as two Brits having tea. This sketch was amazing because each line of dialogue was only one single word. Too bad it's not on YouTube; it's something that really needs to be seen in order to be believed.
The show's finale features the Jackson 5 performing their hit "ABC" as students in a music school. During the sketch, the Jackson 5 and the show's dancers are sitting in their desks when an earthquake occurs. Yes, an honest to goodness, San Andreas Fault, honey we're in California now earthquake. You can see the cameras and stage shake if you look really carefully. The Jackson 5 is caught off guard, but not Carol. She just goes on with the sketch, as if nothing had happened.
The DVD ends with Carol today, thanking us for watching, and she, Harvey, and Tim all pull their ears.
Sigh. They really don't make TV like this anymore. The sketches have amazing writing, and none of it is cynical, bitter, or too intellectual. There's no rapid-fire dialogue, and all of the situations in each sketch are real, even though some of the characters, like those in the "Family," can be outrageous. But my favorite parts had to be the finales, which were like mini Broadway revues every single week. There are some clips on YouTube of some more of these finales, and I'll have to post them eventually.
Overall, The Carol Burnett Show is quality entertainment, something the whole family can watch, even if some of the sketch dialogue flies over the kids' heads. I really, really hope people are buying this DVD collection, because my biggest fear is that Carol will become one of those forgotten TV comedians like Milton Berle or Garry Moore (who was, ironically, her mentor). In this day and age, if you don't get extensive press saturation, you're forgotten. I really hope no one ever forgets her; it would be a travesty if they did!
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Plug In, Talk On, Zone Out
When I graduated from college ten years ago, cell phones, iPods, pagers, and other portable electronic devices were not very common. I knew two people who each had one, and I thought that was an amazing thing.
Two months after graduation, I purchased my first cell phone, an Omnipoint. My father asked me why I wanted to be in touch with someone 24 hours a day. I told him it was for driving purposes, in case I got into an accident, my car broke down, or ran out of gas. At that time, statewide cellular networks were still being built, and Omnipoint had the lousiest coverage out of all of them. The only place I could get reception in my hometown was at the traffic light at the intersections of Routes 20 and 189, and only if I positioned my car, and leaned my body, just right.
When SNET came out with their own cellular service, I canceled Omnipoint and switched carriers. I got better coverage, but I also got a cell phone larger than the palm of my hand. When I went to upgrade it six months later, I placed it on the counter at the Cingular wireless store and the employees started laughing.
Two years later, I upgraded again, to a small, digital Motorola StarTac. I loved having a phone that you could flip open. It was a simple, silver phone, with only one ringtone.
In the fall of 2004, I took a course at Southern Connecticut State University. That was the first time I noticed this phenomenon...
...after I got out of my car and started walking through the parking lot, I observed nearly everyone on campus walking around, gabbing on a cell phone. When I got in the building, everyone in the hallways--or nearly everyone--gabbed on a phone. Whenever there was a break between classes, people whipped out their cell phones to check their voicemail or make a call.
And now, it's the year 2008. I just got back from a conference where most people whipped out their cell phones whenever there was a break in the action. And now these cell phones have miniature keyboards, internet, music players, and lots of ringtone styles. Most of the American population has an electronic portable device. During most of my Subway/Metro rides this summer, I noticed many riders listen to their iPods, text their loved ones, and organize their Palm Pilots--all while being completely, or almost completely, oblivious to the outside world, only to snap back to attention when they arrived at their destination. There is absolutely no human interaction.
I've become one of the guilty ones. When I leave work, the first thing I do, once I get in the car, is turn on my cell phone, put my Bluetooth behind my ear, and check my voicemail. I return any calls on the commute home. Then I get home, turn on the computer, and catch up on E-mail.
At the beginning of the summer, I decided that I was tired of depending on my phone so much, so I started to leave it at home. And I felt, in a strange way, free. I felt good that no one was able to reach me, that no one could get in touch with me. It was a little difficult at first, but it got easier.
Then my hypochondriac, on-edge side took over and thought, "What happens if you're in an accident, Kitten?" So I started carrying my phone again, only I started leaving it off for extended periods of time. If people missed me, so they did. I could always call them back.
Now, if Darwin's theory of evolution ever becomes law, it may not be so unwise to think that humans may eventually evolve so that the portable electronic device becomes an appendage. Don't be surprised, ladies, if you hear a "Barney" ringtone come from your womb if you ever get pregnant in the next twenty years...
Two months after graduation, I purchased my first cell phone, an Omnipoint. My father asked me why I wanted to be in touch with someone 24 hours a day. I told him it was for driving purposes, in case I got into an accident, my car broke down, or ran out of gas. At that time, statewide cellular networks were still being built, and Omnipoint had the lousiest coverage out of all of them. The only place I could get reception in my hometown was at the traffic light at the intersections of Routes 20 and 189, and only if I positioned my car, and leaned my body, just right.
When SNET came out with their own cellular service, I canceled Omnipoint and switched carriers. I got better coverage, but I also got a cell phone larger than the palm of my hand. When I went to upgrade it six months later, I placed it on the counter at the Cingular wireless store and the employees started laughing.
Two years later, I upgraded again, to a small, digital Motorola StarTac. I loved having a phone that you could flip open. It was a simple, silver phone, with only one ringtone.
In the fall of 2004, I took a course at Southern Connecticut State University. That was the first time I noticed this phenomenon...
...after I got out of my car and started walking through the parking lot, I observed nearly everyone on campus walking around, gabbing on a cell phone. When I got in the building, everyone in the hallways--or nearly everyone--gabbed on a phone. Whenever there was a break between classes, people whipped out their cell phones to check their voicemail or make a call.
And now, it's the year 2008. I just got back from a conference where most people whipped out their cell phones whenever there was a break in the action. And now these cell phones have miniature keyboards, internet, music players, and lots of ringtone styles. Most of the American population has an electronic portable device. During most of my Subway/Metro rides this summer, I noticed many riders listen to their iPods, text their loved ones, and organize their Palm Pilots--all while being completely, or almost completely, oblivious to the outside world, only to snap back to attention when they arrived at their destination. There is absolutely no human interaction.
I've become one of the guilty ones. When I leave work, the first thing I do, once I get in the car, is turn on my cell phone, put my Bluetooth behind my ear, and check my voicemail. I return any calls on the commute home. Then I get home, turn on the computer, and catch up on E-mail.
At the beginning of the summer, I decided that I was tired of depending on my phone so much, so I started to leave it at home. And I felt, in a strange way, free. I felt good that no one was able to reach me, that no one could get in touch with me. It was a little difficult at first, but it got easier.
Then my hypochondriac, on-edge side took over and thought, "What happens if you're in an accident, Kitten?" So I started carrying my phone again, only I started leaving it off for extended periods of time. If people missed me, so they did. I could always call them back.
Now, if Darwin's theory of evolution ever becomes law, it may not be so unwise to think that humans may eventually evolve so that the portable electronic device becomes an appendage. Don't be surprised, ladies, if you hear a "Barney" ringtone come from your womb if you ever get pregnant in the next twenty years...
Friday, August 1, 2008
Whose Recipe Is It, Anyway?
Tonight, for dinner, I did something I've never done, but I'm very proud of doing: I put a recipe together all by myself, without the aid of a cookbook. This comes as somewhat of a surprise to me, given the fact that I've been cooking all my life, and hell, I've even got a cooking blog. I know this post really belongs over there, but I'm so proud of myself I need to share it with the masses.
So here's what I did:
1. I had leftover red and green bell peppers in the fridge, and if I didn't use them immediatement, they'd go bad. So I cut them up into chunks and set 'em aside.
2. I then took two medium onions, peeled them, and quartered them.
3. I took a skillet, poured a tablespoon of EVOO in it, turned the burner to medium, and sauteed five cloves of garlic till they were light golden brown. I'm Italian, and I likes my garlic!
4. I added the onions and peppers to the skillet and sauteed them for about 10 minutes. After about 7 minutes I noticed some brown bits sticking to the bottom of the pan, and I immediately thought, "Deglaze!" I poured about half a cup of white wine into the skillet to deglaze the pan and add some more flavor.
5. While the veggies were cooking, I put on a pot of water to boil, and added a pound of Barilla Omega 3 Pasta.
6. When the pasta and veggies were done, I dumped the pasta in the bowl after drainage, added the veggies, and tossed 'em together. I immediately realized I should have cooked less pasta; there was more pasta than veggies in the mix.
7. I poured some leftover peanut sauce on top of the whole dish and tossed to coat. I put some pasta into a bowl, added a little more peanut sauce, and a little grated parm on top.
Oh yeah, and after I poured the wine into the skillet, I pulled a Graham Kerr and poured myself a glass. Delish.
It was good overall, but again, next time I make this, more veggies, less pasta! (Not that there was anything wrong with all that pasta...)
So here's what I did:
1. I had leftover red and green bell peppers in the fridge, and if I didn't use them immediatement, they'd go bad. So I cut them up into chunks and set 'em aside.
2. I then took two medium onions, peeled them, and quartered them.
3. I took a skillet, poured a tablespoon of EVOO in it, turned the burner to medium, and sauteed five cloves of garlic till they were light golden brown. I'm Italian, and I likes my garlic!
4. I added the onions and peppers to the skillet and sauteed them for about 10 minutes. After about 7 minutes I noticed some brown bits sticking to the bottom of the pan, and I immediately thought, "Deglaze!" I poured about half a cup of white wine into the skillet to deglaze the pan and add some more flavor.
5. While the veggies were cooking, I put on a pot of water to boil, and added a pound of Barilla Omega 3 Pasta.
6. When the pasta and veggies were done, I dumped the pasta in the bowl after drainage, added the veggies, and tossed 'em together. I immediately realized I should have cooked less pasta; there was more pasta than veggies in the mix.
7. I poured some leftover peanut sauce on top of the whole dish and tossed to coat. I put some pasta into a bowl, added a little more peanut sauce, and a little grated parm on top.
Oh yeah, and after I poured the wine into the skillet, I pulled a Graham Kerr and poured myself a glass. Delish.
It was good overall, but again, next time I make this, more veggies, less pasta! (Not that there was anything wrong with all that pasta...)
So Much for a Slowdown...More Thoughts at the Y
I had to write today, because of my experience at the Y today. I thought I'd write about it, since it would help keep me motivated on my current fitness program.
Today was the best workout I've had all week--30 minutes on the treadmill, 1.6 miles done, 150 calories burned. For those of you who religiously work out, that may be small potatoes, but for me, it's a triumph. I worked up a sweat, and stayed motivated with some cool iPod music and by watching a program on marathons on the TV. It really made me want to go faster. In fact, I walked at 3.5 miles per hour for most of my time on the treadmill.
And then, as if that's not enough of a triumph for me, I had extra energy when I got home, and lifted weights for 15 minutes with a FIRM tape.
I feel really, really good, both on the inside and out. I don't feel as anxious or worried as I usually do. It must be those crazy exercise endorphins that everyone talks about!
Since I'm making this public, I'm going to keep everyone abreast of my progress. Wish me luck, and thanks for your support!
Today was the best workout I've had all week--30 minutes on the treadmill, 1.6 miles done, 150 calories burned. For those of you who religiously work out, that may be small potatoes, but for me, it's a triumph. I worked up a sweat, and stayed motivated with some cool iPod music and by watching a program on marathons on the TV. It really made me want to go faster. In fact, I walked at 3.5 miles per hour for most of my time on the treadmill.
And then, as if that's not enough of a triumph for me, I had extra energy when I got home, and lifted weights for 15 minutes with a FIRM tape.
I feel really, really good, both on the inside and out. I don't feel as anxious or worried as I usually do. It must be those crazy exercise endorphins that everyone talks about!
Since I'm making this public, I'm going to keep everyone abreast of my progress. Wish me luck, and thanks for your support!
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Slowdown
Nearly every blog I read has been going through a slowdown period as of late...and now I have to include myself in these numbers. I'll be away again next week, this time at a state conference, but will be back late Wednesday night/early Thursday morning. I'm not sure when I'll return to blog, as I've had little to write about lately. Don't take it as a sign that things are bad, just as a sign that things are quiet.
If anything, I should be back sometime during the second week of August. August already?!?! I can't believe how fast the summer's gone...
If anything, I should be back sometime during the second week of August. August already?!?! I can't believe how fast the summer's gone...
New bookstore is coming! New bookstore is coming!
I was on the Middletown Eye this morning, and learned that my hometown IS FINALLY GETTING A BOOKSTORE!!! SQUEE!! I mean, we already have a bookstore, Broad Street Books, but that mostly caters to the Wesleyan kids. It's not a general interest bookstore like Borders.
But this new bookstore, the Book Bower, is a general interest bookstore--and it's an independent, local business!! DOUBLE SQUEE!! I am so, so excited. According to The Eye, it's scheduled to open by August 18th--and you can bet I'm gonna be one of their best customers!!!
The owner of the bookstore says that she'll have a website, but it's not up and running yet. Her husband's still putting the bookcases in. And where there's bookcases, you know what else there is!!!
Oh, I am so, so happy! I can't wait for it to open! When it does, I'll let y'all know what I think!
This just makes me giddy!
But this new bookstore, the Book Bower, is a general interest bookstore--and it's an independent, local business!! DOUBLE SQUEE!! I am so, so excited. According to The Eye, it's scheduled to open by August 18th--and you can bet I'm gonna be one of their best customers!!!
The owner of the bookstore says that she'll have a website, but it's not up and running yet. Her husband's still putting the bookcases in. And where there's bookcases, you know what else there is!!!
Oh, I am so, so happy! I can't wait for it to open! When it does, I'll let y'all know what I think!
This just makes me giddy!
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Thoughts at the Y
This afternoon I went to the Y for my workout, and entered the treadmill room, as usual. I walked over to the magazine rack and picked up an issue of Newsweek. Then I selected a treadmill, turned on the portable TV attached to the machine, channel surfed to find a program, found on, and turned the closed captioning on. Finally, I turned on my iPod and programmed a playlist in there. Then, and only then, did I start my workout.
After I finished exercising, I had to wonder, "Why do I need all of this stimulation when I get on the treadmill?" I hardly read the magazine in depth, because I pay too much attention to the closed captioning on TV. I stop paying attention to the TV when a good song comes on my shuffle. And when there's a song I don't feel like hearing, I just look at the picture on the screen.
I guess all of this is due to the fact that I don't want to look at how much time I have left to exercise.
So why do I exercise, when there are some days I dread it? Well, for one, it's good for me, and I feel amazing after a workout, like I can conquer the world. It gives me something to do other than watch TV, read a book, or check E-mail. (Although I can do two of those three things while I'm working out). Finally, it just makes me feel like I've accomplished something. Plus, I sleep better and eat better when I move and groove.
Still, I wonder what it would be like to work out with no music, no magazines, and no TV. Would I focus on my activity better? I'm not sure if this is something I wanna try.
After I finished exercising, I had to wonder, "Why do I need all of this stimulation when I get on the treadmill?" I hardly read the magazine in depth, because I pay too much attention to the closed captioning on TV. I stop paying attention to the TV when a good song comes on my shuffle. And when there's a song I don't feel like hearing, I just look at the picture on the screen.
I guess all of this is due to the fact that I don't want to look at how much time I have left to exercise.
So why do I exercise, when there are some days I dread it? Well, for one, it's good for me, and I feel amazing after a workout, like I can conquer the world. It gives me something to do other than watch TV, read a book, or check E-mail. (Although I can do two of those three things while I'm working out). Finally, it just makes me feel like I've accomplished something. Plus, I sleep better and eat better when I move and groove.
Still, I wonder what it would be like to work out with no music, no magazines, and no TV. Would I focus on my activity better? I'm not sure if this is something I wanna try.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Kitten Confessions, Part Five
My name is Kitten, and I adore infomercials.
Before I continue, I just need to add that I rarely purchase items from informercials. I purchased some fitness videos from the FIRM several years back, but that's about the extent of it. I just enjoy watching informercials for their sheer entertainment and production values. Some of them make me laugh, and it's not laughing with the participants--it's laughing at them.
Let's start by going over the history of the infomercial. We all have President Reagan to thank indirectly for this bastion of American advertising. How so? Well (to borrow a classic Reagan catch phrase), before 1984, the FCC had a rule stating that, in 60 minutes of a television time slot, there could be no more than twelve minutes of commercials. That's right, twelve. To make a long story short, in 1984, the television industry was deregulated, and stations could show as much commercial activity as they pleased. This is the main reasons why TV stations no longer have sign-offs, and broadcast infomercials whenever their audience is asleep. (That having been said, I know of one station in Springfield, Massachusetts that signs off every Monday morning at 12:30 and goes back on the air around 5:00).
So now the industry has been deregulated, and all of a sudden there's all of this unused, cheap airspace in the wee hours of the morning, when most people are assumed to be sleeping. One of the first people to take advantage of this opportunity was Ron Popeil, who became one of the pioneers of the infomercial industry. Ron Popeil was the head of Ronco, the company that invented and produced such gadgets as the Veg-O-Matic, the Showtime Rotisserie, and hair in a can, among others. (Interesting bit o' trivia: Popeil's father, Samuel Popeil, invented the Veg-O-Matic.)
The invention of another Ronco product, the Chop-o-Matic, is probably the reason for Ronco's entrance into the infomercial industry. Ronco salesmen had a difficult time carrying and finding vegetables for Chop-o-Matic demonstrations, so Ron Popeil came up with the solution: why not tape a demonstration, then sell it to various TV markets?
But wait, there's more! That's a bit of infomercial language that we can thank Mr. Ed Valenti for. Who is Ed Valenti? Why, he's the man responsible for bringing us Ginsu knives! I hope I have some readers who remember Ginsu knives! Not only that, but Ed Valenti is responsible for the whole direct response advertising industry. You can read more about that here, right on his very own website.
Ginsu's advertising success included the use of such language as, "If you order now, we'll send you a ___________ absolutely free!" and "But wait, there's more!" Ron Popeil employed this language into his own informercials, and...well, you've seen the result if you have either stayed up late at night, caught yourself watching CNBC on weekend afternoons, or have watched any of the old PAX TV stations up till they officially started their programming at 5:00 PM.
After the success of Ginsu and Ronco, many other businessmen jumped on the infomercial bandwagon, like Richard Simmons, who has successfully used the format to sell his Deal-a-Meal plans and Sweatin' to the Oldies videos. The fitness guru has filmed his productions in various locales such as malls, cruise ships, and clients' houses, complete with before and after photos and heartfelt customer testimony. I really enjoy his informercials because they seem really genuine. You can tell he really cares about his clients, and that they adore him, for the way that he's changed their lives. I must admit I've gotten a little teary-eyed at some of them.
And then there are the infomercials that are so unbearably fake, you wonder why they were even produced. I'm thinking here about the "fake talk show" infomercial format, complete with studio audience, satellite feeds with special guests, and the "take the 'Miracle in a Bottle' challenge" to remove wrinkles. There are two current infomercials that pop into mind here: Sheer Cover, with Leeza Gibbons, and Meaningful Beauty, with Cindy Crawford. First, I think to myself, "How do they find people for a studio audience for an infomercial?" Secondly, I think, "How do they make this so damn entertaining? It's a fake talk show; I shouldn't be watching this!"
By the end, I'm sorely tempted to make the $29.95 monthly investment to make my skin look better. I resist every time, since I really like my current skin care regime, but the temptation is there.
Then there are the informercials with the actors and actresses that are being so serious and passionate about the products they're plugging. I saw one this morning with Melissa Gilbert, who was pitching the Wen Hair Care System. It's a system that totally eschews shampooing, and the inventor claims that the detergents in many supermarket shampoos are as strong as those used to wash our clothes, and "why should you damage your hair with such harsh detergents?" His product is a cleansing conditioner that contains no lathering ingredients, no harsh detergents that "will strip away your hair of its natural oils." At the end of this infomercial, Melissa Gilbert appears again, on the verge of anger, pleading, "This morning, you damaged your hair! Every time you shampoo, you damage your hair!"
I used good ol' Pantene shampoo and conditioner this morning, and my hair feels--and looks--fine. Yet I kept wondering, "Would Wen make my hair even silkier than it is now?"
What the hell is it about infomercials that make me wanna buy their products? I never do, but still, they're so convincing! I don't know that much about marketing psychology to analyze the reasons for my behavior, but I have to give myself credit for having the discipline not to reach for my Visa card...
...until last night.
I got home around 11 PM, flipped on the TV, and started to channel surf. I happened upon the last five minutes of an infomercial on the Comcast network:
"Get The Carol Burnett Show: Collector's Edition for your own home, only $19.95 for the first volume! We'll send you a new volume every 4-6 weeks. And if you call within the next three minutes, we'll cut the price in half!"
Too...good...to...be...true...was it really?
There...at the end...Harvey and Tim were sitting in folding chairs, and the figure in the middle...Carol herself, thanking us for buying the Collector's Edition of her DVDs.
I got out my Visa and picked up the phone.
Before I continue, I just need to add that I rarely purchase items from informercials. I purchased some fitness videos from the FIRM several years back, but that's about the extent of it. I just enjoy watching informercials for their sheer entertainment and production values. Some of them make me laugh, and it's not laughing with the participants--it's laughing at them.
Let's start by going over the history of the infomercial. We all have President Reagan to thank indirectly for this bastion of American advertising. How so? Well (to borrow a classic Reagan catch phrase), before 1984, the FCC had a rule stating that, in 60 minutes of a television time slot, there could be no more than twelve minutes of commercials. That's right, twelve. To make a long story short, in 1984, the television industry was deregulated, and stations could show as much commercial activity as they pleased. This is the main reasons why TV stations no longer have sign-offs, and broadcast infomercials whenever their audience is asleep. (That having been said, I know of one station in Springfield, Massachusetts that signs off every Monday morning at 12:30 and goes back on the air around 5:00).
So now the industry has been deregulated, and all of a sudden there's all of this unused, cheap airspace in the wee hours of the morning, when most people are assumed to be sleeping. One of the first people to take advantage of this opportunity was Ron Popeil, who became one of the pioneers of the infomercial industry. Ron Popeil was the head of Ronco, the company that invented and produced such gadgets as the Veg-O-Matic, the Showtime Rotisserie, and hair in a can, among others. (Interesting bit o' trivia: Popeil's father, Samuel Popeil, invented the Veg-O-Matic.)
The invention of another Ronco product, the Chop-o-Matic, is probably the reason for Ronco's entrance into the infomercial industry. Ronco salesmen had a difficult time carrying and finding vegetables for Chop-o-Matic demonstrations, so Ron Popeil came up with the solution: why not tape a demonstration, then sell it to various TV markets?
But wait, there's more! That's a bit of infomercial language that we can thank Mr. Ed Valenti for. Who is Ed Valenti? Why, he's the man responsible for bringing us Ginsu knives! I hope I have some readers who remember Ginsu knives! Not only that, but Ed Valenti is responsible for the whole direct response advertising industry. You can read more about that here, right on his very own website.
Ginsu's advertising success included the use of such language as, "If you order now, we'll send you a ___________ absolutely free!" and "But wait, there's more!" Ron Popeil employed this language into his own informercials, and...well, you've seen the result if you have either stayed up late at night, caught yourself watching CNBC on weekend afternoons, or have watched any of the old PAX TV stations up till they officially started their programming at 5:00 PM.
After the success of Ginsu and Ronco, many other businessmen jumped on the infomercial bandwagon, like Richard Simmons, who has successfully used the format to sell his Deal-a-Meal plans and Sweatin' to the Oldies videos. The fitness guru has filmed his productions in various locales such as malls, cruise ships, and clients' houses, complete with before and after photos and heartfelt customer testimony. I really enjoy his informercials because they seem really genuine. You can tell he really cares about his clients, and that they adore him, for the way that he's changed their lives. I must admit I've gotten a little teary-eyed at some of them.
And then there are the infomercials that are so unbearably fake, you wonder why they were even produced. I'm thinking here about the "fake talk show" infomercial format, complete with studio audience, satellite feeds with special guests, and the "take the 'Miracle in a Bottle' challenge" to remove wrinkles. There are two current infomercials that pop into mind here: Sheer Cover, with Leeza Gibbons, and Meaningful Beauty, with Cindy Crawford. First, I think to myself, "How do they find people for a studio audience for an infomercial?" Secondly, I think, "How do they make this so damn entertaining? It's a fake talk show; I shouldn't be watching this!"
By the end, I'm sorely tempted to make the $29.95 monthly investment to make my skin look better. I resist every time, since I really like my current skin care regime, but the temptation is there.
Then there are the informercials with the actors and actresses that are being so serious and passionate about the products they're plugging. I saw one this morning with Melissa Gilbert, who was pitching the Wen Hair Care System. It's a system that totally eschews shampooing, and the inventor claims that the detergents in many supermarket shampoos are as strong as those used to wash our clothes, and "why should you damage your hair with such harsh detergents?" His product is a cleansing conditioner that contains no lathering ingredients, no harsh detergents that "will strip away your hair of its natural oils." At the end of this infomercial, Melissa Gilbert appears again, on the verge of anger, pleading, "This morning, you damaged your hair! Every time you shampoo, you damage your hair!"
I used good ol' Pantene shampoo and conditioner this morning, and my hair feels--and looks--fine. Yet I kept wondering, "Would Wen make my hair even silkier than it is now?"
What the hell is it about infomercials that make me wanna buy their products? I never do, but still, they're so convincing! I don't know that much about marketing psychology to analyze the reasons for my behavior, but I have to give myself credit for having the discipline not to reach for my Visa card...
...until last night.
I got home around 11 PM, flipped on the TV, and started to channel surf. I happened upon the last five minutes of an infomercial on the Comcast network:
"Get The Carol Burnett Show: Collector's Edition for your own home, only $19.95 for the first volume! We'll send you a new volume every 4-6 weeks. And if you call within the next three minutes, we'll cut the price in half!"
Too...good...to...be...true...was it really?
There...at the end...Harvey and Tim were sitting in folding chairs, and the figure in the middle...Carol herself, thanking us for buying the Collector's Edition of her DVDs.
I got out my Visa and picked up the phone.
Picnic Hangover
I adore picnics. There's no better way to spend a summer afternoon than with good friends and family, hot dogs and hamburgers fresh off the grill, juicy watermelon, buttery corn on the cob, generous portions of potato salad, and iced tea to wash it all down.
Yesterday my parents and godparents had their annual July picnic to celebrate the summer birthdays and anniversaries. The event always begins at noon with appetizers of bruschetta, fresh tomato slices and basil, and fresh mozz. Then we graze on crackers, beer, more cheese, and crudites before my dad brings out the meat around 5 PM. Then we wrap up the evening in my parents' fire pit, sitting around a nice brisk fire for a couple of hours. We all leave around 10 or 10:30 PM.
I don't eat too many heavy things anymore, so my body's not used to such excess of sugar, carbs, and fat. I went to bed last night with some major heartburn, but didn't have any Tums in the house, and sure wasn't about to drive to the 24 hour CVS across town to get some. So I went to bed feeling crappy and bloated. Things didn't improve much towards the morning hours, as a severe thunderstorm, complete with bright flashes of lightning, came through the area and seemed to perch itself on top of my condo. I was finally able to get back to sleep an hour later, when the storm went away, but almost slept through my alarm, and it was a church day.
I woke up, still feeling like crap, and was very sluggish and bloated.
So today is a detox day. I mention this after we had a child dedication today, and there was cake and cookies afterward. (Yeah, I was bad). Then I made a brief detour at an Italian festival in Southington on the way home, and had a scoop of gelato.
OK, now that I'm home, NOW is the time to start detoxing. The rest of the day, as well as the ones that follow, will involve lots of water, tea, and vegetables. Oh yeah, and a lot more exercise too. Anything to get rid of the junk that's still pumping through my veins.
But it was worth it. Oh Lord, was it worth it.
Yesterday my parents and godparents had their annual July picnic to celebrate the summer birthdays and anniversaries. The event always begins at noon with appetizers of bruschetta, fresh tomato slices and basil, and fresh mozz. Then we graze on crackers, beer, more cheese, and crudites before my dad brings out the meat around 5 PM. Then we wrap up the evening in my parents' fire pit, sitting around a nice brisk fire for a couple of hours. We all leave around 10 or 10:30 PM.
I don't eat too many heavy things anymore, so my body's not used to such excess of sugar, carbs, and fat. I went to bed last night with some major heartburn, but didn't have any Tums in the house, and sure wasn't about to drive to the 24 hour CVS across town to get some. So I went to bed feeling crappy and bloated. Things didn't improve much towards the morning hours, as a severe thunderstorm, complete with bright flashes of lightning, came through the area and seemed to perch itself on top of my condo. I was finally able to get back to sleep an hour later, when the storm went away, but almost slept through my alarm, and it was a church day.
I woke up, still feeling like crap, and was very sluggish and bloated.
So today is a detox day. I mention this after we had a child dedication today, and there was cake and cookies afterward. (Yeah, I was bad). Then I made a brief detour at an Italian festival in Southington on the way home, and had a scoop of gelato.
OK, now that I'm home, NOW is the time to start detoxing. The rest of the day, as well as the ones that follow, will involve lots of water, tea, and vegetables. Oh yeah, and a lot more exercise too. Anything to get rid of the junk that's still pumping through my veins.
But it was worth it. Oh Lord, was it worth it.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Once More, With Feeling
This morning, the city of Middletown was treated to something we don't get to see here very often--a film shoot. The makers of a new independent movie, Once More, With Feeling, were searching for a typical American Main Street to shoot some scenes, and wouldn't ya know, they chose Main Street in MY city, where I live?!?! How exciting is that? First Barack Obama speaks at Wesleyan's commencement in May, and now Drea DeMatteo and Chazz Palmenteri make a movie here?!? God, I love where I live!!!
You can find out more about the shoot over at the Middletown Eye blog. Click here for a direct link to the post.
You can find out more about the shoot over at the Middletown Eye blog. Click here for a direct link to the post.
The Wasp Saga: Round One to Kitten!
Around 8:30 this morning, I put on my sweatpants, sweatshirt, and took my Walgreen's Wasp and Hornet Killer outside to do some damage. There were already three wasps hovering around the grill, confused as to why their access was blocked. I decided to test out the potency of this wasp killer and sprayed directly at the flying yellow jackets.
Dead on contact. I watched 'em die. Success!
Then I gingerly opened the lid of the grill, and the wasps were already at work on their nests. I stood back three feet, aimed at the first one, and sprayed. The wasps all fell out and were dead within ten seconds. I did the same thing with the second nest. Finally, once I was assured that all of the wasps were dead, I took my broom handle and knocked out each nest.
I celebrated a small victory. Now I have to wash my grill to get rid of the insecticide residue. That should be a helluva lotta fun.
Dead on contact. I watched 'em die. Success!
Then I gingerly opened the lid of the grill, and the wasps were already at work on their nests. I stood back three feet, aimed at the first one, and sprayed. The wasps all fell out and were dead within ten seconds. I did the same thing with the second nest. Finally, once I was assured that all of the wasps were dead, I took my broom handle and knocked out each nest.
I celebrated a small victory. Now I have to wash my grill to get rid of the insecticide residue. That should be a helluva lotta fun.
Wasps
The other afternoon, I was in my office, looked outside the patio door leading to my deck, and found that the cover to my grill had blown off during one of the thunderstorms we had during the week. It was full of water, so I shook out the excess and laid it carefully on the balcony to dry.
And then I noticed something else--a little insect crawling through the hole that you use to light the grill with a match.
It was a wasp.
I knew it wasn't good if there was a wasp going into my grill. And then another crawled in. And another.
Today I finally took a peek under the lid to see how bad it was. There were two small nests there, and the wasps were not at all thrilled at my presence. I dropped the lid and got back inside the house as soon as I could.
There was no question that I had to get rid of these wasps ASAP. I quickly went online and did some research. I learned that it's actually very common for wasps to build nests in gas grills. However, that didn't make me feel better at all. There were wasps living in my grill, and wasps STING! The question was, "How do I get rid of 'em?" I wanted to use something natural and organic so I could keep cooking with my grill, and something that left behind little residue so I wouldn't burn down my condo complex next time I grilled. (Keep in mind that a lot of insecticides are tres flammable.)
I called the natural food store in town. They didn't sell any wasp killers. I then called Home Depot, which is down the street. The guy I spoke with was very helpful. Since the nest was in the grill, he told me to take a long handle, like a broom, knock the nests out of the grill, then spray with the wasp killer once they were knocked down.
Easier said than done. With my luck, I'd be at Middlesex Hospital recovering from full-body stings.
After I got off the phone, I decided to try and suffocate the bastards by putting the cover back on the grill, albeit very, very carefully. Almost as soon as I put it back on, a wasp flew by, attempting to get inside the grill. Then another came around, and I went back inside as soon as I could. By the time I shut the door there were three wasps circulating the grill, trying to find a way to get inside.
Fast forward to midnight. I had just gotten home from a party, armed with a can of Walgreen's Wasp and Hornet Killer. I turned the patio light on. I learned that the best time to kill wasps is either in the early morning or early evening, since the colonies are sleeping then. However, most of my neighbors were sleeping, and I didn't want to possibly awaken them with bloodcurdling screams on the chance that a dozen wasps decided to sting me. That, and I had to take the grill cover off.
I plan to get up early in the morning and attempt to rid these unwanted guests from my grill. Wish me luck; I'll let you know what happens.
And then I noticed something else--a little insect crawling through the hole that you use to light the grill with a match.
It was a wasp.
I knew it wasn't good if there was a wasp going into my grill. And then another crawled in. And another.
Today I finally took a peek under the lid to see how bad it was. There were two small nests there, and the wasps were not at all thrilled at my presence. I dropped the lid and got back inside the house as soon as I could.
There was no question that I had to get rid of these wasps ASAP. I quickly went online and did some research. I learned that it's actually very common for wasps to build nests in gas grills. However, that didn't make me feel better at all. There were wasps living in my grill, and wasps STING! The question was, "How do I get rid of 'em?" I wanted to use something natural and organic so I could keep cooking with my grill, and something that left behind little residue so I wouldn't burn down my condo complex next time I grilled. (Keep in mind that a lot of insecticides are tres flammable.)
I called the natural food store in town. They didn't sell any wasp killers. I then called Home Depot, which is down the street. The guy I spoke with was very helpful. Since the nest was in the grill, he told me to take a long handle, like a broom, knock the nests out of the grill, then spray with the wasp killer once they were knocked down.
Easier said than done. With my luck, I'd be at Middlesex Hospital recovering from full-body stings.
After I got off the phone, I decided to try and suffocate the bastards by putting the cover back on the grill, albeit very, very carefully. Almost as soon as I put it back on, a wasp flew by, attempting to get inside the grill. Then another came around, and I went back inside as soon as I could. By the time I shut the door there were three wasps circulating the grill, trying to find a way to get inside.
Fast forward to midnight. I had just gotten home from a party, armed with a can of Walgreen's Wasp and Hornet Killer. I turned the patio light on. I learned that the best time to kill wasps is either in the early morning or early evening, since the colonies are sleeping then. However, most of my neighbors were sleeping, and I didn't want to possibly awaken them with bloodcurdling screams on the chance that a dozen wasps decided to sting me. That, and I had to take the grill cover off.
I plan to get up early in the morning and attempt to rid these unwanted guests from my grill. Wish me luck; I'll let you know what happens.
Friday, July 25, 2008
Something To Be Happy About...
I went to the local Gulf station today, all prepared for paying $4.09 with the cash discount, and guess what? The price for cash dropped 10 cents! So I only had to pay $3.99 per gallon! (Oh God, did I just say only?)
I never thought I'd see the day where I'd be happy about the $3.99 price of gas...and I'm even happier that I don't own a diesel fuel vehicle!
I never thought I'd see the day where I'd be happy about the $3.99 price of gas...and I'm even happier that I don't own a diesel fuel vehicle!
Rain, Rain, Gone Away
...and the humidity has disappeared too. Thank heavens for that! Last night was the first time in almost two weeks that I didn't sleep with either a fan or the A/C on. It was nice, dry, and comfy. I slept very, very well, needless to say.
And now today is the best sunny day all week, with the clearest blue sky and nice warm 80 degree temps. And I'm spending most of it indoors...:P
Today I have to go to Borders to pick up a book that a friend of mine recommended to me, plus I have to pick up a gift card for my dad. Yesterday was his birthday. When I get home, I have to prepare a batch of macaroni salad for a retirement party I'm attending later. Fortunately, this party is at a house with a big backyard, so at least I'll be spending a little bit of time outdoors.
But enough talking. Time to get my day started! I slept in really late this morning (I won't tell you how late, but it was the latest I've slept all year), and have been really slow about starting my day. So away I go!
And now today is the best sunny day all week, with the clearest blue sky and nice warm 80 degree temps. And I'm spending most of it indoors...:P
Today I have to go to Borders to pick up a book that a friend of mine recommended to me, plus I have to pick up a gift card for my dad. Yesterday was his birthday. When I get home, I have to prepare a batch of macaroni salad for a retirement party I'm attending later. Fortunately, this party is at a house with a big backyard, so at least I'll be spending a little bit of time outdoors.
But enough talking. Time to get my day started! I slept in really late this morning (I won't tell you how late, but it was the latest I've slept all year), and have been really slow about starting my day. So away I go!
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Announcing...My New Cooking Blog!
I've been posting so much about food and recipes lately that I decided to start a new cooking blog. I'm still going to post here about the arts, culture, books, and whatever else comes to mind, but for future foodie posts, visit my new cooking blog. It's called Cooking With Kitten, and I hope you like it!
Cooking With Kitten: Very Green Dressing
Here's another recipe from The Moosewood Cookbook. It's a salad dressing that's made with no oil and lots of green leafy produce.
VERY GREEN DRESSING
INGREDIENTS:
VERY GREEN DRESSING
INGREDIENTS:
- a handful of fresh parsley
- a handful of fresh spinach
- 1/2 a small zucchini, cut into chunks (don't peel it before cutting it)
- 10-15 basil leaves
- 1 medium clove garlic, peeled (you may want to cut it in half)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 cup buttermilk
- OPTIONAL: a few chunks of avocado; moderate amounts of other fresh herbs, such as chives, dill, or cilantro
Combine everything in a blender and press the liquify button. Makes over a cup of dressing. Put it in a Ball jar with a sterile lid and put it in the fridge.
Reality Bites
I've wanted to write about this for a while now, and finally have the time--and words--to articulate what I want to say.
There is nothing good on television anymore. I think we can all agree that TV has become a huge wasteland.
Now there are some exceptions--and only some. Oprah still produces a good show, but sometimes her topics verge on the sensationalistic. However, she hasn't, and will not, stoop as low as Jerry or Maury, her counterparts who rely on catfights and paternity tests to bring in their ratings.
I used to enjoy watching the news on CNN, but I don't always know what to focus on when I look at the screen. Not only do you have the crawl, but lately, you've had radar graphics in the corner of your screen of Hurricane Dolly. I know that hurricanes are major news and should not be ignored, but do we have to look at the same graphic for 20 continuous minutes?
(Oh God...I'm starting to sound like Andy Rooney. And I'm only in my early thirties. Help!)
Anyway, the worst part of TV nowadays occurs in primetime and its sensationalist "reality" shows. Note that I am putting "reality" in quotes. Most of the situations on these "reality" shows are staged. What is so "real" about staged situations? And how does one really, truly know someone's true personality on a "reality" show? How does one know that they're actually hamming things up for the camera? When Survivor first aired, the "reality" genre was so new, people actually thought that the game was actually about who could really survive successfully out in the wild, who really had the best skills needed to do so. We soon found out, through Richard Hatch's manipulations and mind games, that this was far from the truth.
To me, "reality" shows really bring out the worst in people. Big Brother is one of the worst of these offenders. This show just goes to show you how low people will go to win half a million dollars. It really saddens and sickens me how grown adults can act two-faced around people, pretending to be their friend when they are not, all for the sake of winning some cash.
What bothers me most about these "reality" shows are how celebrities are jumping on the bandwagon. Yes, I'm talking about some of these same celebrities who complain about the paparazzi chasing them and invading their privacy, yet they leave their homes, and lives, wide open on a "reality" show. Dina Lohan complains constantly about how the tabloids are hurting her daughters, yet her she is, on a "reality" show, letting the world see into her private life. Celebrity reality shows, I think, may be only partially to blame for taking families apart. I have no doubt that Newlyweds contributed to the demise of Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson's marriage. Please also note that I said partially previously because celebrity marriages often have many issues before they decide to air their dirty laundry on a reality show.
In spite of all of this, "reality" shows are bringing in the ratings. What is it about voyeurism that makes people want to watch? Is it so people will feel better about themselves, so that they'll feel that their own lives aren't so bad after all? Or is it that there are groups of people who enjoy laughing at others' misfortunes?
I don't watch that much TV, but some of the shows I watch, such as Dirty Jobs and Mythbusters, are considered reality shows by some. Note how here I don't put the word reality in quotes. That's because there's nothing staged about these shows. The people portrayed in these shows are real, honest, and true. They're not playing things up for the camera, and in some cases, are very uncomfortable being on camera.
There was once a Bruce Springsteen song that went something like "57 channels and nothing on." That's how I feel about TV today. I once had almost 100 channels when I had digital cable, and couldn't find a decent program to watch. And the channels I do have on standard cable are decreasing, as Comcast takes at least one channel per month and moves it to its digital lineup.
If the 1950s was known as the Golden Age of Television, what age are we in now?
There is nothing good on television anymore. I think we can all agree that TV has become a huge wasteland.
Now there are some exceptions--and only some. Oprah still produces a good show, but sometimes her topics verge on the sensationalistic. However, she hasn't, and will not, stoop as low as Jerry or Maury, her counterparts who rely on catfights and paternity tests to bring in their ratings.
I used to enjoy watching the news on CNN, but I don't always know what to focus on when I look at the screen. Not only do you have the crawl, but lately, you've had radar graphics in the corner of your screen of Hurricane Dolly. I know that hurricanes are major news and should not be ignored, but do we have to look at the same graphic for 20 continuous minutes?
(Oh God...I'm starting to sound like Andy Rooney. And I'm only in my early thirties. Help!)
Anyway, the worst part of TV nowadays occurs in primetime and its sensationalist "reality" shows. Note that I am putting "reality" in quotes. Most of the situations on these "reality" shows are staged. What is so "real" about staged situations? And how does one really, truly know someone's true personality on a "reality" show? How does one know that they're actually hamming things up for the camera? When Survivor first aired, the "reality" genre was so new, people actually thought that the game was actually about who could really survive successfully out in the wild, who really had the best skills needed to do so. We soon found out, through Richard Hatch's manipulations and mind games, that this was far from the truth.
To me, "reality" shows really bring out the worst in people. Big Brother is one of the worst of these offenders. This show just goes to show you how low people will go to win half a million dollars. It really saddens and sickens me how grown adults can act two-faced around people, pretending to be their friend when they are not, all for the sake of winning some cash.
What bothers me most about these "reality" shows are how celebrities are jumping on the bandwagon. Yes, I'm talking about some of these same celebrities who complain about the paparazzi chasing them and invading their privacy, yet they leave their homes, and lives, wide open on a "reality" show. Dina Lohan complains constantly about how the tabloids are hurting her daughters, yet her she is, on a "reality" show, letting the world see into her private life. Celebrity reality shows, I think, may be only partially to blame for taking families apart. I have no doubt that Newlyweds contributed to the demise of Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson's marriage. Please also note that I said partially previously because celebrity marriages often have many issues before they decide to air their dirty laundry on a reality show.
In spite of all of this, "reality" shows are bringing in the ratings. What is it about voyeurism that makes people want to watch? Is it so people will feel better about themselves, so that they'll feel that their own lives aren't so bad after all? Or is it that there are groups of people who enjoy laughing at others' misfortunes?
I don't watch that much TV, but some of the shows I watch, such as Dirty Jobs and Mythbusters, are considered reality shows by some. Note how here I don't put the word reality in quotes. That's because there's nothing staged about these shows. The people portrayed in these shows are real, honest, and true. They're not playing things up for the camera, and in some cases, are very uncomfortable being on camera.
There was once a Bruce Springsteen song that went something like "57 channels and nothing on." That's how I feel about TV today. I once had almost 100 channels when I had digital cable, and couldn't find a decent program to watch. And the channels I do have on standard cable are decreasing, as Comcast takes at least one channel per month and moves it to its digital lineup.
If the 1950s was known as the Golden Age of Television, what age are we in now?
Adding Some "Perk" to the Morning
I had to drive down to Guilford today for an appointment, and the most direct route to there from Middletown was Route 77, which actually starts in Durham. So I picked up 77 in Durham and settled in for a fantastic, beautiful ride.
Route 77 winds its way through farmland--glorious, undisturbed, pristine farmland. There are very few retail stores; the ones that exist are years-old mom-and-pop businesses. You go past lakes, marshes, and underneath some wonderful green canopies of trees. Mostly, however, you drive by acres and acres of open, green farmland. I was enthralled by this ride--well, as enthralled as I could be while driving a car. I took in as much of the scene as I could while focusing on the road in front of me. The best part about the ride was that I got to repeat it on the way home.
The way home from Guilford also encompasses a part of Route 17 going through Durham, one of my favorite Connecticut small towns. I love Durham because it's quiet, scenic, and has just the right amount of retail business without selling out to the major chains. In fact, the only chain stores in town are Curves and the gas stations.
On the way home, I stopped to try out the restaurant Perk on Main, about which I have heard raves. Perk on Main is a local restaurant known for its wonderful Perkuccinos, but is more widely known--and deservedly so--for its wonderful crepes. At Perk on Main, not only can you get the traditional sweet crepes, you can also get some very filling savory crepes, which make a terrific lunch. I originally was going to purchase a Nutella crepe, just a simple, basic crepe, until I read the full menu of savory crepes. It was 11:30 AM, and I asked if the savories were available yet; I was told that the full menu was available all day.
An all-day menu?!? Score!
Anyway, I decided to go with the Nathan Hale crepe, which contained fresh basil, diced tomato, fresh mozzarella, and balsamic vinegar--essentially a caprese crepe, and you know I can't resist caprese. For an additional charge, you can get either chicken or shrimp with your crepe; I went with the chicken.
I ended up paying $7.35 for the whole crepe, a little on the expensive side, but it was worth every penny. The chicken was moist, tender, and flavorful. The tomatoes were oh-so-fresh, firm, and perfect. There was just the right amount of basil and freshly ground black pepper, and this delectable delicacy was enrobed in just the right amount of sweet, tangy, tasty balsamic vinegar. I savored every delicious bite.
Each savory crepe comes with a pickle and two slices of fresh melon. I passed on those because I dislike both of these foods. Yet the crepe was wonderful, wonderful, wonderful. Yes, I know that I've used that word multiple times throughout this post, but I don't know how else I can articulate my feelings without cracking Mr. Roget's thesaurus.
Perk on Main has an open mike night every Friday at 7 PM. They've got a concert going on tomorrow, but I am not sure that it's a regular thing.
One of the best things I liked about Perk on Main is that it's a green coffee shop. They have paper cups for coffee to go, but they're biodegradable and made of recycled materials. They brew organic, fair trade coffee and serve it with hormone free milk. Their produce comes from local growers.
I'm definitely making this a new favorite place to go. Next time, I'm ordering that Nutella crepe! Wait a minute...I'm looking at their menu right now, and their breakfast burritos look pretty good, too...and they come with potatoes!! Arrgh, decisions...
Route 77 winds its way through farmland--glorious, undisturbed, pristine farmland. There are very few retail stores; the ones that exist are years-old mom-and-pop businesses. You go past lakes, marshes, and underneath some wonderful green canopies of trees. Mostly, however, you drive by acres and acres of open, green farmland. I was enthralled by this ride--well, as enthralled as I could be while driving a car. I took in as much of the scene as I could while focusing on the road in front of me. The best part about the ride was that I got to repeat it on the way home.
The way home from Guilford also encompasses a part of Route 17 going through Durham, one of my favorite Connecticut small towns. I love Durham because it's quiet, scenic, and has just the right amount of retail business without selling out to the major chains. In fact, the only chain stores in town are Curves and the gas stations.
On the way home, I stopped to try out the restaurant Perk on Main, about which I have heard raves. Perk on Main is a local restaurant known for its wonderful Perkuccinos, but is more widely known--and deservedly so--for its wonderful crepes. At Perk on Main, not only can you get the traditional sweet crepes, you can also get some very filling savory crepes, which make a terrific lunch. I originally was going to purchase a Nutella crepe, just a simple, basic crepe, until I read the full menu of savory crepes. It was 11:30 AM, and I asked if the savories were available yet; I was told that the full menu was available all day.
An all-day menu?!? Score!
Anyway, I decided to go with the Nathan Hale crepe, which contained fresh basil, diced tomato, fresh mozzarella, and balsamic vinegar--essentially a caprese crepe, and you know I can't resist caprese. For an additional charge, you can get either chicken or shrimp with your crepe; I went with the chicken.
I ended up paying $7.35 for the whole crepe, a little on the expensive side, but it was worth every penny. The chicken was moist, tender, and flavorful. The tomatoes were oh-so-fresh, firm, and perfect. There was just the right amount of basil and freshly ground black pepper, and this delectable delicacy was enrobed in just the right amount of sweet, tangy, tasty balsamic vinegar. I savored every delicious bite.
Each savory crepe comes with a pickle and two slices of fresh melon. I passed on those because I dislike both of these foods. Yet the crepe was wonderful, wonderful, wonderful. Yes, I know that I've used that word multiple times throughout this post, but I don't know how else I can articulate my feelings without cracking Mr. Roget's thesaurus.
Perk on Main has an open mike night every Friday at 7 PM. They've got a concert going on tomorrow, but I am not sure that it's a regular thing.
One of the best things I liked about Perk on Main is that it's a green coffee shop. They have paper cups for coffee to go, but they're biodegradable and made of recycled materials. They brew organic, fair trade coffee and serve it with hormone free milk. Their produce comes from local growers.
I'm definitely making this a new favorite place to go. Next time, I'm ordering that Nutella crepe! Wait a minute...I'm looking at their menu right now, and their breakfast burritos look pretty good, too...and they come with potatoes!! Arrgh, decisions...
Rainy Day
This morning I awakened to a sound that I haven't heard in a very long time--thunder. I can't remember the last time it rained here. I was talking to a friend of mine last week and we both agreed that this summer has been great for nice, dry sunny days. That is, until this week, when it was hot and humid, and scattered/isolated thunderstorms were predicted each day. Yesterday it was so overcast that I got impatient for the rain to arrive.
And now, finally, the rain has materialized.
There is a small thunderstorm occurring right now. I use the word "small" because I haven't seen any lightning. There haven't been really heavy downpours, just enough thunder to let you know that the rain is here.
The Wadsworth Mansion postponed tonight's concert to August 6th, but it doesn't really matter to me. We really needed this rain. I'm enjoying hearing the sounds of the water beat against my condo, as well as listening to the cars on the road drive through the puddles.
Tomorrow's forecast is for more rain, much more, particularly if you live in the western half of the state; Mark Dixon, one of the meteorologists over at Channel 3, predicted as much as 4 inches of rain for some towns in the Litchfield Hills. And where there's 4 inches of rain, there is flooding.
I can make do with rain. Flooding, however, I can do without.
And now, finally, the rain has materialized.
There is a small thunderstorm occurring right now. I use the word "small" because I haven't seen any lightning. There haven't been really heavy downpours, just enough thunder to let you know that the rain is here.
The Wadsworth Mansion postponed tonight's concert to August 6th, but it doesn't really matter to me. We really needed this rain. I'm enjoying hearing the sounds of the water beat against my condo, as well as listening to the cars on the road drive through the puddles.
Tomorrow's forecast is for more rain, much more, particularly if you live in the western half of the state; Mark Dixon, one of the meteorologists over at Channel 3, predicted as much as 4 inches of rain for some towns in the Litchfield Hills. And where there's 4 inches of rain, there is flooding.
I can make do with rain. Flooding, however, I can do without.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Cooking with Kitten: Fresh Corn Chowder
This morning, after having gone for bloodwork at the outpatient center, I was delighted to come upon the local farmers' market, here in town every Tuesday and Thursday till October. I ran home, got one of my resusable shopping bags, and headed back to the south green.
There were only three vendors there today, selling, among other things, baked goods, zucchini, scallions, tomatoes, and corn on the cob. The corn on the cob was freshly picked this very morning! I bought six ears, psyched, because last week, I found a recipe for fresh corn chowder as I was reading The Enchanted Broccoli Forest, Mollie Katzen's sequel to The Moosewood Cookbook.
I took the corn home, husked it, and carefully used my santoku knife to scrape the kernels off each cob. I had enough fresh corn to make the chowder.
And without further ado, here is the recipe, which can be found on page 10 of The Enchanted Broccoli Forest.
FRESH CORN CHOWDER
INGREDIENTS:
There were only three vendors there today, selling, among other things, baked goods, zucchini, scallions, tomatoes, and corn on the cob. The corn on the cob was freshly picked this very morning! I bought six ears, psyched, because last week, I found a recipe for fresh corn chowder as I was reading The Enchanted Broccoli Forest, Mollie Katzen's sequel to The Moosewood Cookbook.
I took the corn home, husked it, and carefully used my santoku knife to scrape the kernels off each cob. I had enough fresh corn to make the chowder.
And without further ado, here is the recipe, which can be found on page 10 of The Enchanted Broccoli Forest.
FRESH CORN CHOWDER
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 medium-sized potato
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 2 to 3 tablespoons butter (I use Smart Balance)
- 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 medium stalk celery, minced
- 1 small red bell pepper, minced
- about 5 cups corn (5-6 ears or a one-pound bag frozen/defrosted)
- fresh black pepper to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 cup milk (lowfat or soy OK; I use soy) at room temperature
DIRECTIONS:
- Scrub or peel the potato, and cut it into small dice. Place it in a small saucepan with the water. Bring to a boil, lower heat to a simmer, and cook until tender but not mushy. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, melt the butter in a soup pot or Dutch oven. Add the onion and salt, and cook over medium-low heat, stirring. After 5 minutes, add celery and keep cooking. About 5 minutes later, add the cooked potatoes with all their liquid, the red bell pepper, corn, black pepper, and herbs. Stir well and cover. Reduce heat and let it cook about 5 minutes more.
- Use a blender or food processor to puree about half the solids in some of the soup's own liquid. Return this to the pot, and let it rest until serving time.
- Stir in the milk about 10 minutes before serving. Heat the soup gently--don't cook it any further. Serve as soon as it's hot.
KITTEN'S NOTES:
- Once you add the corn, bell pepper, potatoes, black pepper, and herbs, it will look as if you need to add more water to the pot. DON'T. The veggies will give off liquid in the pot, and the puree will add liquid, too. I made the mistake of adding 4 additional cups of water the first time I made this, and it resulted in very watery chowder.
- This is really good served with a side of crusty bread.
- When it's in season, use fresh corn. It's really, really worth it, and you can really taste the difference over the frozen variety.
"Thou Must Do Thine Own Elizabethan Thing"
Let's try posting this again. I went to add labels to the original post last night, and the video disappeared.
Anyhoo, here's my entertainment idol's take on all things Elizabethan. This is from a 1974 episode, I believe.
Monday, July 21, 2008
Big, Big Boxes
I was just over at the Middletown Eye when I read a post about a documentary film shot here in the city. The film is about the demise of the locally-owned, independent record store and one former Middletown business, the Record Express, is featured. The store shut down in 2006, and was one of the places I used to go whenever I took a walk down Main Street.
That same year, there was huge buzz about town that Target was going to come to the city, but planning and zoning rejected their plans to build a multi-level parking garage.
Earlier this year, residents of the town of Simsbury showed up in droves to P&Z meetings to protest the plans for Target to come to their town.
And in the past seven years, in my old hometown, Stop and Shop, TJ Maxx, CVS, Dunkin Donuts, and Starbucks have all moved in.
Big Box stores. Ya can't live with 'em, and nowadays, ya can't live without 'em.
Take Target (which I pronounce Tar-ZJAY), for instance. I absolutely love that store for its low prices and merchandise diversity. I go there to buy detergent and certain dry goods whenever they're on sale, because often the prices are better there than at my local Stop and Shop. I go to Stop and Shop for its convenience, but their prices aren't always the greatest. For good food prices and quality, I shop at Trader Joe's, but the nearest one is 20 miles away. And I buy my gas at the local Shell station.
That having been said, we all know now that Big Box stores are destroying local businesses. Middletown's businesses, like Record Express, are no exception. Whenever I can, I try to support the local vendors. I enjoy going to the natural food store, It's Only Natural, and buy various groceries there. When I buy a cup of coffee, I go to one of our Main Street coffee shops, either Javapalooza or Brew Bakers. I'm not perfect about going to local business, but like I said, I make efforts where I can.
My local business efforts increased recently when I signed up for my BThrifty card. I first encountered BThrifty at one of the Memorial Day parades I attended this year. There was a guy in a bee costume handing out environmentally friendly business cards. The cards advertised the new BThrifty website, and you could plant the card in the ground to grow wildflowers. I haven't planted my card yet, since I have a lousy record with plants.
Anyhoo, when the BThrifty ads appeared on TV, I decided to sign up. I'm still waiting for my card in the mail. The site doesn't officially go online till this Wednesday, but I'm looking forward to when it does. BThrifty has two goals: to reduce coupon printing and save trees, and to support local businesses. Hey, I appreciate saving trees and businesses!
And that's not all...BThrifty's giving away several hybrid and fuel efficient cars per year. Yay contests!
By the way, I am not being paid to advertise BThrifty; I'm just commenting on something interesting I just learned about. It'll be interesting to see what offers come about when it finally goes live.
I know that this won't help reduce the number of Big Box stores around, but it'll be nice to see the Mom and Pop businesses improve.
That same year, there was huge buzz about town that Target was going to come to the city, but planning and zoning rejected their plans to build a multi-level parking garage.
Earlier this year, residents of the town of Simsbury showed up in droves to P&Z meetings to protest the plans for Target to come to their town.
And in the past seven years, in my old hometown, Stop and Shop, TJ Maxx, CVS, Dunkin Donuts, and Starbucks have all moved in.
Big Box stores. Ya can't live with 'em, and nowadays, ya can't live without 'em.
Take Target (which I pronounce Tar-ZJAY), for instance. I absolutely love that store for its low prices and merchandise diversity. I go there to buy detergent and certain dry goods whenever they're on sale, because often the prices are better there than at my local Stop and Shop. I go to Stop and Shop for its convenience, but their prices aren't always the greatest. For good food prices and quality, I shop at Trader Joe's, but the nearest one is 20 miles away. And I buy my gas at the local Shell station.
That having been said, we all know now that Big Box stores are destroying local businesses. Middletown's businesses, like Record Express, are no exception. Whenever I can, I try to support the local vendors. I enjoy going to the natural food store, It's Only Natural, and buy various groceries there. When I buy a cup of coffee, I go to one of our Main Street coffee shops, either Javapalooza or Brew Bakers. I'm not perfect about going to local business, but like I said, I make efforts where I can.
My local business efforts increased recently when I signed up for my BThrifty card. I first encountered BThrifty at one of the Memorial Day parades I attended this year. There was a guy in a bee costume handing out environmentally friendly business cards. The cards advertised the new BThrifty website, and you could plant the card in the ground to grow wildflowers. I haven't planted my card yet, since I have a lousy record with plants.
Anyhoo, when the BThrifty ads appeared on TV, I decided to sign up. I'm still waiting for my card in the mail. The site doesn't officially go online till this Wednesday, but I'm looking forward to when it does. BThrifty has two goals: to reduce coupon printing and save trees, and to support local businesses. Hey, I appreciate saving trees and businesses!
And that's not all...BThrifty's giving away several hybrid and fuel efficient cars per year. Yay contests!
By the way, I am not being paid to advertise BThrifty; I'm just commenting on something interesting I just learned about. It'll be interesting to see what offers come about when it finally goes live.
I know that this won't help reduce the number of Big Box stores around, but it'll be nice to see the Mom and Pop businesses improve.
The Books That Changed My Life
When I was in high school, studying biology, we learned about the terms "herbivore," "carnivore," and "omnivore." However, it wasn't until last May that I learned about the term "locavore."
Barbara Kingsolver's wonderful book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle can be almost singlehandedly credited with bringing greater awareness to the local food movement. She really made me aware of not only what I was putting in my mouth, but where it came from. I wrote a brief post about the book last year, but now that I've finished, and had some time to reflect, feel that I can go into greater detail about it.
Whenever I went grocery shopping, I was conscientious of buying as much organic produce as my budget could possibly afford. However, it wasn't until after reading Kingsolver's book that I became aware of where those products came from. My organic gala apples, for example? Direct from Chile. While no pesticides were used to grow these delicious fruits, the petroleum and fuel burned to transport them to the United States was not worth it. The same goes for other produce that we get during the winter, such as tomatoes, when nothing grows in here in Connecticut.
Fortunately for Kingsolver, she lives on a large farm in Appalachia where she can grow most of her produce. She has the space in her kitchen to can fruits and veggies during the winter. She even raises her own chickens, not just for the eggs, but for the meat. Same goes for her turkeys. Anything she can't raise, she buys locally. Kingsolver doesn't have any cows, so she purchases her milk from local dairy farms.
As for me, I live in a two-bedroom condo in a mid-sized Connecticut city. I don't even have a full-sized kitchen, let alone a basement with a large refrigerator. We have farmers markets by the dozen scattered throughout the state from May till October, but during the winter, nothing grows here except for ice. It's easy for me to get local produce during these months, but there aren't many--if any--places to get local meat. Even if I can't get local meat, I want to be sure that the meat and poultry I buy is hormone free and was treated humanely when it was alive.
So between Barbara Kingsolver and Mollie Katzen, I should have a good diet. My goal for this next school year is to try and maintain my diet as well as I do during the summer, when I have more time to cook and really pay attention to my food options.
On another random note, it is now 8:45 PM here on the East Coast, and it's now officially dark. We're already losing more daylight! Arrgh! I shouldn't let this get me down, but still...as you will discover later in the year, I don't do so well in the winter months, physically, emotionally, or mentally...
But let's worry about that when January comes, shall we?
Barbara Kingsolver's wonderful book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle can be almost singlehandedly credited with bringing greater awareness to the local food movement. She really made me aware of not only what I was putting in my mouth, but where it came from. I wrote a brief post about the book last year, but now that I've finished, and had some time to reflect, feel that I can go into greater detail about it.
Whenever I went grocery shopping, I was conscientious of buying as much organic produce as my budget could possibly afford. However, it wasn't until after reading Kingsolver's book that I became aware of where those products came from. My organic gala apples, for example? Direct from Chile. While no pesticides were used to grow these delicious fruits, the petroleum and fuel burned to transport them to the United States was not worth it. The same goes for other produce that we get during the winter, such as tomatoes, when nothing grows in here in Connecticut.
Fortunately for Kingsolver, she lives on a large farm in Appalachia where she can grow most of her produce. She has the space in her kitchen to can fruits and veggies during the winter. She even raises her own chickens, not just for the eggs, but for the meat. Same goes for her turkeys. Anything she can't raise, she buys locally. Kingsolver doesn't have any cows, so she purchases her milk from local dairy farms.
As for me, I live in a two-bedroom condo in a mid-sized Connecticut city. I don't even have a full-sized kitchen, let alone a basement with a large refrigerator. We have farmers markets by the dozen scattered throughout the state from May till October, but during the winter, nothing grows here except for ice. It's easy for me to get local produce during these months, but there aren't many--if any--places to get local meat. Even if I can't get local meat, I want to be sure that the meat and poultry I buy is hormone free and was treated humanely when it was alive.
So between Barbara Kingsolver and Mollie Katzen, I should have a good diet. My goal for this next school year is to try and maintain my diet as well as I do during the summer, when I have more time to cook and really pay attention to my food options.
On another random note, it is now 8:45 PM here on the East Coast, and it's now officially dark. We're already losing more daylight! Arrgh! I shouldn't let this get me down, but still...as you will discover later in the year, I don't do so well in the winter months, physically, emotionally, or mentally...
But let's worry about that when January comes, shall we?
Sunday, July 20, 2008
My Next Trip to New York
I'm most likely returning to New York in the fall, once the weather's cooled down a bit, to visit the New York Public Library. I got the inspiration from PeaceBang's latest post. I didn't know there were exhibits at the New York Public Library, like the Gutenburg Bible.
But what really makes me want to visit? It's not the Gutenburg Bible, but the REAL, AUTHENTIC, ONCE PLAYED WITH BY THE ACTUAL CHRISTOPHER ROBIN Winnie the Pooh and friends!!! Go to the link above and you'll see a picture!!!
A day at the New York Public Library, then a trip to the Strand bookstore, and finally, a walk over the Brooklyn Bridge...yep, it sounds like the perfect fall day in the city!
But what really makes me want to visit? It's not the Gutenburg Bible, but the REAL, AUTHENTIC, ONCE PLAYED WITH BY THE ACTUAL CHRISTOPHER ROBIN Winnie the Pooh and friends!!! Go to the link above and you'll see a picture!!!
A day at the New York Public Library, then a trip to the Strand bookstore, and finally, a walk over the Brooklyn Bridge...yep, it sounds like the perfect fall day in the city!
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Twelfth Night at Art Farm
Just when I was complaining about being bored, my E-mail box dinged. I had E-mail! And the E-mail was from a friend of mine: "Call me! Do you want to come to 'Twelfth Night' with us?"
Would I ever!
One of the things I like about Connecticut is our abundance of outdoor Shakespeare. Middletown is a fairly new entrant into the summer outdoor Shakespeare plays, with the wonderful organization Art Farm. Art Farm is a local theatre company, not only dedicated to quality performances, but to sustainable living and protecting our environment. You can find out more about them here.
For the past three years, Art Farm has produced and performed outdoor Shakespeare in the pine grove at Middlesex Community College. This year, their production was of the Shakespeare comedy "Twelfth Night," a comedy of mistaken identity, cross dressing, confusion, and love. Viola and Sebastian are twins separated after they are shipwrecked, and each believes the other to be dead. The play takes place in a time where it's dangerous for a woman to be alone, on her own, so Viola disguises herself as a man and is hired as a page by the Duke Orsino.
Viola, now known as Cesario, is sent by Orsino to the castle of Lady Olivia. Orsino tries to make Olivia fall in love with him, and uses Cesario as an intermediary. However, Olivia is not in love with Orsino--she's in love with Cesario, and has no idea that Cesario's a woman in disguise.
And that's just the beginning of the many plots involved in "Twelfth Night." You can find out more about them here.
It was a wonderful night for Shakespeare. There was a nice breeze, and we brought a picnic. We listened to a jazz duo before the show began. One of my friend's daughters is a cellist, and was psyched to see that one of the musicians was a double bassist. We ate our picnic dinner, listened to some jazz, and enjoyed the cool breeze in the pine grove. Then the show began, and we all sat on our blankets for two hours, riveted to the performances. We decided, after the show, that we liked it so much, we'd catch it again, or see more outdoor Shakespeare in the state.
Middlesex Community College is perched on a hill high enough that you can see the city of Middletown and its environs. On a clear day you can see all the way to Farmington and the UCONN Medical Center. Obviously, we didn't see that at 9:30 at night, but you know what we did see? Fireworks! Yes, I FINALLY SAW FIREWORKS!!! They weren't directly in town, but we could see them over towards Farmington, and closer to us, in either Portland or East Hampton. (We couldn't really tell). But we got a good, clear glimpse of fireworks going off, and while I did not get any pictures, it was truly exciting. We parked the car in an empty section of the parking lot, got out, and watched the fireworks for almost half an hour. What a perfect way to cap off a terrific evening!
I will have some "Twelfth Night" pictures up soon.
And to think I was complaining about boredom earlier today!
Would I ever!
One of the things I like about Connecticut is our abundance of outdoor Shakespeare. Middletown is a fairly new entrant into the summer outdoor Shakespeare plays, with the wonderful organization Art Farm. Art Farm is a local theatre company, not only dedicated to quality performances, but to sustainable living and protecting our environment. You can find out more about them here.
For the past three years, Art Farm has produced and performed outdoor Shakespeare in the pine grove at Middlesex Community College. This year, their production was of the Shakespeare comedy "Twelfth Night," a comedy of mistaken identity, cross dressing, confusion, and love. Viola and Sebastian are twins separated after they are shipwrecked, and each believes the other to be dead. The play takes place in a time where it's dangerous for a woman to be alone, on her own, so Viola disguises herself as a man and is hired as a page by the Duke Orsino.
Viola, now known as Cesario, is sent by Orsino to the castle of Lady Olivia. Orsino tries to make Olivia fall in love with him, and uses Cesario as an intermediary. However, Olivia is not in love with Orsino--she's in love with Cesario, and has no idea that Cesario's a woman in disguise.
And that's just the beginning of the many plots involved in "Twelfth Night." You can find out more about them here.
It was a wonderful night for Shakespeare. There was a nice breeze, and we brought a picnic. We listened to a jazz duo before the show began. One of my friend's daughters is a cellist, and was psyched to see that one of the musicians was a double bassist. We ate our picnic dinner, listened to some jazz, and enjoyed the cool breeze in the pine grove. Then the show began, and we all sat on our blankets for two hours, riveted to the performances. We decided, after the show, that we liked it so much, we'd catch it again, or see more outdoor Shakespeare in the state.
Middlesex Community College is perched on a hill high enough that you can see the city of Middletown and its environs. On a clear day you can see all the way to Farmington and the UCONN Medical Center. Obviously, we didn't see that at 9:30 at night, but you know what we did see? Fireworks! Yes, I FINALLY SAW FIREWORKS!!! They weren't directly in town, but we could see them over towards Farmington, and closer to us, in either Portland or East Hampton. (We couldn't really tell). But we got a good, clear glimpse of fireworks going off, and while I did not get any pictures, it was truly exciting. We parked the car in an empty section of the parking lot, got out, and watched the fireworks for almost half an hour. What a perfect way to cap off a terrific evening!
I will have some "Twelfth Night" pictures up soon.
And to think I was complaining about boredom earlier today!
100th post!!!
Right now I'm bored--bored because it's a hot, sticky, humid day here on the Eastern Seaboard, and there's an air quality alert till 10 PM because of it. I'm asthmatic, and even though my asthma is well-controlled, I'm confined indoors because the pollutants and particles can still get to me.
I've tidied up a bit--put things away, washed dishes, and am now here. I baked my bittersweet mocha coffee cake this morning, and it was the best batch I've baked in a while. (That, and I had the proper ingredients this time). I substituted half of the required flour with soy protein powder to boost the nutritional content. I had a small slice and it made a nice breakfast.
I've tidied up a bit--put things away, washed dishes, and am now here. I baked my bittersweet mocha coffee cake this morning, and it was the best batch I've baked in a while. (That, and I had the proper ingredients this time). I substituted half of the required flour with soy protein powder to boost the nutritional content. I had a small slice and it made a nice breakfast.
And now I've just realized that this is my 100th post!!! Yeah!!! And if you look to the left of the screen and scroll down a bit, you'll see where my readers have been coming from. I'm getting readers from some places I never thought I'd see! This makes me happy. :)
That, and I just started a new book: On Mexican Time, by Tony Cohan. I'll post more about it once I've gotten farther into the book.
Now I'm going to tidy up some more...my condo's a mess! Ciao!
Four Things
Here's my version of a meme I found on another blog:
1. Four jobs you've had in your life: babysitter, checkout girl, ice cream scooper, teacher.
2. Four movies you could watch over and over: "Bedknobs and Broomsticks", "Beauty and the Beast", "The Wizard of Oz", " "Mary Poppins"
3. Four places you've lived: South Salem, New York; Paris, France; Fairfield, CT; New London, CT
4. Four TV shows you love to watch: Well, I don't make time to watch many TV programs these days, since most modern TV is crap, but if the reruns were still on, I'd say Carol Burnett, Carol Burnett, Carol Burnett, and Carol Burnett
5. Four places you've been on vacation: the Mexican Riviera; Long Beach Island; Lake George, NY; Disney World
6. Four websites you visit daily: CNN; The Hartford Courant; The New York Times; Pearls Before Swine
7. Four of your favorite foods: pasta, cheesecake, ice cream, chocolate
8. Four places you'd rather be: the beach, Paris, by the pool, or any outdoor summer festival
1. Four jobs you've had in your life: babysitter, checkout girl, ice cream scooper, teacher.
2. Four movies you could watch over and over: "Bedknobs and Broomsticks", "Beauty and the Beast", "The Wizard of Oz", " "Mary Poppins"
3. Four places you've lived: South Salem, New York; Paris, France; Fairfield, CT; New London, CT
4. Four TV shows you love to watch: Well, I don't make time to watch many TV programs these days, since most modern TV is crap, but if the reruns were still on, I'd say Carol Burnett, Carol Burnett, Carol Burnett, and Carol Burnett
5. Four places you've been on vacation: the Mexican Riviera; Long Beach Island; Lake George, NY; Disney World
6. Four websites you visit daily: CNN; The Hartford Courant; The New York Times; Pearls Before Swine
7. Four of your favorite foods: pasta, cheesecake, ice cream, chocolate
8. Four places you'd rather be: the beach, Paris, by the pool, or any outdoor summer festival
Friday, July 18, 2008
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Arrgh...
I realize that there has been a dearth of book posting lately, and I am embarrassed because I started this blog to review all the books I read. Well, I have barely read a book since my trip to Washington DC two--almost THREE!--weeks ago, and I am not sure what I should read next. That, and for someone like me, who is obsessed with books (my dad says I never met a bookstore I didn't like), this is a catastrophe.
Anyhoo, I'm hosting book club next month, and we're each reading a book of our own to report to the group, since we couldn't decide what to read. Two of the ladies are reading these deep, intellectual books, and that led me to change my original choice--I was going to re-read Anne of Green Gables, in honor of the 100th anniversary celebration. I'm not sure if the ladies in book club would laugh or praise my choice. Arrgh, I'm giving into peer pressure and self esteem issues here!!!!
Maybe it's best to read Anne of Green Gables in a group setting to discuss it. So I guess I'll pass up on that.
*SIGH*...back to the bookshelf we go...
Anyhoo, I'm hosting book club next month, and we're each reading a book of our own to report to the group, since we couldn't decide what to read. Two of the ladies are reading these deep, intellectual books, and that led me to change my original choice--I was going to re-read Anne of Green Gables, in honor of the 100th anniversary celebration. I'm not sure if the ladies in book club would laugh or praise my choice. Arrgh, I'm giving into peer pressure and self esteem issues here!!!!
Maybe it's best to read Anne of Green Gables in a group setting to discuss it. So I guess I'll pass up on that.
*SIGH*...back to the bookshelf we go...
Cooking with Kitten: Yogurt Cheese
I don't like mayonnaise, either the texture or the flavor. That, and it's not very good for you. So, in search of a healthier alternative, I discovered yogurt cheese, and I often use that instead of mayonnaise or cream cheese. I think it's also tastier than either mayonnaise or cream cheese.
This recipe came from The Moosewood Cookbook. Yogurt cheese is very easy to make.
I've adapted the procedure from the original to fit my own needs.
Here's what you do:
1. When you make yogurt cheese, you drain all of the water out of the yogurt, so you need to start with double the amount of yogurt that you want to end up with. For example, if you want one cup of yogurt cheese, you need to start off with two cups of yogurt. For two cups of yogurt cheese, you need to start off with four cups of yogurt.
2. I use plain yogurt, any kind will do--whole, lowfat, or nonfat.
3. Take a small sieve or colander (small is the key word here) and line it with paper towels or cheesecloth. Put the colander over a clean bowl, and then put the bowl in the sink. Spoon the yogurt into the lining. Fully wrap the yogurt in the paper towels or cheesecloth.
4. Take a can of beans, vegetables, or any other heavy can and place it on top of the cheesecloth. This helps the water drip out of the yogurt.
5. Let the yogurt sit overnight. I get the yogurt started before I go to bed.
6. In the morning, unwrap the lining and spoon the cheese into another container. It will keep for about a week.
I have made a yogurt pie with yogurt cheese before, and it is quite yummy. When I make it, I use vanilla yogurt to make the yogurt cheese, as opposed to plain. I spoon it into a pre-made pie crust, then refrigerate it overnight. I take it out in the morning and will either spread blueberry preserves on top, or, if I'm feeling really creative, arrange fresh blueberries in concentric circles on top.
You can also use yogurt cheese in place of sour cream when you make Mexican layer dip, or when you serve quesadillas.
I'm sure there are other uses for yogurt cheese, but I can't think of them now. Leave your suggestions in the comments area if you think of any.
This recipe came from The Moosewood Cookbook. Yogurt cheese is very easy to make.
I've adapted the procedure from the original to fit my own needs.
Here's what you do:
1. When you make yogurt cheese, you drain all of the water out of the yogurt, so you need to start with double the amount of yogurt that you want to end up with. For example, if you want one cup of yogurt cheese, you need to start off with two cups of yogurt. For two cups of yogurt cheese, you need to start off with four cups of yogurt.
2. I use plain yogurt, any kind will do--whole, lowfat, or nonfat.
3. Take a small sieve or colander (small is the key word here) and line it with paper towels or cheesecloth. Put the colander over a clean bowl, and then put the bowl in the sink. Spoon the yogurt into the lining. Fully wrap the yogurt in the paper towels or cheesecloth.
4. Take a can of beans, vegetables, or any other heavy can and place it on top of the cheesecloth. This helps the water drip out of the yogurt.
5. Let the yogurt sit overnight. I get the yogurt started before I go to bed.
6. In the morning, unwrap the lining and spoon the cheese into another container. It will keep for about a week.
I have made a yogurt pie with yogurt cheese before, and it is quite yummy. When I make it, I use vanilla yogurt to make the yogurt cheese, as opposed to plain. I spoon it into a pre-made pie crust, then refrigerate it overnight. I take it out in the morning and will either spread blueberry preserves on top, or, if I'm feeling really creative, arrange fresh blueberries in concentric circles on top.
You can also use yogurt cheese in place of sour cream when you make Mexican layer dip, or when you serve quesadillas.
I'm sure there are other uses for yogurt cheese, but I can't think of them now. Leave your suggestions in the comments area if you think of any.
Cooking with Kitten: Macaroni Salad
This afternoon I went to a pool party with some friends from work, and prepared this, one of my mother's summer specialties. It is ridiculously easy to make.
Macaroni Salad
INGREDIENTS:
8 ounces of cooked macaroni
1/2 onion, minced
1 celery stalk, finely diced
1 can salad shrimp
black pepper to taste
mayonnaise, to taste (I use plain yogurt, and I drain the water from it overnight to make it thicker...see the next post for instructions)
DIRECTIONS:
1. Boil macaroni until it is al dente. Cool completely.
2. Dump cooled macaroni into a large bowl. Add onion, celery, shrimp, and black pepper, and mix well.
3. Add the mayonnaise/thickened yogurt immediately before serving. If you make the dish in advance and add the mayonnaise before you put in the refrigerator, the pasta will fully absorb it, and you'll have to add more. So it's best to dress the salad right before you put it out.
It's a really good side dish, and also makes a nice light lunch/supper during the summer. I ate a LOT of pasta salad during the summer as I was growing up!
Macaroni Salad
INGREDIENTS:
8 ounces of cooked macaroni
1/2 onion, minced
1 celery stalk, finely diced
1 can salad shrimp
black pepper to taste
mayonnaise, to taste (I use plain yogurt, and I drain the water from it overnight to make it thicker...see the next post for instructions)
DIRECTIONS:
1. Boil macaroni until it is al dente. Cool completely.
2. Dump cooled macaroni into a large bowl. Add onion, celery, shrimp, and black pepper, and mix well.
3. Add the mayonnaise/thickened yogurt immediately before serving. If you make the dish in advance and add the mayonnaise before you put in the refrigerator, the pasta will fully absorb it, and you'll have to add more. So it's best to dress the salad right before you put it out.
It's a really good side dish, and also makes a nice light lunch/supper during the summer. I ate a LOT of pasta salad during the summer as I was growing up!
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Summer Music
In lieu of an iPod playlist this week, I'd share some of my live music experiences this summer with you.
This evening I had the pleasure of attending one of the Wadsworth Mansion's free July concerts. Tonight was a get-up-and-dance kind of night with the music of Motown, and the fabulous band Souled Out. They opened with an energetic version of "Get Ready," sang an awesome cover of "My Girl," had the crowd on its feet with "Love Train," and finished with a cover of "Hearts Afire" that made you think that you were listening to Earth, Wind, and Fire. Check out their website when you get a chance; if you live on the East Coast, they may be playing somewhere near you soon.
If you're into a more mellow groove, head on over to Acts of Hope and Jane Redmont's recommendations for a soothing summer evening. She's got a couple of YouTube clips to some catchy Brazilian tunes, one of which will pleasantly stay in your head for a while.
Finally, when I was in DC, I went to a party one night that had this awesome band: Sound Connection. They're a really tight, funky party band that had everyone out on the floor. If you're ever in the DC area, check them out!
This evening I had the pleasure of attending one of the Wadsworth Mansion's free July concerts. Tonight was a get-up-and-dance kind of night with the music of Motown, and the fabulous band Souled Out. They opened with an energetic version of "Get Ready," sang an awesome cover of "My Girl," had the crowd on its feet with "Love Train," and finished with a cover of "Hearts Afire" that made you think that you were listening to Earth, Wind, and Fire. Check out their website when you get a chance; if you live on the East Coast, they may be playing somewhere near you soon.
If you're into a more mellow groove, head on over to Acts of Hope and Jane Redmont's recommendations for a soothing summer evening. She's got a couple of YouTube clips to some catchy Brazilian tunes, one of which will pleasantly stay in your head for a while.
Finally, when I was in DC, I went to a party one night that had this awesome band: Sound Connection. They're a really tight, funky party band that had everyone out on the floor. If you're ever in the DC area, check them out!
Cooking with Kitten: Tabouli
Here's a recipe for tabouli, which comes from The Moosewood Cookbook, my all time fave. I made it this afternoon and it involves a lot of wait time, but the results are worth it! There is so much flavor going on. I savored every bite.
But enough blab from me. Let's get to the good stuff.
Tabouli
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup uncooked bulgur wheat
1 1/2 cups boiling water (I just put the tea kettle on, and have a cup of tea while the bulgur soaks)
1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (the juice of 2 lemons)
2 medium cloves garlic, crushed
black pepper, to taste
4 scallions, finely minced (whites and greens)
1 packed cup minced parsley
10 to 15 mint leaves, minced (or 1 to 2 tablespoons dried mint)
2 medium-sized ripe tomatoes, diced
OPTIONAL:
1/2 cup cooked chick peas
1 medium bell pepper, diced
1 small cucumber, seeded and minced
NOTE: Mollie Katzen advises that you throw the scallions, parsley, and mint into a food processor and let it go. That's what I did, and it made life easier. The salad looks better this way too.
And I added all of the optional ingredients to boost the veggie and protein content.
DIRECTIONS:
1. Combine bulgur and boiling water in a medium-large bowl. Cover and let stand until the bulgur is tender (20 to 30 minutes, minimum).
2. Add salt, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, and black pepper, and mix thoroughly. Cover tightly and refrigerate until about 30 minutes until serving.
3. About 30 minutes before serving, stir in remaining ingredients (including the optional ones) and mix well. Serve cold with warm wedges of lightly toasted pita bread. You can also serve it inside the pita bread.
NOTE: Mollie says you can prepare steps one and two "as much as a day or two in advance."
I need to add that this recipe was taken from The New Moosewood Cookbook, and not the original. The original one may have had a different tabouli recipe, but it still remains a mighty tasty dish, perfect for summer.
This recipe has officially become one of my Moosewood Mainstays!
But enough blab from me. Let's get to the good stuff.
Tabouli
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup uncooked bulgur wheat
1 1/2 cups boiling water (I just put the tea kettle on, and have a cup of tea while the bulgur soaks)
1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (the juice of 2 lemons)
2 medium cloves garlic, crushed
black pepper, to taste
4 scallions, finely minced (whites and greens)
1 packed cup minced parsley
10 to 15 mint leaves, minced (or 1 to 2 tablespoons dried mint)
2 medium-sized ripe tomatoes, diced
OPTIONAL:
1/2 cup cooked chick peas
1 medium bell pepper, diced
1 small cucumber, seeded and minced
NOTE: Mollie Katzen advises that you throw the scallions, parsley, and mint into a food processor and let it go. That's what I did, and it made life easier. The salad looks better this way too.
And I added all of the optional ingredients to boost the veggie and protein content.
DIRECTIONS:
1. Combine bulgur and boiling water in a medium-large bowl. Cover and let stand until the bulgur is tender (20 to 30 minutes, minimum).
2. Add salt, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, and black pepper, and mix thoroughly. Cover tightly and refrigerate until about 30 minutes until serving.
3. About 30 minutes before serving, stir in remaining ingredients (including the optional ones) and mix well. Serve cold with warm wedges of lightly toasted pita bread. You can also serve it inside the pita bread.
NOTE: Mollie says you can prepare steps one and two "as much as a day or two in advance."
I need to add that this recipe was taken from The New Moosewood Cookbook, and not the original. The original one may have had a different tabouli recipe, but it still remains a mighty tasty dish, perfect for summer.
This recipe has officially become one of my Moosewood Mainstays!
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
The Books That Changed My Life
I wasn't planning on adding another post to this series, but as I was making my weekly shopping list this afternoon, I thought that I should, given that my list was based on recipes from this book.
I've always loved to cook. When I was a kid I'd help my mom stir the tomato sauce, and eventually progressed to making desserts (my specialty as a teenager) and then full meals. Then I went out on my own and had to cook everything for myself. About six months after I moved out I got bored of making the same thing again and again.
I had been collecting cookbooks for a while, and one day found myself at my favorite used book store, perusing through the cookbook section to look to add to my collection. I came across one cookbook that was different from all of the others, mainly because it was handwritten and had some gorgeous black and white drawings of food.
The drawings and hand lettering were enough to make me buy the book, but I knew I had to examine its recipes. I soon discovered that this was a vegetarian cookbook. It had recipes for some very yummy dishes--lentil soup, chutneys, raita, falafel, and some other dishes that I never grew up experiencing, but was ready for my adult palate to try.
That book? The Moosewood Cookbook. Its author? Mollie Katzen.
I bought the book, took it home, and read it some more, dogearring the pages of the recipes that I wanted to try. I later found out that this was based on recipes served in the Moosewood Restaurant, a now-legendary vegetarian restaurant in Ithaca, New York, where my sister attended Ithaca College. I asked my sister if she ever dined in this restaurant, and she said she never did. So there was another justification for me to buy this book.
I was terribly excited to make a recipe from this book, and my first endeavor was "Perfect Protein Salad", an intriguing combination of soybeans, wheat berries, garlic, cottage cheese, scallions, carrots, cucumbers, and bell peppers in a dressing of cider vinegar, black pepper, mayonnaise, and parsley. (I substituted the mayonnaise with plain yogurt for a healthier, and zippier tasting version). It was very tasty, but my co-workers thought it was un peu bizarre. It didn't stop me from making it, though, and the natural food store became one of my favorite destinations on the way home from work.
As is the case with me, once I find an author I like, I scramble to get all of the editions of his/her books as soon as I can. There was no exception to this situation, when I learned that the Moosewood Collective had published a few other cookbooks. I eventually bought them all, and every time I make a Moosewood recipe, my guests and friends keep asking for more. I did the same thing with Mollie Katzen; a few years ago she published a book called Mollie Katzen's Sunlight Cafe, which has become one of the top 5 cookbooks I use in my kitchen. I got my recipe for Bittersweet Mocha Coffee Cake from this book, and it has become one of my signature dishes.
Today, I own many cookbooks, but The Moosewood Cookbook is the one I keep coming back to, time and again, whenever I want a change of pace. The recipes for lentil soup and minestrone have become two of my mainstays during the winter months. I also enjoy the recipes for gado gado and falafel. I'm planning to try the tabouleh recipe this week.
What is gado gado, you ask? I guess I'm going to have to post the recipe sometime soon so you can find out!
I've always loved to cook. When I was a kid I'd help my mom stir the tomato sauce, and eventually progressed to making desserts (my specialty as a teenager) and then full meals. Then I went out on my own and had to cook everything for myself. About six months after I moved out I got bored of making the same thing again and again.
I had been collecting cookbooks for a while, and one day found myself at my favorite used book store, perusing through the cookbook section to look to add to my collection. I came across one cookbook that was different from all of the others, mainly because it was handwritten and had some gorgeous black and white drawings of food.
The drawings and hand lettering were enough to make me buy the book, but I knew I had to examine its recipes. I soon discovered that this was a vegetarian cookbook. It had recipes for some very yummy dishes--lentil soup, chutneys, raita, falafel, and some other dishes that I never grew up experiencing, but was ready for my adult palate to try.
That book? The Moosewood Cookbook. Its author? Mollie Katzen.
I bought the book, took it home, and read it some more, dogearring the pages of the recipes that I wanted to try. I later found out that this was based on recipes served in the Moosewood Restaurant, a now-legendary vegetarian restaurant in Ithaca, New York, where my sister attended Ithaca College. I asked my sister if she ever dined in this restaurant, and she said she never did. So there was another justification for me to buy this book.
I was terribly excited to make a recipe from this book, and my first endeavor was "Perfect Protein Salad", an intriguing combination of soybeans, wheat berries, garlic, cottage cheese, scallions, carrots, cucumbers, and bell peppers in a dressing of cider vinegar, black pepper, mayonnaise, and parsley. (I substituted the mayonnaise with plain yogurt for a healthier, and zippier tasting version). It was very tasty, but my co-workers thought it was un peu bizarre. It didn't stop me from making it, though, and the natural food store became one of my favorite destinations on the way home from work.
As is the case with me, once I find an author I like, I scramble to get all of the editions of his/her books as soon as I can. There was no exception to this situation, when I learned that the Moosewood Collective had published a few other cookbooks. I eventually bought them all, and every time I make a Moosewood recipe, my guests and friends keep asking for more. I did the same thing with Mollie Katzen; a few years ago she published a book called Mollie Katzen's Sunlight Cafe, which has become one of the top 5 cookbooks I use in my kitchen. I got my recipe for Bittersweet Mocha Coffee Cake from this book, and it has become one of my signature dishes.
Today, I own many cookbooks, but The Moosewood Cookbook is the one I keep coming back to, time and again, whenever I want a change of pace. The recipes for lentil soup and minestrone have become two of my mainstays during the winter months. I also enjoy the recipes for gado gado and falafel. I'm planning to try the tabouleh recipe this week.
What is gado gado, you ask? I guess I'm going to have to post the recipe sometime soon so you can find out!
Monday, July 14, 2008
Brooklyn Bridge
It's become my tradition to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge whenever I go to the city by myself. And yesterday was the perfect day to do it.
I was pleasantly surprised to see the Waterfalls public art display, and even heard one of the installations underneath the bridge as I walked to Brooklyn.
All in all, between Bastille Day and the Brooklyn Bridge, it was a great day to be in the city.
I was pleasantly surprised to see the Waterfalls public art display, and even heard one of the installations underneath the bridge as I walked to Brooklyn.
All in all, between Bastille Day and the Brooklyn Bridge, it was a great day to be in the city.
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