Bye-Bye Ya-Ya's and Let it Snow!

ot up early this morning and knew it was going to be a hell of a day. I had no idea in saying good-bye to the beach I was driving into a snow storm on the drive home. It was especially nasty in the Olympia area. I took it slow and steady and did not get excited. Defensive driving was the way to go and boy did I have to work to avoid a crazy 18-wheeler driver. You so often hear about trucks jack-knifing and this day showed me that it can often be as much the truck driver as those around the truck driver. So often people claim it's crazy drivers, but boy those truck drivers on the drive home today scared me a lot.

As noted on Saturday, it was a lovely weekend. Jodie and Rob were the first to arrive. I got there around 4pm and we enjoyed watching Oprah as she had Diana Ross on the show. It was something to see the Diva still going strong and she was joined with her kids. Sadly, Billie Dee Williams did a surprise visit and he has not not aged nearly as well. But a fun show. Cocktails were served and Sandy was next to arrive. Cindy showed next and Katrina was able to join us by 8:14 or so. She had gotten lost a couple of times thanks to GPS unit.

We all made our own pizza from a great selection laid out for all of us to choose from. Michael joined us the next morning. It was a bit too icy to get up to the house for him and better safe than sorry.

Saturday was the crepe-a-thon and how yummy was that (see Saturday's post for pictures and details). Michael brought homemade split pea soup and I made some crescent rolls stuffed with sausages. Did not turn out quite as I planned, but there were none left.

We had a craft project that Cindy brought where we made personalized wine glasses and there was food, food and more food. There was also a moment where I had a bit of a meltdown. I call it the perfect Tri-fecta and oh my it hit like a hurricane. I was going to leave and yet it was dark and so spent some alone time trying to figure out how to share. I like how Michael described it as "confronting without being confrontational. Emotional I'll give you, but not confrontational."

I did miss out on the Tri-tip dinner, but got to enjoy on Sunday - YUM! To my Ya-Ya's I am sorry if I made Saturday any less than it should have been and yet, life happens and sometimes it just does not go quite as planned. We were able to talk it through and it was a delight to be able to come together on Sunday and bring Judy into the weekend. After brunch, the Ya-Ya's started to head home, but Jodie, Rob and I spent another day. Naps and movies plus the Oscar's filled the day plus several games. After watching "RED" which provided some fun twist and turns we watch the Oscar's and all the red carpet coverage. Leftovers and asparagus provided yummy munchies for the day.

The 83rd Academy Awards

These are the 4 iconic images of the awards and were offered as a poster collection this year. It begins with the red carpet. How classic is that as we even refer to "the red carpet" and it instantly brings up an image of glamor and glitz.
Sky washers have been part of premieres for years and when you see one in the sky you know it is a happening event. Very fun, very Hollywood. I am glad to have the blog, it saves me from buying the posters and instead posting them here to share.
"And the winner is..." has become a classic line. The two accountants from Price Waterhouse. Too funny. It is all about who "The Award goes to..." not who the winner is - yeah, right!
I had collected posters for several years and this year I realized they had been enjoyed but never brought out again and so I sold them for prizes at a party and it felt good to see them pass along to people who were so excited to have them come into their lives.

Ya-Ya's Crepe Into Saturday

Saturday morning brought Katrina and Jodie to the stove to bring a taste test for us to enjoy. On the left is gluten-free and on the right is the more traditional. The stove is one of those new cool to the touch and proved to be a challenge. Yes, that is bacon to the upper left. They served crepes so you could fill with either savory or sweet fillings.
I present a "dessert" crepe and it was yummy. Jodie had made a sweet cream filling and there were blueberries and strawberries in addition to Greek yogurt and whipped cream.

The photo below shows the lovely colors and it was oh so tasty. I did not get any pictures of the savory. That was bacon/spinach/mushroom/wine/yummy!

The weekend was filled with emotions and laughter plus the storms! Boy oh boy did it rain. We played games and had a craft project of making a decorative wine glass. Food and beverages were focal points broken up by multiple naps. Many thanks to all for your love and support.

Hi Ho, Hi Ho, It's Off To The Coast I Go

Ya-Ya Winter Getaway ~ Ocean City, Washington

Catch up next week for full

Red Carpet Oscar recap!

R.I.P. - Easy Bake Oven As We Know It!

Back in 2006, The Easy-Bake Oven and Lionel model trains joined Mr. Potato Head, the Frisbee and 32 other classic but watt-free toys in the Strong-National Museum of Play’s thirteen-year-old hall of fame.

Longevity is a key criterion for getting into the all-star lineup. Each toy must not only be widely recognized and foster learning, creativity or discovery through play, but endure in popularity over multiple generations.

“This is the year of the plug-in toy — and a sign of things to come,” said Christopher Bensch, the museum’s chief curator, noting that the 12 nominees in 2006 included the iconic Atari video game system.

“Will it be time someday for the GameBoy or the PlayStation or the Xbox? I think so. Those are the toys people are going to have nostalgia for and maybe pass on in their latest forms to their kids and grandkids.”

The latest, still pre-computer child favorites to be honored have been around for awhile: The first Easy-Bake Oven showed up in stores in 1964. It used the standard 100 watt light bulb and now they are being phased out by the government.
But have no fear folks, the new look is ready to go and Easy-Bake will keep going in the toy market for years to come. The legislature might let the government might have to be shut down, but gosh darn it we do not have to worry about more toys burning up or kids getting burned. Oh how we can still remember the good old days when we got hurt and it felt good. Play on!

The Blizzard of Nothing!

We were getting reports that it was the storm of storms. Friends were sent home early to "beat the blizzard" and TV coverage went into overdrive. You know what I am talking about. The reporters are sent out with rulers and wind meters. The stations clear all regular programming so they can be first, live and local! Then comes the graphics and different names for the storm. Do you go with "Winter Watch '11" or how about "February Snowstorm" but then my sister calls to share in Portland they have gone one better with "Snowmagedden" it is to be the storm of storms!

Went to bed and no snow yet. Hmmm, and you just have to love the weatherman who came on at 11pm news and explained what happened and how they got the tracking so wrong. It really wasn't there fault. Seriously, can I get a job like this? I can be wrong this often and still have my job. It makes you laugh.
The next morning...OK, so I wake up to a whole inch of snow. Seriously, all this hype for an inch of snow. There are reports that north of Seattle some cities up near Everett got over a foot. It was not suppose to be that way this time and in the end it was exactly the same as usual with the convergence zone. And so we go... FYI, the above picture is from a town called Darrington about 35 miles north of Seattle.

Happy Birthday Mike!

My brother turns 53 today and I know he is not a big cake person. It is also the birthday of George Washington. He has the whole cherry tree thing in his history and so putting this all together, it was like a no brainer...folks, here's a moment of cherry pie nirvana.

So, without further ado, I present a Cherry Pie recipe.

Pastry
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons shortening
4 to 6 tablespoons cold water

Filling
1 1/3 cups sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
6 cups sour cherries, pitted
2 tablespoons butter, if desired

1.Heat oven to 425°F. In medium bowl, mix 2 cups flour and the salt. Cut in shortening, using pastry blender (or pulling 2 table knives through ingredients in opposite directions), until particles are size of small peas. Sprinkle with cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and pastry almost leaves side of bowl (1 to 2 teaspoons more water can be added if necessary).

2.Gather pastry into a ball. Divide pastry in half; shape into 2 rounds. Wrap flattened rounds of pastry in plastic wrap; refrigerate about 45 minutes or until dough is firm and cold, yet pliable.

3.Roll pastry on lightly floured surface, using floured rolling pin, into circle 2 inches larger than upside-down 9-inch glass pie plate. Fold pastry into fourths and place in pie plate; or roll pastry loosely around rolling pin and transfer to pie plate. Unfold or unroll pastry and ease into plate, pressing firmly against bottom and side and being careful not to stretch pastry, which will cause it to shrink when baked.

4.In large bowl, mix sugar and 1/2 cup flour. Stir in cherries. Spoon into pastry-lined pie plate. Cut butter into small pieces; sprinkle over cherries. Cover with top pastry that has slits cut in it; seal and flute. Cover edge with 2- to 3-inch strip of foil to prevent excessive browning; remove foil during last 15 minutes of baking.

5.Bake 35 to 45 minutes or until crust is golden brown and juice begins to bubble through slits in crust. Cool on cooling rack at least 2 hours before serving.

Dripless Candles - NOT!

So I decided to get some lovely new candles for the candelabra and proceeded to light them last night as Michael was visiting. I was sitting in the Living Room space and had my back to the kitchen and Michael was so focused on frying up delicious razor clams that he failed to share that the candles were dripping all over the place. Well, it is time to clean up the mess.
Na, not tonight, I am just feeling like a vegetable and so I think it will wait until tomorrow. It is cold and I think I will snuggle under the covers and watch the clouds plus it is Monday and that means, "Antique Roadshow" and so for now, Cheers!

Sunday Surprise - Sceen Change

My brother, Mike, sent me a link to see how the sets change at the Oregon Shakespearean Festival. It is held in Ashland, Oregon and that is where we grew up. It has been around for year's and in fact, it got the very first regional Tony Award for theatre.
The Oregon Shakespeare Festival is a repertory theatre company in Ashland Oregon. That is where I grew up. They change the sets every day with a dedicated crew who manage to strike and put up another set in just a few hours.

It's really an amazing feat that involves changing even the floors and using elevators below the stage to store the risers. The festival used to be just during the summer, but that all changed when they added the indoor theatre.

From its inception, the Angus Bowmer Theatre has welcomed patrons with the graciousness of the man for whom it was named, OSF’s founder Angus L. Bowmer. (Bonus info nugget is that I used to deliver Angus his newspaper). The immediacy between company and audience members in this space allows for theatrical voyages of human discovery, guided by some of the world’s greatest classical and contemporary playwrights and seats 600. Click on changover below to see it happen.

The changeover is from Measure for Measure designed by Clint Ramos to the first act of To Kill a Mockingbird designed by David Gallo. Shot on a Nikon D3S with a Zeiss 21mm and a Canon 7D with a Nikon 24-70.

Nation's Christmas Tree Falls

Was caught off guard this evening watching the news and heard about the tree going down. Have copied CNN's story and added in pictures to give it some color. What a winter we have had across this country! (CNN) -- The nation's most energy-efficient National Christmas Tree doesn't appear to be the nation's most energy-resistant one. The 42-foot tall Colorado blue spruce snapped at its base during high winds Saturday morning in Washington.

Sustained winds at 25 miles per hour and wind gusts up to 50 miles per hour swept through the area and snapped the tree 4 feet above the ground, the National Park Service said in a statement.

By 5:30 p.m., less than seven hours later, the tree was reduced to mulch by work crews.

The tree was trimmed over the holidays with green-hued LED lights and snowflake ornaments in an area called "The Ellipse" directly between the south lawn of the White House and the Washington Monument.The first family lighted the tree, a tradition going back 87 years, on December 9, 2010, as blues legend BB King, Maroon 5, and others performed at the ceremony. It stayed lit each evening until New Year's Day.

According to the National Park Service, decorations are provided by sponsoring organizations in from every state and are placed in a "protective plastic globe" to protect them from bad weather.

The Park Service has identified a successor tree and will announce this spring when it will be brought to the Ellipse, the statement said.

The spruce had been in its current location for more than 32 years. It came from the Myers family farm outside of York, Pennsylvania, the Park Service said.

"The tree had been planted and watered by the Myers' grandchildren. When the tree was 6 years old it had been planted in the Myers' front yard as a Mother's Day gift for Mrs. Myers. After discussions with the NPS horticulturists, the Myers agreed to let the tree go to become the nation's Christmas tree."

A Very Unbirthday To You

Without a doubt, Alice in Wonderland has to be one of the most entertaining movies out there. No, not the one brought forth last year with Johnny Depp, although that one is quite good, but the original. Who can forget the Tea Party scene with all the antics. Click on Tea Party and enjoy the scene won't you? Happy Day and Enjoy!

Friday Reflections

For the past couple of years I have opted to not go to the Faerie Gatherings up at Breitenbush Hot Springs. It has been a nice break and I have not missed going. There is just something that has taken my life path a different direction. Saying that, I am toying with heading back this summer. Mick and Markie are co-queening the gathering plus it is rumored that some trollop from across the pond will be visiting so it will be a delight to see dear "Clotted Cream" fresh off the boat and will hold court with tales of the spring Royal Wedding to be sure.

Work has been challenging to be sure and it ramped up this week when Curtis departed on Wednesday and it has been good that he is away resting and upon his return we will be going over things that were overlooked upon his departure. All part of the training we have been doing to ramp him into a different level.

This week I worked at getting the backlog of food in the kitchen used up. Decided to strip down all the food that has not been used and can we talk soup? I love soup. Seriously, I do, but who knew I had like 12 different kinds and so since the first of the year I have been using it up and there were some frozen foods as well. Going to go back to Kay doing the cooking and getting a grip on portion again. It is a constant to be sure.

I am also getting some projects organized that have been in a pause mode for a way. One is getting the DVD's reorganized and another is getting all the scrap books finished up and in doing those two projects it will open up space here in the apartment. Speaking of the apartment, I have decided to stay put for another year.

By staying put it will open up an opportunity to make the final push of getting rid of the last of what I consider excess. Yup, I still have excess after all these years. I am trying very hard to get into the mind set of if something comes into the space, then something goes. At the same time, I want to get rid of anything that I have not used in the last year. Yes, it is going to be an interesting year in that I figure that if I decide to move next year, then I will only be moving what I really need.

Well folks, it is time for Gwen Ifill and Washington Week in Review. One of those traditions I enjoy on a Friday night.

I Bow To Connie

Last weekend I was chatting with my good friend Connie and she was telling me all about her niece's 21st birthday and the antics. Sunday was spent opening gifts and she was pleased to have found the most talked about gift, being the smart catalog shopper that she is. It is a statue called "Solar Queen" and as you can see it is only about 6 inches high and her purse holds a solar panel so that when the sun comes out, she begins to wave. It is a SCREAM! Yes, by Wednesday, I was the proud owner of my very own and it is a sight to see. It had staff howling and just makes me smile.

Yes, I do see it as the hot new Easter party favor this year as Easter falls the Sunday before the royal wedding on the 29th of April! Oh how I love to laugh.

Feeling Mindless Tonight!

Got home from work and made some dinner. Got a 2nd glass of water and sat down to post to the blog and as much as I would like to write, it is just not happening. So I am going to check out and just have a mindless evening of TV and to bed right after "Glee." Check in later.

So How Do I Feel About Valentine's Day?

Next Question?

The Zen Weekend

This weekend proved to be nothing like what I thought it might be and that is not saying that there is anything wrong with that. I really had no plans and in the end I got to relax and rest and reknew my energy. It has been a taxing few weeks with work and in the end, I got to watch fun shows, read a bit, shop, have brunch with Mick and well, connect with people on the phone I have been remiss in talking to. In the end, I got to have a great weekend and even put up with a bit of a head cold yesterday that did not stay too long and ruin the whole weekend. Thanks to Jodie and Rob for kicking off the weekend and all's good.

Egypt (Back to the Future)

CAIRO — Egypt's military leaders dissolved parliament and suspended the constitution Sunday, meeting two key demands of protesters who have been keeping up pressure for immediate steps to transition to democratic, civilian rule after forcing Hosni Mubarak out of power.

The military rulers that took over when Mubarak stepped down Friday and the caretaker government also set as a top priority the restoration of security, which collapsed during the 18 days of protests that toppled the regime.

The protesters had been pressing the ruling military council to immediately move forward with the transition process by appointing a presidential council, dissolving the parliament and releasing detainees.

Egypt's military also moved Sunday to restore order in Cairo after weeks of mass demonstrations, but troops faced some resistance as they tried to dismantle the protest camp at the heart of the movement that toppled Mubarak.

"We do not want any protesters to sit in the square after today," Mohamed Ibrahim Moustafa Ali, the head of military police, told protesters Sunday. Soldiers and military police took down the makeshift tents of protesters who had camped out in Tahrir, or Liberation, Square, but scuffles broke out with some young men who refused to leave.
"The army is the backbone of Egypt. Their solution is not to remove us from the square," said a protester over loudspeakers, as the army moved in, pushing and occasionally lashing out with sticks. "They must respond to our demands."

Many local residents also shouted at the protesters that it was time to go. "Haven't they got what they want? Can someone explain to me what is left of their demands?" asked one bystander.

Thousands of protesters streamed back into Tahrir Square after the army sought to disperse them, witnesses said.

'Revolution until victory'
"The army and people are united" and "Revolution, revolution until victory," they chanted, after military police had earlier told them to take down tents and let normal life return.

A 38-year-old industrial worker who gave his name only as Mohamed, said he had changed his mind about going home.

"I was going to leave today, but after what the military has done, the millions will be back again. The corrupt system still stands. It has gone back to using the only thing it understands — force. If we leave, they won't respond to our demands."

The crowd chanted "peacefully, peacefully" to the troops whose mission on the first day of Egypt's working week was to let commuters through to work in an economy badly damaged by the uprising that ended Mubarak's draconian rule.

As military police corralled protesters in the center ofthe square to allow traffic flow, protesters in other parts of the square guided cars. Some swept the ground and others painted curbs, which protesters said shows their desire to rebuild Egypt.

Tanks and armored cars were positioned around the square where banners still hung demanding regime change and where people were crowding around a makeshift memorial to about 300 people killed in the revolt. Volunteers were clearing rubble.

Police protest

Meanwhile, gunshots rang out near Egypt's Interior Ministry during a wage protest by hundreds of disgruntled policemen, witnesses said. A security guard said they were warning shots fired in the air.

The police force was pulled off the streets when it lost control of anti-government protests last month. Some have held their own protests and sit-ins since Mubarak's overthrow on Friday, demanding higher wages and immunity from prosecution.

A low-ranking police officer who gave his name as Hisham said he had served for 21 years and was paid 800 pounds ($136) a month.

"The high-ranking officers are the ones who used to get all privileges and we were left to starve. We were told if we don't like it, we can take money from the people," he said.

Thanks to MSNBC for the story and know that while acknowledging what happened on Friday, the 11th, the story is from Sunday, the 13th of February.

Carnivore Central

Markie and I exchanged a series of text messages that just missed enough that it was a miracle that dinner even happened. I was on the road making my way back to the emerald City and he was tired after a red-eye from Hawaii. But in the end, I made a simple request, it had to be steak for dinner. No pork, lamb or chicken. I wanted to be an animal and only one way to satisfy it after a week of seafood and chicken. What can I say but totally amazing to be sure!

Good-Bye Victoria

Up early and heading for the ferry when I realize that the lights are still on different buildings including the Parliament Buildings. I get one chance as I drive by sticking the camera up through the sun roof. And so here is what I got. Not bad for no coffee yet!
Not saying that I cut it close, but here I am the last car driving on the 9am ferry. Yes, the last car! Could not believe it and get this, the only reason it happened was a car with a reservation (an additional $12 fee) broke down and could not get on the ferry.

Noticed that there was some interesting crane action off to the side and so went to look and saw the float boat being lowered into the water. Bummer I don't get to hang long enough to see what was going on.

Bye-bye Tsawwassen Bay and can you see how close to the back I am! But alas we are on our way to Schwartz Bay. Glad to get on the road early in that by the time I hit the Peace Arch Crossing I got to pause and enjoy that for 50 minutes. OK, OK so I need to consider a Nexus card. Add to the to do list.

Now, I do not know how many of you have been on a BCFerry recently, but they have elevators and shops, plus video-arcades plus multiple restaurants. Spa treatments are available but seriously, they have thought of everything:

It has a water source for the pooches plus a bench for humans and little bags for the poop and this is only a 90 minute run. They are so civilized. You also pay your share of the ride and not have it tax subsidized. The Washington State Ferry has something to learn from this system.

Water Water Everywhere

This is a classic view from the penthouse we had for this visit. Looking down on the houseboat marina and getting to see the coming and going of the float planes. It was fun and a sort of alarm each morning as they begin departing at 7:30am and so it was time to make the coffee.

You just cannot get tired of this view. I got to look at it out of the living room and the bedroom as well. What can I say, between this and three New Yorkers I had a marvelous time. Yes, We all did things together and yet we also had alone time. That is what a vacation is all about.

Canadian Food For Thought

We arrived and since the unit was not available, Ron and Tyler were all about heading for Red Robin for lunch. Ron went for Chicken & Fries while Tyler opted for the 5-Alarm burger subbing out a veggie-patty for the burger. I decided to go for a Guacamole-Bacon Burger. From there it was off to market and we assembled a couple of dinners and other munchies. Oh yes, there was a stop at BC Liquors on the way to snag three bottles of white wine.
I present dinner ala Tuesday. Wonderfully steamed asparagus (broccoli for Ron aka Bug) and we all enjoyed a freshly grilled salmon fillet. Tyler (aka Stitch) did some pre-marinating before I placed them on the grill for the flash grilling experience. We had a refreshing Portuguese white and I have to say, what a lovely blue label.

Please, for the love of God, explain why Canadians love Ketchup potato chips? Ick! Seriously, they are not even available down in the states. Speaking of differences between the two countries. Tyler teased me about a Maple Oatmeal Scone at Canadian Starbuck's...of course they were "sold out" this morning. Get this, while there, he asked for my usual which is a Venti Iced-Coffee with one Splenda and 2% milk. Well, excuse me Canada, how was I to know that you do not have iced-coffee in the winter months. WTF? Then add to this that we all decided to go for Subway for lunch this day. I enjoyed a Spicy Italian and it was quite good. Do you think that we could find a simple shortbread cookie in all of Victoria? Oh no, but they ARE available over Christmas holiday. When did a shortbread cookie become a Christmas only thing? I do not understand.

So here is my post lunch, New Yorker reading and oh yes, there is my "shortbread" cookie, or as close as we could get = a chocolate chip cookie. It was just not right. But hey, I did get through three back issues in just over 24 hours. I am feeling quite happy, Markie, be ready as they are headed your way next. So Tyler is coking a lovely dinner this evening of Fettuccine with an Alfredo Sauce with Tiger Prawns & Peas. Cheers!

Two Fairly Similar Views

OK, so you need to work with me here...

Yes, above we see a ferry full of cars

and

below we see a car full of a Faerie.

Discuss!

Packers Get Grand Homecoming!

GREEN BAY, Wis. - Thousands of exhausted but euphoric Packers fans welcomed their cherished team home to Green Bay as Super Bowl champions on Monday after a nail-biting victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Schools dismissed early and people took time off work to watch the team's motorcade travel from Austin Straubel International Airport to Lambeau Field along a route that included Lombardi Avenue, named in honor of the legendary Packers coach Vince Lombardi.

Fans who spent Sunday night partying picked up right where they left off Monday morning, showing up hours early for the parade. They jammed Lambeau's atrium and clogged the stadium's pro shop as they bought piles of Super Bowl gear and memorabilia. To make room, the team finally had to herd shoppers and visitors into a line that stretched outside the stadium.

Thanks to Todd Richmond of AP for the story.

XLV Super Bowl

Super Bowl XLV is the 45th annual edition of the Super Bowl in American football, and the 41st annual championship game of the modern-era National Football League (NFL). The game, pits the AFC champion Pittsburgh Steelers against the NFC champion Green Bay Packers to decide the NFL champion for the 2010 season.

The game's to be played at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, the first time that the Super Bowl will be held in the Dallas–Fort Worth area; and the third time it will be held in Texas (Houston was the host city to VIII and XXXVIII). Kickoff time is approximately 3:25pm PST. The game is being played in the $1 billion Cowboy Stadium. Oh and the snow, ice and freezing temps this week were not part of the plan.

This will be the eighth appearance in the Super Bowl for the Steelers (who hold the record with six Super Bowl wins) and the fifth for the Packers (who hold the record with 12 overall NFL titles, including three Super Bowl wins and nine league titles prior to the Super Bowl-era). This will be the fourth time that two pre-expansion era (pre 1960) teams meet in the Super Bowl (XIV, XLI, and XLIII). Thanks Wikipedia for a lot of this information and Go Packers!

So Guilty of Avoiding Brick & Mortar Stores

Tonight on the news there was a story about 2 stores closing their doors up in the U District. One is a shoe store and the other a book store. Since I moved here to Uwajimaya Apartments, I have seen my style of shopping change, dramatically. First off, since there is staff in the office to receive packages, it is just so nice to order online knowing that there will be someone to receive the package. Now mind you, I go shopping for things that need to be replaced or upgraded for the most part. But that is not where the deliveries stop. In fact, this morning I am sitting here waiting for my groceries to be delivered.
Amazon Fresh is just a delight. I used to use Safeway.com, but over time I have found I like the product line-up at Amazon Fresh. Tomorrow I am getting some munchies for Super Bowl and also I have done a run through in my kitchen to infill to use up some of the excess inventory I have going on. It is a new year and so I have set out to clean out the freezer and old condiments. I'll be cooking 4 boneless chicken breasts this day for dinner and a lunch or two. I also am keeping in mind that I will be heading up to Victoria on Tuesday.

The driver schleps the groceries up and so I can get all the big bulky stuff out of the way like paper towels, toilet paper, cleaning crap. Frozen Oatmeal and bananas for breakfast during the week. It is just fun to go online and click. I usually pick a day and time several days out to allow for adjustments.

Yes, Amazon Fresh is part of Amazon.com, the mother ship of all online shopping experiences. I look out and see the corporate headquarters for Amazon, which used to be the VA Hospital. I use Amazon for other items such as what arrived today. A new fan for the apartment as the old one finally did not oscillate any longer and 4 new pillows for the bed. Amazing how you can find just about anything online.

Amazon.com is a site that you can find decorations for Valentine's Day or DVD's that you have been trying to find for a while to the majority of my Christmas gifts I sent on out to people. All from the comfort of my own home. January was a great month for me as I was looking for two items and that was drip less Colonel Candles in ivory and binders for my DVD's. In the end, shipping was free for both products in January ala Fed Ex and I got 20% on the candles while I got free letter stamping on the DVD Binders. And what did I decide to have imprinted? Swanda's Fabulous DVD's.

So I am guilty of helping the stores going down and turning to online shopping. Yet, last Saturday when I went to stop and get blue cheese crumbles for a dinner, there were no parking spaces at two different stores. So that makes you wonder? Is it the trends or the level that individual stores offer. No you cannot sit on your laurels and expect to keep on top of your game. But I will say that I do not miss the crowds AT ALL!

Gray Saturday Perfect For Hot & Sour Soup

I just love soup. When it is gray and gloomy, it is a day to just hunker down and nap, read, relax and have some great soup. Last night Jeff was over and we had cocktails and then some Chinese food. When I placed the order I had a bright moment and went ahead and ordered a quart of Shanghai Garden's Hot & Sour Soup. Can we just all agree YUM! It was a delight to enjoy with nothing more than a glass of water. Below is a recipe for the soup I snagged off the Internet. See why I buy it made. I would not be patient to make it all. But oh it is so good. Funny how you can go to another restaurant and it changes. Here in Seattle there is a place called Snappy Dragon and their soup is much more country style. But still just as enjoyable. Happy Saturday to all.
Hot and sour soup is reputed to be good for colds. To increase the health benefits, feel free to add 2 or 3 teaspoons of finely chopped ginger.

Hot and Sour Soup, let's get it going...

Serves 4
Ingredients:
•1 cake tofu (fresh, if possible)
•2 ounces pork tenderloin
•Marinade:
•1 teaspoon soy sauce
•1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
•1 teaspoon tapioca starch (or cornstarch)
•Other:
•1/2 cup bamboo shoots
•2 tablespoons black fungus (Wood Ear) or Cloud Ear fungus
•(or 3 - 4 Chinese dried black mushrooms or fresh mushrooms)
•1 small handful dried lily buds
•6 cups water (or 6 cups water and 1 cup Campbell's chicken broth)*
•1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
•1 teaspoon granulated sugar
•2 tablespoons soy sauce
•2 tablespoons red rice vinegar, white rice vinegar, or red wine vinegar
•1 teaspoon sesame oil
•1 Tbsp cornstarch dissolved in 1/4 cup water
•1 egg, beaten
•1 green onion, finely chopped
•White pepper to taste (no more than 1 tablespoon)
•Hot chili oil, to taste, optional

Preparation:

Shred pork. Mix marinade ingredients and marinate pork for 20 minutes.

Cut tofu into small squares. Cut bamboo shoots into thin strips and then into fine slices. To reconstitute the fungus, soak in warm water for 20 minutes. Rinse, and cut into thin pieces. (If substituting Chinese dried mushrooms, soak to soften, then cut off the stems and cut into thin strips. If using fresh mushrooms, wipe clean with a damp cloth and slice.)

To reconstitute the dried lily buds, soak in hot water for 20 minutes or until softened. Cut off the hard ends.

Bring the water to a boil. When it is boiling, add the bamboo shoots, fungus or mushrooms, and the lily buds. Stir. Add the tofu. Bring back to a boil and add the marinated pork.
Stir in the salt, sugar, soy sauce and vinegar and sesame oil.
Test the broth and adjust the taste if desired. (If using chicken broth, you may want to add a bit more rice vinegar).

Mix the cornstarch and water. Slowly pour the cornstarch mixture into the soup, stirring while it is being added. Let the broth come back to a boil. As soon as it is boiling, remove the broth from the stove.

Slowly drop in the beaten egg, stirring in one direction at the same time. Add the green onion and the white pepper to taste. Drizzle with chili oil if desired. Serve hot.

(Hot and Sour Soup can be prepared ahead of time and frozen. When making the soup, leave out the tofu. When ready to serve, thaw, add the tofu and bring to boiling. When the soup is boiling, add the egg.)

*Adjust the ratio of water to chicken stock as desired.

Happy Chinese New Year!

Year of the Rabbit

Chinese New Year starts with the New Moon on the first day of the new year and ends on the full moon 15 days later. The 15th day of the new year is called the Lantern Festival, which is celebrated at night with lantern displays and children carrying lanterns in a parade. The Chinese calendar is based on a combination of lunar and solar movements.

The lunar cycle is about 29.5 days. In order to "catch up" with the solar calendar the Chinese insert an extra month once every few years (seven years out of a 19-yearcycle). This is the same as adding an extra day on leap year. This is why, according to the solar calendar, the Chinese New Year falls on a different date each year. New Year's Eve and New Year's Day are celebrated as a family affair, a time of reunion and thanksgiving.

The celebration was traditionally highlighted with a religious ceremony given in honor of Heaven and Earth, the gods of the household and the family ancestors. The sacrifice to the ancestors, the most vital of all the rituals, united the living members with those who had passed away. Departed relatives are remembered with great respect because they were responsible for laying the foundations for the fortune and glory of the family.

Gone But Not Forgotten

David Jackson died suddenly just over a year ago and today is his birthday. He would have been 40. It is not right, but who is to say what is right. But I know I think of him often and all the fun we had when we were together. Yup, I miss him!

The Dinner - Fun Moments!

So I got the dinner posted. You can see and read all about it under January 29. There is even a recipe for the chocolate Dobash Cake on the 30th. But this posting is about the moment. Here Karen is doing "Hook'em Horns" or "Hang 10" but in any event, she is fitting in just fine at her first vintner's dinner.
Heather found a new love on Saturday. Lemoncello and she is especially enjoying the festive glassware that Jodie pulled out for her to use. Yes, it is a "Rocketini" glass.

My friend Jimmy makes wine and this was the initial choice for the meatloaf course and in the end it did not. Bummer as I love promoting friend's product. This is the only miss of his wine I have had. But you know, it happenes and makes for an interesting evening.

Who knew that Heather would become a wine connoisseur? Or is this a case of "While I am not a wine connoisseur, but I play one on tv?"

Did I mention that the dinner was finger licking good? As ony Jodie could share, it was indeed!