My Token Summertime Movie



Circa 1967



Set to the music of Simon & Garfunkel, The Graduate would be a film very representative of 1960’s California and affluence. Benjamin, played by Dustin Hoffman would be a young man in between his college years and his career in limbo living at his parents’ home. He begins a torrid affair with the wife of his father’s friend and one that leads him through all the trials and tribulations involved in this kind of deviance. Mrs. Robinson played by Anne Bancroft is very easy on the eyes, seductive, worldly, well spoken, cool, and lonely. She retreats to her booze and seduction of Hoffman in the film leading him to fancy hotels as they embark in passionate interludes and steamy taboo. That is until her daughter is set up with Hoffman on a date courtesy of their parents and he becomes enamored. He is defying the norms at his place in life and like many young people in the 1960’s is starting to embrace an alternative lifestyle wherein one does not have to be anything at all, just be. Ms. Robinson only reinforces this.

The film, by Mike Nichols, gained importance not only for it being a fair and enticing representation of the mentality of this era but also because it was so well acted. The roles played by Dustin Hoffman and Anne Bancroft in particular proved be dynamical and the movie is full of lust and passion due to these characters. The soundtrack would be the perfect complement to this film as Simon & Garfunkel captured the spirit and essence of this film in the songs for example when Benjamin is floating in the pool while Sounds of Silence rambles along. Mrs. Robinson was well written and a song that matched the weight of the film in that they both proved to be great. The film would be one of the first which would exhibit a changing Hollywood, one in which would become more socially aware. It divided the younger and older generations in the way that the characters were portrayed. The parents came across as very traditional and tended to care about their class in society as well as titles and distinction where the younger generation during this period did not. To the older generation image was everything as was keeping up with the Joneses. Benjamin becomes a refuge for Ms. Robinson as she finds herself lost in her upscale lifestyle that has no depth or meaning as she lacks the attention of her husband and the drive to be dedicated to her family is lost through her alcoholism and feelings of self worth.

His cavalier attitude makes for an interesting first date where he kills Elaine with recklessness and buoyancy. Mrs. Robinson is obviously upset at him taking her daughter out and it is evident on her face. The daughter is shown as a youthful version of her mother and cast in a positive light in contrast to her mother who begins to take form of the enemy. He almost tries to scare the poor girl away and his efforts in the end work with her crumbling with humiliation after being taken to a bar featuring a girl review in scantily clad, barely there outfits. The movie will progress as Benjamin realizes this move may have cost him someone he begins to have feelings for as he finds himself in a very compromising position as he is giving into temptation with her mother. He eventually ends the affair and she doesn’t take it well. No amount of opposition will keep these two apart in the end. She tries to persuade Elaine and spats off and hits her, she is angry but comes to the realization she is no match for her daughter who willingly will also defy her parents. Finding himself emotionally in ruin he heads to Berkeley to win Elaine back and finally succeeds on the day of her wedding to another man as they tangle with family and end up riding off into the sunset together in the back of a bus. The ending finds them on the brink of what’s next? And an uncertain future but is also very light hearted as they are careless and seem to not be concerned with what the future holds. Together they have gone against their parents and are now willingly able to share and start their new found life together. Maybe this was the point all along, with the driving force being to stand on their own two feet and defy their parents, not each other.

June Bugs

Sarah Ban Breathenach declares June the month to "Dunk strawberries and romance your flaws."

I for one will be doing neither, lately I am not into making peace with my flaws rather I am playing Ms. Fix it. I have set out to make a slew of strawberry cakes this month, first there was this colorful throwback next up I am heading over to Smittenkitchen to try this one on for size to see if I could top last summers Strawberry Shortcake Cake.
June so far has been full of gnats. They are everywhere, flying in my face, skydiving in my drinks, waiting in the wings to dive head first into dinner plates. Okay maybe I am exaggerating but it's getting old. At least it's not as bad as my ex brother in laws trailer aka "Lord of the Flies" which didn't leave the Sandy Beach in Rocky Point for three months, in fact I don't know if he left the trailer.I still don't know how anyone could coexist with the hundreds of flies that made the trailer their home, oh and the humidity..I think it may very well have been the closest to hell I have seen.
I would love to linger in the summers day, admire the fireflies and kiss the full moon. But this is Arizona, void of fireflies and car seats that burn your ass. Oh how I miss tearing their buts off and making light up buttons out of them. Actually I never did that my friends did, the thought of tearing their buts off grossed me out. I would catch them and keep them next to a jar by my bed, until one day I realised I didn't leave enough air flow and they all died, that was the end of that.
This is wedding season for those of you that don't know or who perhaps like me found the first available homeless man and took him to the 24 hour chapel in Vegas. It could have happened.
Summer is the time of year where I like to take what I call a time out. Cooking food that reflects the seasons, contemplating what new art work I will be buying and this year I am taking this time out to redecorate and revitalize the rooms in my home. I will be launching my cooking website after the Summer semester and because I flaked out on our family reunion this July I will be taking my vacation in California beach side instead. This coupled with a handful of road trips up North and who knows where as we take our Diners Drive Inns & Dives expedition.
Or maybe I just might embrace a more radical lifestyle..

Ryan McGinnis



Memorial Day Weekend 2k11

 Johnny Cash

Gourmet's Chicken & Dumplings

Bluberry & Lemon Pancakes

Zannies Blackeyed Pea Dip

Blue Valentine

Lotte & Doof

Sarah Lee Frozen Apple Crumb Pie

Reading about Berlin enjoying Mountainside Coffee Company & The Magnificent Almond Twist & Homemade Granola



The Original Badass



Warren Beatty was very easy on the eyes and had a commanding presence in Hollywood. His interpretation of the notorious story of Bonnie and Clyde would be another big budget studio film, and one in which he was eager to make. He pairs up with the cool and uncanny Faye Dunaway as Bonnie and the two prove to have an undeniable dynamic which screams on the screen. The adrenaline rush of a film is set in the 1930’s in America and is a depiction of the real life story of Bonny Parker and Clyde Barker, historic criminals for which this film gained them even more of a cult following. It is glorified violence in perfect Hollywood fashion. They feed off of each other with Clyde committing the robberies at first to impress and drive the object of his affection, Bonnie crazy with this feeling of possibly getting caught met with lust and desire for her man which seems to grow as the crime wave hits full swing. They are on the run terrorizing everyone who comes their way hitting up small town to small town they will not be caught but instead consider themselves not only above the law but untouchable. Their ego and drive are fueled by one another and they are as magnetic as they are as foolish as love is blind.

They tangle with the law back and forth. The public is concerned, frightened and fans all at the same time. Kidnapping a Texas Ranger they join forces with some unlikely comrades and the film then becomes a classic gangster film similar to which was so ever present in Hollywood some 30 years prior. It captures 1930’s America effortlessly and transcends the viewer into another time and place with simplicity yet features violence like never before seen on the big screen up until this point. There is blood, there is gore, and the public find this fascinating. In watching this film some 50 years later it is still considered to be very violent. It had to be a shock to the system of America and Hollywood when it first came out. Warren Beatty played Clyde with a youthfulness and attitude which helped solidify his star status. The beauty and rough around the edges style that is Faye Dunaway helped the cavalier and cool actress to not only get noticed but become bankable in Hollywood. The best case scenario for this big budget film was to be able to gross a ton of money and by doing so it was the acting of these two that carried it into such a successful spot. The shock and awe was just a byproduct of this.

It also was made to appeal to a much younger audience much in the same way many of the most popular films during this era were. Because the film relayed the message that it was honorable to perhaps steal from the rich while giving to the poor just fueled the fire of defiance of the norms and values that was ever-present in 1960’s America where there was a clear division of young and old but also of the classes. Younger people in America were focusing less on material things and money and wealth therefore they were able to read that message in this film and recognize its worth and appreciate it. The violence in the film however was contradictory to this and showed that aside from all of the new ideals and trials and tribulations that people were still able to be amazed and entertained by the shocking effects of cinema. One might think that in a society so hell bent on non violence and peace and one that was in strife over the effects of the Viet Nam war and our perception of it being never ending that it might not have been appropriate for this movie to have taken such a violent approach. Movies are interesting for a variety of reasons to an audience and one of the reasons that the film was to be so successful is perhaps America wanted to be entertained wanted an escape from al of the conflict unanswered questions and distrust that we held in the government. Movies seek to entertain and captivate., This could be by telling the tale of a beautiful love story which touches our heart, taking us to a place we have never been before, making us feel an emotion that we normally do not entertain like fear or lust or even, although shocking, by violent means.

Long Weekend....

Bon Appetempts Strawberry Cake courtesy of Saveur

Pretty Eggshell Blue Manicure

Water Park

Grilling Steaks

Homemade Mashed Potatoes

A Big Pizza

Spa

Yoga

A Long Meditative Walk

A Cool Breeze

Boutique Popcorn

WSJ Magazine

Bon Appetempts Strawberry Cake Via Saveur

Sleepovers

Boys Rowdy Boys Sleepy

Such is a day in this beautiful life...2 days left to the weekend...wonderful

05/27/2k11

In Fort Worth, Texas there is a drug clinic which takes people off the streets and helps them get over bad LSD trips. They don't use any traditional medical treatment whatsoever. All they do is play the patient our Smiley Smile album and apparently this acts as a soothing remedy which relaxes them and helps them to recover completely from their trip. - Carl Wilson, (1970)



Casey Anthony On Trial... Finally

First let me say that definitively there are two kinds of people on this earth. Let me also say that the devil is alive and well and living amongst us. Forget guilty until proven innocent. Forget all the bureaucratic hoops that our legal system is set up on to discourage punishment where punishment is due. The question has been asked a zillion times how can somebody hurt their child, any child for that matter. How is it that if a person has gotten themselves into such a bad place that they won't reach out to someone for help, leave the child with a family member, anyone...someone. It is true that sometimes these may be acts of desperation or helplessness.. committed time and time again by a single mother with too much on her plate.. the question always remains where is the father? Who is this little girls father? In this case we have a mother who killed her daughter for reasons which we may never know. What we do know is this wasn't the case of a desperate young woman under pressure who just one day snapped. This is a young woman who methodically planned the murder of her daughter. This is a woman who lied in every possible scenario to everyone around her, to the police, to her parents about the whereabouts of her daughter when she knew all along she killed her. This is a woman who showed no remorse, who hoped that people would stop asking questions and that one day it would all just go away. Who longed so desperately to have freedom from this child that once she eliminated this responsibility she celebrated, she partied, she got a tattoo.. The body of her daughter was in her vehicle for an unknown period of time.. rotten pizza and a dead body are not easily mistaken for one another. Who do these people think they are kidding. Her parents knew this the day they made that fateful 911 call. her father, being an ex police officer and having recognized the smell in her vehicle was the reason for their panicked demeanor. They knew something wasn't right. Now we have a case of this young woman, a sociopath, who has dragged her parents into her web of lies by accusing her own father of molestation and blamed these poor people for covering up the death of Kaylee. More lies upon lies.. but the truth is still as apparent as it was on that first day and no matter what cockeyed stories her sad legal defense may come up with no matter what evidence or lack there of that they may present. The writing is on the wall this woman is guilty of taking the life of this beautiful child. The question we will all be left to wonder when all is said and done is simply why? Because this woman is evil, fact is people who do these horrible things to children are nothing short of the devil alive and well and living on planet earth, time and time again we hear the heartbreaking stories. We as a society need to..have to find the means to put a stop to these monsters that hurt, touch and kill our children. What we have in place fails time and time again miserably. Tougher sentences do not seem to offer much of a deterrence. The death penalty not only needs to be imposed but the red tape needs to be eliminated so that as prisoners they can meet their maker and face their own judgement day in a short period of time, off of this earth..castration would be too kind. All we can do is be aware of the people and the situations around us, and try to prevent these incidents from happening wherever and whenever possible. Hold fathers accountable..keep men out of the lives and homes of single mothers who don't belong there..mandatory parenting classes for young mothers under the age of 21..no tolerance laws keyed to keep sex offenders off of our streets and away from our children the first time..better care for the mentally ill who live among us without the proper treatment and medication..child protective services that do not operate with their hands tied.. these are just some ideas but it's a start. Our society cannot just idly sit by and allow our children to get hurt any longer. Any punishment that Casey may receive will not bring this beautiful little girl back but it may very well someday put an end to her life as well, which in my opinion would be long overdue.

As May Winds Down....

Sarah Ban Breathnach says in her wonderful and uplifting book Simple Abundance A Daybook of Comfort & Joy  that "Dreams cost money, sweat, frustration, tears, courage,choices,perseverance, and extraordinary patience. But birthing a dream requires one more thing, Love. Only love can transform a houseful of needy, self-centered individuals into a loving close-knit family, a passion into a livelihood, or a mere dwelling into a home that perfectly expresses your authenticity. " I have recently found myself between semesters at school and with a little more free time than I usually see. I have been celebrating with good food, a night or two out with the hubby, relaxing, getting to a place in mind and body where I am able to slow it down. Doing my yoga getting plenty of rest to the point I am worried that perhaps it is too much. These are all good things however and I am eternally blessed. In small ways every day I continue on this path of living a gentle and pure existence. One of the more inspiring posts that I have read lately puts emphasis on how important it is to continue to change and evolve in a positive manner as human beings we often times get stuck and just stop in one place as a person and remain stagnant. To keep growing is the key to happiness. As we enjoy these last days of May and Memorial Day soon approaches lets get into a "Simple" frame of mind and reap the pleasures and enjoyment that these last days of Spring will bring....

Get fired up for next weekend..dig out your Grandmas old potato salad recipe and give it your own flair. Mine involves hard boiled eggs,red beets and jalapenos. Get the grill ready for whatever you may throw its way. Give it a good scrub down and get ready to throw on some zucchinis eggplant and heirloom tomatoes drizzled in balsamic. Or butter up ears of corn with a little mayo and cayenne and roast in the husk. Whether you are making Tbones or Hot dogs be Grateful for the time spent with family & the true meaning behind this holiday.
White shoes, white shorts, white pants, dresses and hats. Tis the season. I have found the cutest of all of the above at H&M and nothing was over 20 bucks.. Banana Republic has the most beautiful long dresses for when the day calls for a dressier look and I am loving Tom Fords Neroli Portofino body products and the delicate and lacy new looks by Van Cleef & Arpels. But what am I spending my money on these last days of Spring. Why this necklace of course. It is so odd it is striking and I must have it.I have always been fond of Elsa Peretti and this will compliment my collection and will have a special place among it.
Take the time to wander about flee markets garage and estate sales. New finds find a new life among your home. There is no greater joy for me when thrifting than finding an item handmade years ago thrown amongst the rick rack, it may be a token of a grandchild's affection signed by an endearing young child..or a cookbook with handwritten notes between the pages along with an ornate paper napkin from a fancy restaurant one wanted to keep or a shopping list ..it may be someones baby book complete with a lock of hair and photographs. All of these things I have found and brought home to dust off and proudly display and cherish. It makes me feel as though I am the keeper of things which meant something to someone once and that I am privileged to have taken on the task.
Whats on your reading list going into next month? I am thinking of revisiting Mary Engelbrights Home Companion magazines I have socked away from years ago. I will soon be doing a little redecorating and revitalization of the rooms in my house and  the photos are beautiful and inspiring.Part of doing so will involve a little Feng Shui practice of moving about 27 belongings.I will be looking for inspirations in all sorts of things with a focus on creating an  even more beautiful and natural environment for which we love and live.

Be Happy & Be Grateful
But Most Importantly Enjoy Each & Every Moment In the Present That This Week Will Bring



Walk On

And love is not the easy thing

The only baggage that you can bring...

And love is not the easy thing...

The only baggage you can bring

Is all that you can't leave behind

And if the darkness is to keep us apart

And if the daylight feels like it's a long way off

And if your glass heart should crack

And for a second you turn back

Oh no, be strong

Walk on, walk on

What you got they can't steal it

No they can't even feel it

Walk on, walk on...

Stay safe tonight

You're packing a suitcase for a place none of us has been

A place that has to be believed to be seen

You could have flown away

A singing bird in an open cage

Who will only fly, only fly for freedom

Walk on, walk on

What you've got they can't deny it

Can't sell it, or buy it

Walk on, walk on

Stay safe tonight

And I know it aches

And your heart it breaks

And you can only take so much

Walk on, walk on

Home... hard to know what it is if you've never had one

Home... I can't say where it is but I know I'm going home

That's where the heart is

and I know it aches

How your heart it breaks

And you can only take so much

Walk on, walk on

Leave it behind

You got to leave it behind

All that you fashion

All that you make

All that you build

All that you break

All that you measure

All that you feel

All this you can leave behind

All that you reason

All that you sense

All that you speak

All you dress-up

All that you scheme...

U2

05/19/2K11

Monday Gratitudes

~ I was just thinking today that for the first time in 37 years I can honestly say that I know what it feels like to love myself

~I view this as my second act in life, it is huge to finally embrace the life you never planned on

~That out of the 4 new pairs of shorts I bought last weekend all 4 fit..

~The love and light within this family is something that drives me every day to be the best me I can be
~The inspiring writings of Christopher Hitchins which touch my soul

What are you thankful for today?

Tell us at

its own sweet will

Menu Plannings

I have fun with planning my menus for the upcoming weeks, a lot of the times I am trying new things and god bless my family for being my guinea pigs,some are winners other losers but through it all I sometimes find that one thing for which becomes a signature dish. I have a huge I mean huge collection of cookbooks new & vintage and I add to it anytime I happen across a find at a used book store. I have everything from highly sought after collectibles, ones that belonged to my great great great grandmother which I treasure, to Paula Deans boys who lovingly signed their debut book to my son Logan who has aspirations to one day becoming a chef. Lately these cookbooks are gathering dust, although they are read from time to time as I love flipping the pages of a good cookbook, all of my menus lately come from websites and blogs. Sometimes magazines like Food & Wine or whatnot. I usually do my menu the beginning of every week  before I go shopping and am usually pretty good about sticking to the list buying only what the menu calls for with a few exceptions. Once in a while I splurge on the family sized Naked juices if they are on sale or an item that is on sale with a price that just can't be beat. The beauty of this I have found is not only do we eat little to no processed foods which goes without saying is better for our health and well being but by doing this I manage to feed a family of 5 on approx $525.00 a month. It also makes me feel good to cook for my family knowing that when we get together for a meal that it is one made with love.I know this may not seem spectacular to the couponers out there who manage to get $600 worth of groceries for $50 but I think this is pretty good.I usually throw in a "free for all" week every month or so where I may pick up just a few necessities and force myself to use up whatever I have left in the cabinets and freezer as I do freeze leftovers from time to time. Every week I throw in a leftover night to help reduce what is wasted which is little compared to the amount cooked. Our eating out consists of Pizza night usually twice a month and maybe 1-2 other meals out if that (If you don't count my husbands lunch hours which usually involve fast food...) I could care less about using coupons for free hamburger helpers and convenience foods even if they are free.This past week all of the meals that I made came from Envy My Cooking with the exception of the Tortilla Soup from the Pioneer Woman which won't be made till this week. I am also starting to add reviews and tips to my menus, please feel free to ask if you have any questions about something in particular you have been wanting to try. And with that here is our menu from last week, I would love to hear how your family shops for food, do you follow any kind of game plan and how do you save money on your grocery bills?

Monday: Chicken Tortilla Soup w/ Shrimp Pico De Gallo served with homemade corn chips

Tuesday: Lasagna & Fresh french bread : 2 words awesome for such a simple uncomplicated recipe this was not only quick to prep but made for a great traditional lasagna. Using cottage cheese makes this meal easy on the pocketbook too and the plus is you can't even tell. There were no leftovers and I made a whole pan!

Wednesday: Spicy Garlic Shrimp: This dish was pretty good, a little on the spicy side with it's use of Cajun & Creole seasonings but the combo of shrimp and sausage in a cranked up sauce made for a bit of different dish to which my husband exclaimed " Bland food bland life, Spicy food spicy life".....I used penne, next time I would recommend going with something a little more silky like egg noodles.

Thursday: Grilled New York Strips with Penne Fresca. I wasn't a big fan of the Penne Fresca warm. This may make for a good cold salad if the recipe was tweaked some what but as a warm pasta dish it fell flat of my expectations. I was attracted to this recipe by the fact that it resembles something somewhat Mediterranean but the penne al dente as choice of pasta used made the veggies just slip and slide right off the noodles. The balsamic added a nice touch but I think next time I would add the balsamic into the veggies first or grill them with it for more flavor.

Friday: Pizza Night/ Leftovers No Cooking

Prepare Knot Rolls for the weekend

Saturday: Caramel Knock Yourself Naked Brownies; this is a Oh My God You Need To Make These Now!

Salsa Chicken

Greek Spinach Melts

(Yes I know a weird combination, I think I may have been trying to paint my toenails and help with Science homework while I was making this menu....)

Sunday: Eggs & Cinnamon Mock Monkey Bread : Kids will love these little rolls kinda like donut holes but made with biscuits..these went pretty darn fast!

Homemade Calzones : This was my first time trying my hand at calzones. Although they turned out okay I could have used more sauce, definitely needed to serve with warm sauce on the side. They are a good way to use up leftover sausage & veggies. I wasn't a big fan of my dough though It was okay but I had a hard time working with it and it needed to be thinner than what I was able to pull off. If made again this
recipe will need some tweaking.
Once again you can find all the recipes from this week at

Envy My Cooking along with lots of cool things like a peek into other peoples dream kitchens! I like Envy for their no nonsense dishes which are quick to prepare and easy to pull off, also because they are keyed to feed families. Also this month on Envy Gwyneth Paltrow has teamed up with a great foundation Shaklee Cares and is donating a portion of the proceeds from her wonderful and inspiring cookbook My Fathers Daughter; Delicious, Easy  Recipes Celebrating Family & Togetherness  to providing aid for victims of natural disasters such as in Japan.If you haven't gotten a copy yet jump over to Envy's Amazon Affiliate Page ..this is a Great book you won't be sorry! 

~ It gives you a whole new way of looking at the day.~



Nothing exemplified the freewheeling, carefree 1960’s mentality quite like the film Easy Rider. It has become a cult classic for having so seamlessly personified the evolution occurring in late 1960’s America. The film features a young Dennis Hopper as Billy and Peter Fonda as Wyatt and the characters the play were similar to their personalities off screen , essentially they were shown as an exaggerated version of themselves. The film, also directed by Peter Fonda had a pretty low budget from the get go comparatively speaking and was made independent of any big money studio and their influence. It knocks the socks off of studio execs who see the film gross millions of dollars and would wake up the traditionalists in Hollywood as to the new wave of 1960’s cinema. It was a reality show in that you almost feel very voyeuristic just watching two dudes get on with their private life which could be caught on any given day. It features references to drugs throughout representing the “Tune In, Turn On and Drop Out” attitude exhibited in young America through the Hippie movement. Were the actors really under the influence or in a drug induced state when they made this film, it is any ones guess but in looking at the times and the film this probably was the case on some level. It’s two men on the back of a motorcycle heading from California to wherever the road takes them and it’s anything goes and whatever happens happens. They have the freedom to do as they please the question being do they find what they are looking for?

Their travels take allow them to pick up hitchhikers which were commonplace in this era. It also brings them to a commune, a lifestyle for which hippies would embrace as they sought a sort of utopian existence. They end up in trouble with the law and land themselves in jail. Which to the surprise of no one they bounce back from relentlessly as nothing can hold them down and they keep on rolling with the punches. It is jail they meet the crooked character of George played by the witty and enigmatic Jack Nicholson. Jack being a good friend of Hopper and Fonda in “real” life would be a likely fit to add to the mayhem that is the characters in this film. George has his own pre conceived notions about life in a faltering America full of humanity which has perhaps lost its way. He finds his new friends’ suit him very well as they introduce him to the mind altering bliss that is mary jane.

New Orleans in the 1960’s was much like it is today, void of the wreckage and scars it bears in modern day times. Of all the places where debauchery and free love ruled the roost New Orleans was King. The party never stops and the women, drugs and psychedelic abundant. Wyatt and Billy were welcomed into this circus and went for it with great zeal. After dropping too much acid and indulging in too many women they head for the sunshine state experience a seemingly never ending life hangover. Perhaps they begin to wonder what they are running from or where they are running to. Perhaps the world looks a little different from the other side, a little dirtier, a little rougher around the edges, not as pretty. Perhaps they find that the people they meet along the way have led to a loss of faith in humanity itself. Does any of this matter? In the end it does not as they have no direction home.

America was divided at the time by the Viet Nam War and films of this nature much like the graduate would be appreciated by the youth and would reaffirm their defiance and aspirations to seek alternative lifestyles, much to the dismay of the older more reserved and conservative older generation. The actors in this film would be catapulted to stardom. Imagine Jack Nicholson, Dennis Hopper and Peter Fonda in the 1960’s and this film is them, it is America and it is a picture which doesn’t glorify nor sugar coat but was made to appeal to a certain counterculture for which there became a market for these types of films. It is careless and important all at the same time because it is a huge piece in the puzzle of what was the late 1960’s transition of Hollywood.

05/13/2k11

The American lawyer and astronomer Lewis Morris Rutherford takes the first pictures of the Moon that are sensitive to violet light, and reveals for the first time many details that are hard to see with the naked eye.

Linda Hall Library of Science, Engineering & Technology

1870

Mothers Day 2k11



I recieved beautiful handmade cards made with Love

Had brunch at the amazing Renegade Canteen

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Ice Cream

Flourless Chocolate Cake & Caramel Flan... Oh My!

Logan made me a wonderful Italian dinner!

Pesto Paste w/ Sausage

Fresh Garlic Bread

Mixed Green Salad with oranges, tomatoes, dried cranberries, red onion &

a honey dijon

A tiny silver toe ring from my mom <3

THE 5th DIMENSION - Aquarius & Let The Sun Shine In - 2007

Last Weeks Menu

Cooking is like love. It should be entered into with abandon or not at all.

Harriet Van Horne

Sunday: Grilled Chicken Salad w/ fresh corn, feta & blueberries

Old Fashioned Oatmeal Cake

Ham & Brie sandwiches on french baguettes

Monday: Quessadillas

Tuesday: Meatballs w/ Peppers & Pinapple over rice

Wednesday: Leftovers

Thursday: Sour Cream Enchiladas for Cinco De Mayo

Friday: Chicken Tortilla Soup

Saturday: Shrimp De Gallo

Key Lime Pie

Beef Stew

Fresh Baked Dill Bread

All recipes last week courtesy of

The Pioneer Woman

"Its like being with Royalty or Circus people, thats why I like being with Dali. He wouldn't be caught dead in a loft. " - Andy Warhol



5 Things On Friday

1. It has been a super busy week & I am thankful for not only having a job that never feels like "work" but that I can do something I love & truly have a passion for which is prosperous.It feels good to relax and settle into the weekend.

2. I made this Magnificent Chicken Salad tonight and it turned out wonderful..however the boys were not big fans, just as well they finished up last nights Enchiladas I made for Cinco De Mayo.

3. My husband came home from a long day at work today and declared we are all going out for gelato. So in our slippers and jammies we ventured out to La Scala Creamery where I got my favorite almond joy in a waffle cone. I have yet to try their amaretto and tiramisu but it is on my bucket list. My BFF was in there last night and raved about the loose tea blends they are now carrying..hence I came home with 2 good size packages of custom blends from a wonderful woman who is a wealth of information about all things tea. I signed up for the tea tasting next month and oogled over all of the gourmet salts & honey.

4. Tomorrow I get to relax and enjoy my Mothers Day a little early with an afternoon at the Spa. I even cleaned all three bathrooms tonight so as not to mess up my nails like I did last time. Sunday we are joining my parents and sis at the luscious Renegade Canteen for brunch where I will be indulging my favorite breakfast their bananas foster waffle along with fresh fruit and breakfast potatoes.

5. Yoga & the last of my finals are on my to do list, it will feel good to be done with the Spring semester and one step closer to graduating. I am going to settle in catch up on a weeks worth of The Wall Street Journals and get some much needed rest.What are your 5 things?

Peace:)



05/05/2k11



Osho Quotes on Love

Don’t judge people.

Rather, love people.

True love means the fight has disappeared, the two have become one. Their bodies exist separately but their being has mingled. The boundaries are lost, there is no division. There is no ‘I’ and no ‘thou’, no one exists.

Whatsoever the situation, the love is unconditional; it doesn’t depend on conditions.

This is the whole essence of Buddha’s message. Peace is not to be practised: it is a by-product of awareness. Love is not to be practised: it is a by-product of awareness. Righteousness is not to be practised: it is a by-product of awareness.

Love can never possess. Love is giving freedom to the other. Love is an unconditional gift, it is not a bargain. But to your mind love is nothing but less hate, that’s all. At the most you think, ‘I can tolerate this person; I cannot tolerate that person so I cannot love him. This person I can tolerate.’ But the valuation remains negative.

In love, there is gratitude, there is a deep gratefulness. You know that the other is not a thing. You know that the other has a grandeur, a personality, a soul, an individuality. In love you give total freedom to the other. Of course, you give and you take; it is a give-and-take relationship — but with respect.

Love is a state of being; it has nothing to do with anybody else. One is not in love, one is love. And of course when one is love, one is in love — but that is an outcome, a by-product, that is not the source. The source is that one is love.

My message of love is not the message of that love which is the polar opposite of hate. My message of love is of that love which is capable of absorbing hate and transforming it.

If you love, love with awareness. If I was going to teach you I would not tell you whom to love, how to love. That is all nonsense. Love is your intrinsic quality. You are born with it, just as hate is also there. I will teach you, be aware. Before anything happens to you — love or hate, anger, passion, compassion, anything — be aware. Let everything arise out of your awareness.

To me, love is a by-product of a meditative mind. It is not related to sex; it is related to dhyana, meditation. The more silent you become, the more at ease with yourself you will be, the more fulfilled you will feel, and the more a new expression of your being will be there. You will begin to love. Not anyone in particular. It may happen with someone in particular, but that is another thing. You begin to love. This loving becomes your way of existing. It can never turn into repulsion because it is not an attraction.

Love is food: food for the soul. When a child sucks at his mother’s breast for the first time, he is sucking two things, not only milk — milk is going into his body and love is going into his soul. Love is invisible, just as soul is invisible; milk is visible just as body is visible. If you have eyes to see, you can see two things together dripping into the child’s being from the mother’s breast. Milk is just the visible part of love; love is the invisible part of milk — the warmth, the love, the compassion, the blessing.

The higher you reach, the more unburdened you need to be. So a miser cannot soar high. A miser cannot soar in love, or in prayer, or in God. He remains clinging to the earth, he almost remains rooted in the earth. Trees cannot fly. If you want to fly, you need to be uprooted. You need to be like a white cloud, with no roots anywhere — a wanderer. 

Your Car Guru

Can now be found blogging in the daytime hours at http://www.bretonspeedshop.com/

1989



05/02/2k11

"I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that" - Martin Luther King, Jr

This Morning

05/01/2k11



Whats Cookin This Weekend?

I am spending my May Day so far

indulging in Yoga

Enjoying my husband & children

Heading to the store to make a wicked

chicken salad with feta & fresh blueberries

an applesauce cake...

and shaved ham & gruyere sandwiches on french baguettes..

Heading to a concert in the park

Gettin out the short dresses..

May is here

& it's gonna be delicious