Apr 2014 MICHGIAN Kalamazoo - CARES about AIDS

CARES (Community AIDS Resource and Education Services) is an organization in Kalamazoo that assists people that are HIV+ and educates about the disease. This year 38 restaurants in the area participated. Each restaurant donates up to 25% of your bill to the organization. And, of course, you may personally contribute an additional amount.

We chose The Wine Loft for dinner this year. Mike had a wonderful salmon filet with smashed potatoes and perfectly cooked veggies. I had a beet green salad with candied walnuts and Gruyere cheese and a wild mushroom flatbread. Of course, we had wine. We were, after all, at The Wine Loft. I had a flight of reds and Mike had Pinot Noir. For desert Mike had tiramisu and I had a glass of Prosecco. All was delish.

Mike and I lived in San Francisco in the early 80's at the beginning of the AIDS epidemic there. We knew of many people that died of that horrible disease before any ideas of how to cure or at least slow its progress had been discovered. Nearly 200,000 Californians have contracted HIV/AIDS and nearly 90,000 have died since the epidemic began. We still remember those sad times.

Two very close friends of ours met that awful fate. The first was Jack Skaggs. He was one of those slight and spindly guys who had the biggest heart and biggest sense of humor ever. When I first started with the airlines, he was one of the trainers and we ended up on the Help Desk together.

One of the funniest situations I encountered with him was the time a Baggage Service agent called and referred to us a person who had lost their bag. They said under no circumstances should we open the bag because there were live snakes inside. Jack acted like it was a normal situation and really talked up the customer with a bunch of baloney about being a hobby herpetologist himself and on and on. The guy called back several times and always asked for Jack. We ended up calling the Agriculture Department, but never heard the result. We figured there were really drugs, not snakes, in the bag.

The last time I saw Jack, was at James and Suzi's wedding at the Marriott hotel in San Francisco. His body was quite wasted away at that point, but his heart was still as big as ever. He wouldn't have missed that event for anything and I think it was the reason he hung on so long. He danced one dance with his partner and some short time later faded into the hereafter. Tears in my eyes thinking about him now. His celebration of life was at the Neptune Society Columbarium in SF. It is a special place for a special person.

Suzi (one of my very best friends in SF and THE best home "chef" we know) always makes soup from scratch for her ill friends. She must have made a hundred gallons and other delights for Jack to feast on. I got some on several occasions. She made veggie, special for me. Dear Suzi, I miss you being so many miles away (and Jack, too).

The other was Peter Dorian. I was probably closer to him as we were both instructors at the airport and worked together side-by-side for several years. He was a bit more abrupt and explosive in emotion than Jack ever was, but still a good hearted soul.

The day I found out about his AIDS, I kind of knew, but it was still a shock to hear him say it. I tried to be a brave soul and act like things were normal, but I teared up just about every time I saw him after that. We attended his last good-bye. His wish was to have his ashes distributed into San Francisco Bay off a hiking trail along a cliff at the Presideo. It was a beautiful and meaningful spot as it was the spot where he had met his partner. It was so sad, but yet a relief to have his suffering end.

You don't hear much about it these days or at least not in Michigan, but the Training Department participated in the giant AIDS Memorial Quilt. We made a square for Peter. It depicted all the drama and dreams that were his life.

Another place important to the AIDS community is the AIDS Memorial Grove in Golden Gate Park. It is a beautiful area to contemplate the lives of those sadly lost before their time. 

Read more about CARES at:   www.caresswm.org/‎

Read about The Wine Loft at: www.kalamazoowineloft.com/‎

Read about the Neptune Society at: www.neptunesanfrancisco.com

Read more about the AIDS Memorial Quilt and the Names Project at:
www.aidsquilt.org

2014 MICHIGAN Grand Rapids - Foodie Trip

Recently went to Grand Rapids, Michigan (about an hour drive north from home) to handle some business with our Apple iPad. While we were at the shopping center we stopped by William-Sonoma. 

W-S has a wide variety of specialty spices, beaded honey and infused salts. Porcini mushroom infused salt is my fave so we replenished our supply. I love it on pasta, mashed potatoes, veggies, veggie burgers, popcorn and the like. See that empty spot on the shelf? Well, we got the last jar...again!

While we were at the mall, we also noticed an olive oil store that was going out of business. Peeked in there. Nothing really seemed that on-sale even though the sign said 70% off. But we did buy a sun-dried tomato infused olive oil and a jar of pesto sauce.

We've been hearing about a new downtown Grand Rapids market. It is not a grocery store, but small vendors who have come together to form a co-op style market under one roof. As we were so close we decided to check it out. The facility is brand new and includes a large open building and a covered sidewalk area where in warmer weather farmers will sell their produce. It is fabulous, even without the outdoor market area operating. 

The inside has many vendors that sell mostly food but also kitchenware or kitchen-related items. The first place we stopped was a cheese and wine shop. They have all kinds of cheeses, a cheese oriented lunch bar (great grill cheese sandwiches on the menu), and they offer cheese classes and tastings.

Recently we attended a wine event at Zazio's at the Radisson Hotel in Kalamazoo and purchased a vermouth from La Spinetta Winery (in the Piedmont area of Italy). It is called Contratto Vermouth Bianco and tastes more like a liquor than something to combine with another alcohol to make a cocktail. Silly us, we originally bought it for the label but loved it so much, we were wondering where to buy it in the future. THIS is the place. They have a lot of unusual and new-to-us liquor choices.

Next on the "tour" was a coffee vendor, a produce stand with fresh and organic items, a fish monger with an excellent variety of fresh fish, and a meat market with fresh and frozen options. Here there were some of unusual choices like bison, frog legs, and venison that you don't usually see at the big grocery stores.

At the end of the aisle was a bread baker. They also have a traditional style pizza oven. Not a lot of sweets here, but really great looking breads. Sweets came later in our tour. On the other side of the aisle was a fresh pasta market with spaghetti sauces and other pasta related items. See the fresh pasta drying here.

Next stop was the spice store. We bought another Porcini mushroom infused salt, so we could do a taste test later. Turns out we liked the W-S version better, but both were good. We also bought some chives and Vietnamese cinnamon. They had a nice variety of teas and tea utensils here, too.

Around the corner was a Thai take-out food stand (will go there next time), a florist, and an oil vendor. Mike bought some Mandarin orange infused oil, which he uses in Brownies. At the end of that aisle was a prepared meal store. They had all kinds of pick-up-and-go meals to take home to heat-and-eat. Lots of comfort food type stuff.

Next to that was a Grocer's Daughter chocolate shop. If you recall, we talked about the original location for this store up in Leelanau, Michigan, at the top of the lower peninsula. We discovered this place years ago and always go out of our way to stop there to pick up truffles and dark chocolate bark seasoned with sea salt. We were happy to see a branch here, so close to home. Of course, we bought a bit of chocolate for later.

By that time we were pretty hungry after looking at all the great food options. We decided to have lunch at the next stop, which was a Mexican take-out stand. We both got burritos and rate them one of the best we have had in Michigan. The facility has an area set up with tables and chairs and lots of windows. We enjoyed our hearty lunch there in this warm spot looking out at the freezing cold piles of snow.

We continued down the last few vendors, past a popcorn place with many flavors to choose from. But we opted for the sweet shop next door. Lots of homemade style cookies and pies and other bakery delights. Loved their giant pink mix master. Can't tell by the photo, but it was almost a yard high. And the gals dress in pink aprons. Very cute. We bought Snickerdoodle cookies for our dessert (sugar cookies mostly, but with cinnamon).

On the second level were cooking classrooms, including a miniature sized one for kids. Also, a greenhouse area. It is not fully underway yet, but will be a community garden come spring. In the photo in the background you can see downtown Grand Rapids. So refreshing to have this type of endeavor in the heart of the city.

We really enjoyed our afternoon. Highly recommend it. And we'll be back when the weather gets warmer and the outdoor vendors are in full operation.

2014 OHIO East Liberty 3 - Orchids and Pearl for K's BD

Woke up to birthday mimosas and coffee and leftover quiche. Still good the second time around. Then headed  southeast for a birthday day in the city of Columbus, Ohio.

Luckily we had another day of good traveling weather. First stop was the Franklin Park Conservatory. To get there the route took us through downtown and we admired the old and new buildings along the way.

From the outside the conservatory does not impress, but inside was warm and wonderful. Today an orchid exhibition was the highlight. So many color combinations and shapes and sizes of orchids. Colors from pale yellow to brilliant pinks and purples. Sizes from thumbnail to clenched fist. Single plants overflowing with hundreds of blossoms. This display was a feast for our winter eyes.

We wandered through the Himalayan Mountain display with its cool atmosphere. Then worked our way to the Palm House which was almost sweaty tropical. There was a Pacific Island Water Garden, warm and lush and included a lovely Chihuly red/orange/yellow glass sculpture. There was a sculpture garden and desert room with many species of cactus.

A Bruce Munro glass and light show was also showcased, but most effective in the evening with lights aglow. Another trip. In the daylight hour, I especially liked the clear glass "flowers" amongst the snow in an outdoor display.

Another display was that of a miniature hamlet with railroad. We recently viewed a TV special on the mastermind, Paul Busse, of these museum quality villages and we were excited to see one in person. We were not let down. All the buildings and landscape are made from natural materials--each so unique. That, intertwined with fern and flowers and greenery, was lovely. One could observe and see something new for hours. Hard to take in every detail and hard to walk away from this one. To read more about this artist, go to:  www.gardendesign.com/ideas/art-botany-Paul-Busse .

We finished browsing and headed to our next stop. We planned a late birthday lunch at the "The Pearl." This was recently rated the best new restaurant in Columbus. And, again, we were not disappointed. We arrived early, so decided to start at the bar.

This is no ordinary bar. Our mixologist was Carly. She said she did not think of herself as a bartender, but more as a alcohol chef. We agree.

First, they serve many classic drinks--Box Car, Grasshopper, Manhattan, several Southern punches, etc. They also make their own specialty mixes in house in an infusion locker, such as their Bloody Mary tomato juice. That's what Mike and Jim ordered. Along with this drink (served in a  mason jar) came a short bottle beer. "Delish," they said.

I ordered a classic ramos fizz. We used to drink these at Sunday brunch at the Moss Beach Distillery near our home in Half Moon Bay, California. Fond memories there. We would sit outside on deck chairs overlooking the blue Pacific. It was often quite breezy and they supplied blankets if you were too cold.

This drink today was made to perfection (raw egg white and all). Carly saw that I really enjoyed it and volunteered to make a new drink she was experimenting with that also included egg white. It was wonderful (and gratis). Citrus inspired and a refreshing treat on a cold winter day. Then came a gratis appetizer of Jalapeno corn spoon bread served in a small cast iron fry pan. It was warm and fluffy light and not too spicy from my "delicate" palate. 

The bar set-up itself is so interesting. Bitters and flavor additives are stored in small medicine type bottles and delivered to drinks with eyedroppers. The place looks more like an chemistry lab than a typical bar. So fun and fascinating to see the various alcoholic concoctions constructed and developed.

Four o'clock rolled around and we were escorted to late lunch. I have been on a weight loss regimen, but not today. It was a tough decision on what to order. Mike and I first thought we would share a Shellfish Tower which included a tall mound of oysters, clams, and shrimp, but came to our senses!!! He ended up with a dozen raw oysters on the half shell and I got a pound of peel-and-eat gulf shrimp (shades of Key West and Charleston).
I also had a spinach salad to be on the healthy side. I think J & K got catch of the day.

My shrimp were the largest I have ever had. Absolutely stupendous in size and taste. The only thing that might have made it better would have been some cheesy grits. It was hard to finish my plate, but the others helped out a bit. Mike was in heaven also with three types of fresh oyster. He slurped those babies down in a frenzy.

For birthday desert we had their fresh pies made daily--cherry and house special brown sugar pie. I don't have such a sweet tooth (salty is usually more my style), but I could have eaten a whole brown sugar pie all by myself. SOOOOOO good! This was a fabulous gastropub and we definitely recommend it. To read more, go to: www.thepearlcolumbus.com .

We finally could not fit in another bite, so we waddled to our car and back to East Liberty. The rest of the evening was pleasantly spent remembering the "old days" backed up with a few more celebration cocktails.

2/17/2014 - To home. Nothing special. Dry roads til about the Ohio-Michigan border. Then the rain-sleet-snow started. Roads slick, so we took our time from there. No ice slip-and-slide til we were a block from home on a side street. Back to reality and back to our sweetie cat Bella.

2014 OHIO East Liberty 2 - Gone Froggin'

As you read in December, Kathy invited us down to Ohio to join her in purchasing some exotic frogs. On that trip she got four Dendrobates leucomelas or "lucs" for short. At the time they were no bigger than a thumb nail and now are about the size of a quarter. They are black and yellow and have a pleasant chirp as they mature. K says they are starting to chirp now, but very quietly.

Well, K is an "enthusiast" and whatever her current interest is, she dives in with an ardent passion. After breaking into the frog world with the above, she soon found that she had to have some more--this time a species of blue ones called Dendrobates azureus. So today we journeyed to Springfield, Ohio to see a different breeder.

He did not have the huge operation that we saw last time, maybe seven terrariums, but he had some colorful frogs that we had not seen to date. K had her heart set on the blue-ies and bought four.

We spent an hour talking frog diseases, terrarium styles, sources of frogs, pet shop horrors, reptile shows, Hank Molt, species of frog, and stages of frog development from polliwog to full-fledged frog. To demonstrate this last topic, the frog breeder had a plastic tub with many smaller sized containers. Each had live specimens at different stages in the maturity process. Very interesting.

Then the question of diet came up. They talked flightless fruit flies which had been K's frog's main diet up til now. The breeder suggested orange isopods, which look like orange sherbet colored roly-poly bugs with lots of legs. He says the frogs eat isopod eggs and isopods eat the frog poop for a "nice" symbiotic relationship. This may be too much info for some (including me), but fascinating food chain facts. K bought a container of isopods!!!

From there we went to the Micro Center. A huge all tech related store. As we walked in the door they had a display of 3-D printers for as low as $400. We want one, but not ready yet. What we were in the market for today was a webcam set up so we can watch K's frogs from our home in Michigan. We purchased that and a few other goodies. Really fun shopping here!!

Next was lunch at the place we enjoyed so much on our last trip--Cafe Paradisio in Urbana. The panini sandwiches were not quite as good as our last meal, a little dry. Definitely will go back, but order pasta next time.

Then hurried home to set up the new terrarium and webcam. Didn't want the froggies out in the cold for too long.


Traveling back we saw three covered bridges (even though we were in Logan, not Madison, County). We crossed one which is very cool. K&J say they have a bridge party every year where they close off the bridge to traffic and have a white tablecloth picnic. Might try to fit that in this summer.

Back home we introduced the new blue frogs to their environment. They seemed a little less shy about coming out for us to see them. The webcam process was a bit slow on the learning curve. (It took a few days, but we are able to some them from Michigan now...in color. Yay!)

K made wonderful shrimp and smoked Gouda cheese quiche for dinner and toast from her homemade bread. We washed them down with mimosas. For dessert we attacked the treat basket. It is going down fast.

2014 OHIO East Liberty 1 - Sweet Valentine's Day

Headed to East Liberty, Ohio again for a fun weekend. Left at 9:42am. Started off snowy, but quickly turned to sunshine. 25 degrees. Roads wet, but not icy. A good day to travel.

The 236 mile drive down was uneventful, but lovely. A new coat of snow to make everything clean and sparkly. Hard to take photos from the car though because the windows were all spotty with mud and moisture. 

Mike updated the Garmin just before we left and it took us on a different route than usual. We followed the same route down I-94 east, I-69 south and east on Ohio-30 past the wind turbine farm all the way to the Lima exit. But instead of getting off there, we continued on toward I-75.

That was a nice bypass, as Lima is our least favorite part of the drive. Nothing against Lima, but traffic there is usually snarled. We saw some new territory, which is always a plus for us.

The only wildlife we saw was a lonely furry female deer eating out in a field. Obviously warm with a winter coat and safe because it is past hunting season.

Got to J&K's about 2pm. Went directly to the sun room for cocktails to mellow out our drive "stress." As we missed our regular quick Taco Bell lunch stop on the re-route, Kathy offered cheese sandwiches on homemade bread just out of the oven, to tide us over until dinner.

We played a good round of catch with their border collie, Jip, and gave a small little pet to their loving but  "anti-social" cat, Widget.

We so enjoy watching the birds at the feeders outside the sun room. Jim feeds them year round. There are cardinals, woodpeckers, juncos, doves, blue jays, and more I don't know the names of. With my Nikon P500 I can really get some close-up shots.

We went to Marysville (about 20 miles away) for dinner at the Crazy Burrito. On the drive we saw some wild turkeys and a coyote running along a ridge near the freeway. That was a real treat as we have not seen one in the wild  since a trip to Furnace Creek, California many years ago. 

Not especially fancy for Valentine's Day, but Mexican is something Mike and I have been craving for awhile. It was an excellent meal starting with beers, raspberry margaritas, chips and guacamole. My entree was enchiladas made with fresh spinach instead of meat. Mike had his usual combo, including a chili rellenos, which he said was GREAT. He had a flan dessert that we all nibbled on.

As we headed to the car it was snowing again and the restaurant had turned on their electric palm trees on the outside veranda. We got a few laughs out of that odd vista.


When we returned to the house, Jim pulled out a HUGE basket of sweet treats (Peppermint Patties, Reeses cups, M&Ms, chocolate covered peanut butter wafers, and more and more) and salty treats (Pringles, Cheetos, Doritos, and more and more) that neighbors had given him for plowing their driveway over this harsh winter. There were so many treats that it was impossible to count. And the calories, oh my!!

We said we were all too stuffed from dinner to break into it. But it wasn't too long before we dove in for "just one piece." I just had to have a Reeses peanut butter cup. Well, that was a joke and a big mistake because we couldn't stop eating.

We actually had to go to bed to keep from eating more. No will power today, after all it was Valentine's Day. Sweets for our sweeties.

Superbowl 2014 - Superb Owl

We had planned to have friends over today for a Super Bowl XLVIII (48) Party, but weather here has been so bad, we haven't been out to procure supplies for entertaining (booze and food) and did not wish folks to travel at risk on the roads. So instead, we are all holed up in our own little cubby holes watching the game on our own big screens.

Our two fave teams are the Lions and the 49ers. We grew up in the Detroit area and even though it is usually quite hopeless that they will be in the Super Bowl, we still root for them. And we lived 20 years in the Bay Area when Jerry Rice and Joe Montana ruled the field. SF won four SB's while we lived out there. The parties for just any ol' game were always fun, but for SB there were no holds barred. SUPER-DOOPER PARTAAAS. Really miss 'em and our out-west buddies, too.

We were not excited one way or another about who wins today's game. But if we had to pick, it would be Seattle over Denver. This is because we DO have friends from Seattle and their quarterback hasn't had the thrill of winning an Super Bowl yet, while Manning has had his turn. So might as well spread the agony of defeat over Denver.

We've done a lot of things through our travels and experiences, but have never been to a Super Bowl. The closest we came was in Detroit in 1982. That was SB XVI (16) and the game was played at the Pontiac (suburb of Detroit) Silverdome. The night before the game, in hopes of seeing Joe Montana, we drove over to the Hyatt Regency, where the players were housed. Mike took my photo by the XVI ice sculpture in front and it was a kick just to be that close. In that game SF won over Cincinnati 26-21.

We look forward to the SB commercials, but this year they were a snooze during the first half. But we got a kick out of a few in the second half. Audi had a weird but cute one using small dogs with big heads (like a chihuahua with a Great Dane head) doing crazy things. Guess you had to be there. We also liked Bob Dylan narrating for Chrysler as he walked about Detroit showing some epic places like Baker's Keyboard Lounge. Most of the commercials were more heartfelt this year, rather than funny or clever. Lots of car commercials--mostly US, but also Audi, Massarati and Jaguar. 

The best commercials came near the end--a little cowgirl galloping atop her big dog to beat her brother to the Doritos and then a bunch of over-muscled he-men and she-woman trying to get into a spray tan salon (which turned out to be a Go Daddy commercial). Not quite sure what the connection was there, but hysterical.

Two Budweiser Clydesdale commercials this year. One gave a salute and tribute to our military troops. Heartwarming. The other showed a friendship between a golden retriever puppy and a huge Clydesdale horse. Very cute. Although we enjoy Bell's Beer way more than Bud, we look forward to these majestic hours commercials every year.

The game was pretty much a snooze also. Score 43-8 Seattle winning. Turnovers ruled today. Although Denver got a pounding, at least it wasn't a shut-out. And the team we were rooting for won. It's not nearly as much fun though as when it is a close score and back-and-forth leads or a team you are really passionate about is competing. One interesting fact was that the first first-down of the game did not occur until well into the second quarter. This is the latest ever for a first down in any SB.

Although the game was played in East Rutherford, New Jersey (home of the NY Jets AND the NY Giants), the best part of the game show today for us was the fabulous shots of nearby New York City at night. What a town!! 

If you are keeping up with the weight loss challenge I have going, tomorrow will probably be a disappointment for both of us. I ate 900 calories in frozen pizza during the game. NOT GOOD!! Dang myself!

Jan 2014 MICHIGAN Kalamazoo - Killamazoo (not Kalamazoo)

Remember way back when, when Mike and I happened across the Killamazoo Roller Derby team in the Kalkaska, Michigan Big Boys Diner? (read up at: www.trippingwithmikeanddeb.blogspot.com/2013/11/10122013-fast-forward.html ).

We met player Wicked Wings and promised to attend the all-gal Killa's next match in Kalamazoo. Last night was the night. The team was playing the first season match at the Fairgrounds Expo Center.

At the birthday party last weekend, we suggested the whole family go with us. So almost everyone went (except my younger younger brother's clan who probably had a sports event of their own going on). Even my 85-year old mom joined in.

Right from the start we knew it would be fun. As we entered the arena, they rubber-stamped our hands with a skull-n-crossbones to show that you had paid. The first game started promptly at 5:30pm. That was a Class B match between the Killamazoo Killa Crew and the South Bend Bonnie Dooms. A game is two 1/2-hour bouts with a 15 minute rest period. Lots of rules and regs and action, so hard to follow all the details for first timers like us.

Mom did comment though that in her 20's in Chicago, she and my dad would often go to basketball and roller derby games. I was amazed as my parents divorced when I was about two and he chose not to keep in contact. I don't know much about him other than that he passed in 2000. It was a cool surprise to learn such an fun fact about his existence.

But having a personal connection in "knowing" Wicked Wings (#178) made the game more interesting for us all. She (on right) is a jammer or point scorer on the team, although there are others jammers that take turns throughout the game. But we had someone special to root for whenever she scored a point. 

All the gals and the refs had funny names which cracked us up as various plays were recapped over the loud speaker system. Some of the team member rink names, besides Wicked Wings, were Bicked Witch, Stinker Belle, Buns and Roses, Brit Happens, Levita Beaver, Marj Attacks, Crashive Aggressive, Mushtache Ryder, Merica, Afro Disac, Slamador Dali, and Ginger Snapped. There's just not enough room to list all the imaginative (and some a little naughty) names.

Seven refs or officials work each match. Some of them were Black & Blue Boo Boo, Floorburn (my favorite), Wesley Stripes and Ariel Attack. As you can see, all the names are very creative and you have to be "in the know" to understand the humor in some of them. The announcer names were Reverend Killjoy and Ash Hole. The play recaps were hysterical with these all crazy names in the mix.

We tried to think of names for ourselves, but it got a little raunchy, so I won't list these. OK, I'll say one--Boob-Boob Bear. Hope you get the double entendre.

The final score was 269 (Kalamazoo) vs 163 (South Bend), so Wicked Wings had her work cut out for her and she came through with flying (no pun intended) colors. It was a big win for WW and the team. The only disappointment was the WW wore a full back t-shirt, so we could not see the lovely wings tattooed upon her shoulders and back.

During intermission, the Killer Beez Team displayed their skills. These are boys and girls, aged 6-17, who did precision (of sorts) roller skating. They all had their rink names on their jerseys, wearing mouth guards and elbow and knee pads, just like the big girl team. Each added their own touch to their uniform, such as Blu Berry Jam wore a tutu and another little girl had drawn a mustache under her nose. They are were  all adorable.

Also, during intermission there was a special surprise. WW came rolling across the rink with a white bride's veil attached atop her black helmet. She stopped in front of her boyfriend, knelt on one knee, and proposed to him. He said "Yes!." The crowd burst into loud applause, hoots and hollers. Congrats, WW!

The second game started a little after 7pm. These were the Class A teams-- Kalamazoo Derby Darlins and the South Bend Studebreakers. We left during half time, but the Darlins were way ahead. Will have to look for the final score on their website at: www.killamazooderbydarlins.com .

Our family had a blast. We laughed and booed and snickered and high-fived. All the ladies got Killamazoo t-shirts. It was a real hoot. I'm not sure we will do it again, but just one more thing to check off on our bucket list--see a roller derby game. Yahoo!

To read about the history, rules, and other info regarding roller derby, go here in Wiki:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roller_derby

1/4/2014 - BD Girl

The holidays are never really over for us until January 5th. The Christmas decorations usually stay up til then and there is one last holiday blow out. That's because January 4th is Deb's birthday. Last year at this time we were in Key West, Florida. This year we are home in Kalamazoo with the Arctic Vortex swirling around us.

It was a wonderful day though because my mom, sister, two brothers, their spouses, a nephew (and his friend) were all here to celebrate. I got flowers from my sister, a birthday balloon from my bro, and a few other odds and ends. But the best present was having all my family together.

We were definitely in party mood and tipped a few, including two new liqueurs. One called Ty-Ku, a Japanese citrus liqueur. It actually tasted a little medicine-y, but was fun because when you tipped the bottle to pour, a light triggered that made the liquid glow neon green. Mike's bro-in-law turned us on to this one. The other my sister discovered and is called Rum Chata. It is a white creamy liquid and tasted of cinnamon or Snickerdoodle cookie-ish.

For the birthday toast, we opened a bottle of wine that Mike and I had been saving for a special occasion--a Brys Estate Cabernet Franc, 2007, Old Mission Peninsula near Traverse City. We purchased it on one of our many wine tours up north, this one with our friends Tim and Nancy. It was the last bottle the winery had for sale in their tasting room and the vintner signed the bottle for us. It was wonderful and worth the wait.

Mike cooked my favorite Shrimp and Artichoke soup. We learned this recipe at a cooking school in New Orleans years ago. We don't have this often because it is full of butter and heavy cream. We also had ham and turkey sandwiches, Waldorf (apple) salad, and plenty of munchies and sweets.

Shrimp and Artichoke Soup

(Chef Kevin Belton from New Orleans Cooking School)

24 oz. canned (in water) artichoke hearts, quartered

1 qt. chicken or veggie stock (some can be substituted by using

 liquid drained from artichokes)

1 cup chopped green onions (including green part)

1 t. thyme leaves

¼ cup melted butter

¼ cup plus 1 T. flour

1 qt. heavy cream

½-1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 T. chopped parsley (for garnish)

If desired, a splash of dry sherry per serving

Season with salt and white pepper to taste

  

Combine artichokes, stock, green onions, and thyme in large soup pan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 12 minutes.

        

Meanwhile, melt butter in a small fry pan. Gradually stir in flour, making a smooth light roux. Add to simmering stock pot above.

Stir in heavy cream and simmer for 10 minutes. (Keep a 1-1 ratio with broth to cream.)

Add shrimp and simmer for 5 minutes.

When serving, garnish with green onions, parsley, and/or dry sherry.

Serves 6-8.


We started about 2pm and carried on til about 11pm. We laughed and cried and brought back old memories. An excellent family get together. Thank you, family, for the best day ever.

This is what I felt like the next day. A little blurry.

365 Project

My friend Sam, a professional photojournalist, turned me on to this project in 2011. The premise is that you take at least one photo every single day of the year and post it on-line.

People all over the world are doing this, too. It is fun to see other people's photos and to show off mine a bit. Of course, you cannot take a GREAT photo every day, but it is fun trying.

I completed this challenge in 2011 and 2012, but took a break in 2013. I am hankering to "test" myself again for the third time in 2014. It is not an easy task, but I am going for it again. Here is why I love the project:

1 - I have a daily goal.

2 - That goal may get me out of the house, even on a bad weather day. Right now there are at least 8 inches of snow on the ground (drifts much higher) and the temp is 14 degrees Fahrenheit, but I'm headed out shortly to get a nice snow photo.

3 - I get to meet people I would not have met by asking if I may take their photo. I've gotten into some wonderful conversations and made a few friends along the way.

4 - My photography skills have improved.

5 - I get feedback from strangers around the world who comment on my photo of the day. It is almost always positive, but sometimes a helpful hint to improve future shots is thrown in.

6 - When I get a comment, it is a real thrill, a personal connection to someone without ever meeting them in person. Also, I know a few of my friends check my work every day. I don't expect them to comment on each and every photo, but when they do it's a delight. A comment means I have touched some one in some way.

6 - I am exposed to the photo ideas of others. If I see something that touches me, I comment.

7 - It encourages and challenges my creative genes.

8 - It makes me feel good.

9 - It gives me a sense of accomplishment.

10 - The biggest and best reason to do it, is that I began to see the world in a whole different light. Now I look for details. When I walk down the street I am not thinking about my schedule or chores or bills or whatever else nags me. I am thinking, "Oh, that would make a cool photo" or "I never noticed that before." My world has become smaller, more personal, more real.

I carry my little point-and-shoot camera with me all the time now. I don't want to miss an opportunity. I have a "fancy" camera that I carry for events or family gatherings where I want to try for a special or complex shot.

This project has changed my life in such a positive and dramatic way. It has calmed my soul and opened up a whole new world of awareness. I love it.

If you are interested in this project for yourself, it is a great time of year to kick it off (although you can start at any time of the year). Keep in mind it can be started by anyone with any level of photography skill. Sign up at:

365project.org

You don't get unwanted advertisements or spam. I have not found one negative or spam-y thing relating to the site, so I can recommend it with confidence.

I've included some of my favorite photos, but you can see all my photos at:

365project.org/annrico1