Field Trippin': Sweet Caroline... so good, so good, SO GOOD!

A couple weeks ago my little Buddha crew & I hit the beach. It was 2 days after I catered the Pom Wonderful event & after the impromptu leftovers party I had after the event I still had some food stuffing the fridge. For a couple of weekends my boy Zak would cruise by the house & scoop Vinda & I & we'd set off for a new adventure at a different beach... the perks of living in the land of LA LA.

Mito & Curtis joined in so I decided to make a picnic out of it. I had some crispy pomegranate duck left over from the pom king duck , some Vietnamese noodles in the cupboards & takeout boxes. SCORE!


I made a Japanese Cucumber salad to cool off the heat from the noodles


Driving through the Valley to get to Zuma the sun was kissing the hills, the music had us swaying, we were talking about spirituality & how the mystic law is changing our lives & the breeze from my windows down had my hair blowing... I've been rocking my REAL hair lately Boo Boo & it has been looking & feeling FIERCE! We were so stoked. We get to the beach ERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR...... hold up, are we in London?!?!?

We couldn't see the water, hell we couldn't see our hands as we stretched out our arms... the fog was so dense, maybe it wasn't fog I don't know what it was I'm not a beach person but apparently out here you're supposed to check a "surf report" before you head out. Where I'm from you open the shades & if the sun smacks you in your face it's a great God blessed day to hit la playa... to you gringos or non Miami folks that's the beach. And it was as cold as a witches boob out there... not cute at all! After paying 7 bucks to park & the 45 minute drive out there we decided to brave the frozen tundra & accept our fate & we copped a squat. Happy I added all those chilies to our noodles it was a good time to lay out the food & eat it to get warm.

Mito's way of making the "best" of it... HA!

Since you can't drink at the beach, trust me Vinda & I learned this the weekend before when the ATV beach police came to smell our thermos & Zak was convinced they were going to take us in the back of their ATV's & arrest us... HA! I LOADED up a bag full of all the fruits that were leftover at the bottom of the jar from my pomegranate sangrias... PARTY, PARTY Baby! I was loaded!
Everyone loved it... except for Zak, he didn't eat he was so bummed about the weather, jokingly Vinda started chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo for the sun to come back, it was after 2.... the chances of that happening was as good as Rush Limbaugh owning a Football team (what is WRONG with that guy?!?!?) Never one to question the mystic law, we all chimed in to the chant, laughing. The noodles got to me & as usual after I eat the "itis" struck & I put my head down, wrapped all the towels around me & slept with the fishes...

AND I woke up to THIS!!!!!
It's well after 3 o'clock & the sun is kick-ING!!! It was beautiful... oh I also woke up to this, poor Mito I stole his towel & he made this to keep warm... pobrecito.
We took lots of pictures & laughed, I cranked up the music & our oceanside party began. Zak went from near depression to SHOCK! He kept saying "but it's after 3, it's after 3, why is the sun out like this?!?!?" Vinda the Boriqua Buddha from da Bronx just kept answering in her thick don't mess with me I'm from da boogie down accent, "Nam Myoho Renge Kyo"... it was awesome. I started playing some extremely inappropriate Miami booty bass & although I wanted to dance SO badly I just sat down with Curtis chair dancing... terrible.

A classical aria by the 2 Live Crew "Doo Doo Brown" came on... the not so radio friendly version played... Mito & Vinda were going off & I just watched in awe of how uninhibited they were. They were jokingly smacking each others cans & dropping it like it's hot! Next thing you know this precocious little girl wearing a life vest came over & she just danced circles around us.

Around & around she went, I was fixated on this & then realized the lyrics are talking about not popping bottles but popping a woman's... ahem & the guy keeps grunting "Doo Doo Brown!!!" quickly I change the music but wanting to keep the Miami theme I switch to some Freestyle.

I play TKA, Lissette Menedez, Stevie B, George Lamond, music that's way past it's expiration date but the novelty of it & the same beat coursing through every single song no matter who sang it still held on to it's brilliance.

This bundle of superb energy, Miss Caroline, did not stop. Round & round she goes, hypnotizing us with her infectious positivity. I turn to Curtis & say "what happened to us, we used to do that, we used to be so carefree?" Curtis without hesitation answered "life" this bummed me out a bit but still I was under this little fairy's spell.

Round & round she went sprinkling her fairy dust I looked at my ipod to find more music & next thing you know... there it was. The song that makes me SO damn happy if an Earthquake struck & I were left with nothing... absolutely nothing, I swear if ANYONE played this song, I would just start dancing & clapping like a feral seal jumping up & down with sheer joy, what could this piece of musical genius be you ask?!?!

It's that song you know, that you're embarrassed about it's like that date you take to the dark & dingy corner of that dive bar no one would expect for you to be caught dead at but hell it's a free drink... ok fine DRINKS & he's paying & he's not a bad kisser... yes it's THAT kind of song! Is the suspense killing you? Ladies & Germs click play:


Oh it was a WRAP! Vinda the Diva, Curtis the fab Gay, Caroline my Tinkerbell & my bitter, bitter ass LOST IT!!! We danced round & round & Caroline lead the way! Her mother & friend were looking over & laughing... they knew EXACTLY what she was doing "spreading her magic". Her Mother Chrissi & Chrissi's friend Briana were photographers & an impromptu photo shoot began... WERK!


We just kept dancing & dancing, round & round we went all of a sudden we were the little kids I spoke of earlier that were untouched by "life" well unscathed by it is a more appropriate term to describe it. They kept shooting away at our exuberence as the sun shared it's last kisses. I then switched to a White Party remix of one of my FAVORITE songs of all time, doesn't matter WHO sings it, it just makes me happy, riddles me with goosebumps & makes my soul happy, "Let The Sunshine In".


It was super poetic as the sun we were worshipping went down, round & round we went thanking both it & Caroline for their mystic blessings, round & round we went the music is begging us "you got to feeeeeeel it... you GOT to, Let the sunshine.... when you are lonely, when you are lonely... you GOT to feeeel it". Round & round we went... "FEELING it" Vinda, Curtis, Myself & wait...


where's my little stinkerbell Caroline?!?!? She was off to sprinkle her pixie dust on someone else. She was back sitting with her little brother kicking her feet in the water splashing in delight knowing full well what she had done. I will NEVER forget her & I thank her for setting me free! We continued to dance to let the sunshine in as the sun shone out. I jumped for joy as I no longer felt constrained by my needing to feel "grown up" thank you Caroline for reminding me of quality of life I have long forgotten.... what a feeling!
Photos courtesy of Caroline's Mommy Chrissi Richards: http://www.chrissirichards.com/

Who's Your Mama?: To Serve With Love

Being an Island girl from Miami it is an impossibility to not have the utmost respect & admiration for one of the greatest talents of all time, the incomparable Mr. Sidney Poitier. I owe everything to this Man. He is the reason I fell in love with film & acting in the first place.

When I first started my catering company it was originally called To Serve With Love, a play on one of my favorite films & after his most memorable performance from "To Sir With Love". Every now & then I get a little bummed this is no longer the name of my company how else can I show my appreciation for what this Man has done & the road he paved for me? Imagine my amazement when I walked into Tuesday Morning on 10/01/09 & found this gorgeous, gorgeous cocoa GOD for $44.99.... please join me in welcoming the newest addition to my family my Espresso Le Creuset covered baker Mr. Sidney Poitier. Now I get to continue to SERVE with LOVE!

This is going to look so lovely next to my Pink LC's

AAAAAAAANNNNNNNNN-D! my pink & chocolate brown polka dot teapot & coffee cups.... I smell a Brunch coming!

Stay tuned because any day now I will introduce you to a VERY rare sexpot I have named Dame Elizabeth Taylor.... *swoooooooooooon*

I PROMISE as soon as I get my elusive 1958 Raymond Loewy 5 qt Coquelle in pink I'm naming Princess Grace... I'm DONE *she crosses fingers behind her back*

♥

Let Me Cater To You: A Pom WONDERFUL Affair!

On Thursday I catered an event for Pom Wonderful at Roll International Corporation. I wanted to infuse Pom Wonderful into my dishes. I'm not one to back away from a challenge I decided to put it in EVERYTHING! SO fun!

The theme of the party was 1920's Speakeasy, luckily I got to keep with my Black, Red & White catering theme & I found great decorations & favors in those colors. Here's what I came up with:

Two night's before the event I decided to try Alton Brown's Pomegranate Molasses recipe. I made two batches. One was a molasses & the other I didn't reduce as much so it would be more of a syrup.

We had some lamb chops & neck in the freezer so I wanted to test it out. I made some kale & herbed pommes frites, blanched & double cooked... sweet cheezus was that AMAZING! ♥
We couldn't stop munching on these. I used a Mediterranean blend & some herbes de Provence for this.


Ingredients for the pork & pom empanadas. Instead of using water or stock to cook the ground pork, I used pomegranate juice & in lieu of raisins I used this really cool Pom & Cranberry blend from Trader Joe's. It has currants & cherries & just so much numminess! ♥
Had some Pom vinegar on hand & used it for the lamb lollipops
Soba Noodles with Pom & Peanut sauce


Pear & Walnut salad with bleu cheese & Pomegranate Vinaigrette in a crispy baked wonton cup


Grilled Lamb Lollipops marinated in Pom Molasses & Pom Seeds


Seared Ahi Tuna with Wasabi Caviar on a Cucumber with Pom Syrup
Pom BBQ Chicken Wings

Pomtini with Ginger & Vanilla Simple Syrup
Pom Hummus
Mini Beef Wellies. I used Pama Pomegranate Liqueur for the duxelles.


The Mimster
Our take on Peking duck.. Pom-king Duck on steamed Asian Buns
Pom-Rose Sangria
Pomegranate Cupcakes



EVERYONE had a blast, one of the party goers had more fun in the kitchen with my staff putting all the fun stuff together than having to shmooze with her colleagues.

I was in charge of the music too & had a great mix of classic 20's legends such as Cab Calloway, Bessie Smith, Louie Armstrong, King Oliver, Bix Biederbecke, Red Onion Jazz Band Annette Hanshaw, Billie Holiday & of course there was The Charleston... this party was swing-ING!

I can't get over how much fun I have doing these parties. It was an extremely stressful 48 hours everything that could go wrong DID... I don't want to think about the money lost in broken plates & glassware but when it was time for the show... boy did we put on a helluva show. I am SO proud of everyone on my team, proud of this event & can't WAIT to do more ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Brain Food/Ab Work: Truly Outrageous

Man... I MISS this show, so glad this was on when I was growing up. This had a HUGE influence on me... Girls ROCK!!!

Sound BITES: A View From the Top by guest contributer Perri Kraus

Here's a wonderful contribution, a sound bite if you will, from one of my FAVORITE writer's Perri Kraus aka "Cupcake". She'll'' cruise by ever so often to contribute a "bite". I am HONORED to have this be her very first contribution to Single Serving Blogs, I look forward to more of her literary delicacies & I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.


A day never used to pass when I wasn’t upside down, sideways, hanging by the seat of my panties, lying on my back, up, down, front split vertical, center split sideways, arched back, bent in half, 360 spinning, and ladies and gentlemen, it was all in 6 inch heels.

Then I hurt myself, and I had to stop pole dancing (you all have dirty minds! What did you think I was talking about?)

I’ve missed being a part of that community so much, that when my favorite Mistress of Meals, Miss Manouschka, gave me the go ahead to contribute to her superb blog, Single Serving, I knew what I had to write about.

When I came to BeSpun I was exercising myself of my most recent relationship. I was in deep, and then he dropped me, so I was going to make every pore cry, until he was gone, and I would never have to think about him again. When I heard about pole dancing classes, I couldn’t resist the poetic justice of getting over this man, and simultaneously learning to attract more. The owner, a 26 year old, out going, big sister type, was more than happy to share her moves and her confidence, and to impart crucial lessons like how to shoot Jack and stay upright in your heels, and why vegetables play a crucial part in this process. (Shout out to balanced meals Noush.)

It didn’t take me long to start coming every day. At first it was simply to distract myself from a broken heart, but it became a challenge. I wanted to master the better, bigger, harder moves. I wanted to make them look effortless. I wanted to put my own style into moving in and out of them. It became my form of expression, that release of frustration that comes from crying or punching a wall, but it was beautiful.

I started teaching about nine months into my own training. I’ve seen girls come to class for any number of reasons, but they all stay for the challenge. This shared challenge has created the most dedicated, badass community I have ever had the pleasure of being a part of. How is this relevant to Single Serving you wonder? Well this is how I met the Sorceress of Sweets, the Virgil of Vegetables: my Manouschka. She came to class with an indomitable attitude, and a smile and a laugh for everyone! She brings the beautiful out of the ordinary. She is the shining paradigm of a pole-dancing student.

So ladies and gentlemen, next time you bend over backwards, somersault, cartwheel, or walk with extra swagger, enjoy it, because you can do it. Don’t sweat the whys or the hows? Love challenges because they let you live more intensely right now.

STOKED: Single Serving Blogs gets it's very FIRST exclusive! Aish & the Hubs are on Oprah!!!

YAY!!!! My girl Aishwarya & her hubby are going to be on Oprah on Monday & I get to be one of the first to announce it & show this exclusive pic from The Oprah Winfrey Show... YAY sooo STOKED for her!

♥

Tune in to "The Oprah Winfrey Show" on Monday, September 28, 2009, as Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai sit with Oprah for their first interview together. They will be part of an episode featuring some of the most famous people in the world. (Check local U.S. television listings for airtimes.)

http://www.oprah.com/tows

Brain Food/Ab Work: Single Babies

Why do I LOVE these "Single Ladies" youtube renditions?!?!? This one you will NOT watch just once I promise! I'm super excited for the Pom Wonderful event I am catering tonight & all the cool things I'm doing with Pom Wonderful & pomegranate seeds full report to come soon. Please enjoy this smile til then

Food Fight: Tomayto/Tomahto

It makes me sad how people choose to let out their aggression. Yes fight for what you care the most about, but not at the expense of another or letting your frustration get the best of you & losing sight of the bigger picture. I firmly believe everything happens for a reason & when we learn from our lessons, bigger more substantial opportunities arise & new bonds are formed with people you otherwise would have not had the chance previously to meet.

I recently wrote an entry to update my friends, family & the few I don't know, but I hold dear, that indulge me by cruising on by this blog on the blessings I have just received because I had not told anyone yet & I was really proud about what I wrote & what I had experienced, I still am.

I'm not one to believe that all press is good press but in the past 24 hours this blog has had a massive wave in new readers. I wish the intentions were all positive but unfortunately for the time being I have had to disable the ability to leave comments because some "anonymous" people have felt compelled to unleash their discourse here. I hope this passes soon & my comment box will no longer be held hostage & maybe even a healthy discussion on the matter may arise.

Food is what brings us together NOT tear us apart & Mr DeLaCruz who so graciously chose to contact me personally by email waving that virtual righteous finger... I am sorry but I have to disagree with you on your statement. We are NOT only "judged by the company we keep" but we are judged by our character, the willingness to understand one another, the ability to overcome adversity & our propensity to love. I hope everyone's anger... by now, days later has lost it's grip on them & thank you for choosing to have an open dialogue with me, I have learned a lot from this, I mean that with all sincerity.

Damn Mercury in retrograde.... HA! Peace & hair grease peeps ♥