Now's your chance to put your money where your mouth is. The Primaries' vote is tomorrow, June 8th.
We just finished the Memorial Day weekend where we honored our fallen military. These men and women fought -- and died -- so that we could keep the freedoms that we have. There is no better way to honor our military dead than to vote.
Women: listen up! You weren't allowed to vote in an election until August 26, 1920 -- 89 years ago -- with the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment. I know living people who are 89 years old! That's how recent an event getting the vote for women occurred.
If you're 18, go to the polls and vote! You can take your cell phone with you! You won't miss out on a thing!
California residents are especially lax when it comes to voting -- in the 2009 Special Election the voter turnout was a palty 28.40% -- out of 17,153,012 people!
If you feel smug and think to yourself, "Well I'm an activist; I forwarded that petition about so-and-so/such-and-such" think again. Online, eletronic petitions are worthless. I've said it before, but it bears repeating: a genuine petition requires that you print your name, sign your name and put down your mailing address. So don't send me any more of the damned things! And that includes you, Mr. Indy (Andy Granitelli.)
The polls are open (in California) from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. You have a full 12 hours to get your fanny into a booth and VOTE! Remember: you don't get to complain about politicians UNLESS you voted. Go -- do the right thing.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Fair Art
Hermosa Beach Fiesta 3 prints for $25 (artist's signature unreadable)
Rooster painted by Tyler Barry, oil $50
Jazz Musicians, print by Clarence Stubblefield $35
Palos Verdes Inlet by Trudy Wessels, oil $40 (framing $110.47)
Working with photographs is a right pain... sort it out; I know you can do it.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Comes Der Revolution
"For the Royal Table; Dining at the Palace" by Kathryn Jones Royal Collection Publications 120 pages $14.95
The book is lavishly illustrated - photos, drawings, paintings -- but the subject matter would make any good anarchist foam at the mouth with indignation. The book purports to look at nearly 500 years of royal dining. Food fashions and styles have certainly changed during that time. Queen Victoria routinely served 12 to 14-course banquets; Queen Eliazabeth II serves four -- fish, meat, pudding (dessert) and fresh fruit. Windsor Castle banquets take place on a table that is 175 ft. long, made by slapping together 68 leaves of Cuban mahogany to provide seating for 160 guests.
It takes two days of preparation before the event. The gilt silver must come out of climate-controlled storage for a polish. The Grand Service consists of: 15 tureens, 20 sauce boats, 140 dishes, 288 dinner places, 118 salt dishes, 12 ice pails, 58 elaborate dessert stands and 107 candelabra. Every piece is taken apart, washed and cleaned with soft brushes, then dried and polished with soft clothes. You may be wondring how you take a plate apart, but this is a reference to the "tall stuff" the dessert stands and candelabra.
Over 1,000 glasses are used at each banquet because each guest gets six glasses -- one each for champagne, white wine, red wine, port and water. When it's time for the toasts, yet another champagne glass is proffered to the guest.
In the Buckingham Palace ballroom there are two enormous buffets, both laden with glittering tablewear -- 17th century candle sconces, tankards, huge platters, jeweled cups -- a pirate's treasure trove...
Ah, comes der revolution...
The book is lavishly illustrated - photos, drawings, paintings -- but the subject matter would make any good anarchist foam at the mouth with indignation. The book purports to look at nearly 500 years of royal dining. Food fashions and styles have certainly changed during that time. Queen Victoria routinely served 12 to 14-course banquets; Queen Eliazabeth II serves four -- fish, meat, pudding (dessert) and fresh fruit. Windsor Castle banquets take place on a table that is 175 ft. long, made by slapping together 68 leaves of Cuban mahogany to provide seating for 160 guests.
It takes two days of preparation before the event. The gilt silver must come out of climate-controlled storage for a polish. The Grand Service consists of: 15 tureens, 20 sauce boats, 140 dishes, 288 dinner places, 118 salt dishes, 12 ice pails, 58 elaborate dessert stands and 107 candelabra. Every piece is taken apart, washed and cleaned with soft brushes, then dried and polished with soft clothes. You may be wondring how you take a plate apart, but this is a reference to the "tall stuff" the dessert stands and candelabra.
Over 1,000 glasses are used at each banquet because each guest gets six glasses -- one each for champagne, white wine, red wine, port and water. When it's time for the toasts, yet another champagne glass is proffered to the guest.
In the Buckingham Palace ballroom there are two enormous buffets, both laden with glittering tablewear -- 17th century candle sconces, tankards, huge platters, jeweled cups -- a pirate's treasure trove...
Ah, comes der revolution...
Friday, June 4, 2010
To Go or Not...
Next weekend - Sat. 6/12 and Sunday, 6/13 the Hermosa Beach Art Walk will be held at the corner of PCH and Pier Avenue -- look for lots of white tents -- on the lawn of the HB Community Arts building. Both days it opens at 10 a.m. and closes at 5 p.m.
The Hyperion Outfall Serenaders will perform, starting at 1 p.m. on Saturday. As we know and like the band members and their Dixieland music, we must go.
But I know that I will not be able to resist strolling through the art works on display. And the odds are pretty good that I'll buy something. Last year I was beguiled by a rooster on a very green, grassy background. It's a small oil - 5 1/2 in. x 5 1/2 in. - and I couldn't resist it because the artist, Tyler Barry wrote on the back of the frame: "This rooster I saw at the golf course at Moana Kea. He had one eye and just hung out." Right away I had a whole mental picture of the entire scene. Golf balls and all. I still love it and enjoy seeing it on the hall wall. The artist asked $50 for it; I paid it. And the check cleared!
I wonder if Tyler Barry will be back... hmmm...
The Hyperion Outfall Serenaders will perform, starting at 1 p.m. on Saturday. As we know and like the band members and their Dixieland music, we must go.
But I know that I will not be able to resist strolling through the art works on display. And the odds are pretty good that I'll buy something. Last year I was beguiled by a rooster on a very green, grassy background. It's a small oil - 5 1/2 in. x 5 1/2 in. - and I couldn't resist it because the artist, Tyler Barry wrote on the back of the frame: "This rooster I saw at the golf course at Moana Kea. He had one eye and just hung out." Right away I had a whole mental picture of the entire scene. Golf balls and all. I still love it and enjoy seeing it on the hall wall. The artist asked $50 for it; I paid it. And the check cleared!
I wonder if Tyler Barry will be back... hmmm...
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Various...
Rest in peace, Blanche. Rue McClanahan is dead at age 76, of a massive stroke. The report said she had had a minor stroke earlier in the year after by-pass surgery.
Jackie Collins Newest
"Poor Little Bitch Girl" by Collins St. Martin's Press 472 pages $26.99
I've always been a fan of hers because the situations and characters in her books have been so over-the-top. Perfect escapism reading. The "Lucky" series was particularly entertaining.
But this one fell far short of my excited expectations. The characters are one note (happy-go-lucky billionaire; spoiled daughter of a pair of movie stars) and the plot line is thin and has some glaring logic flaws. The "brilliant attorney" is far too defensive about her sex life 'way too often.
Still, who am I to criticize an author who has 26 NY Times bestsellers; has sold more than 400 million books in 40 countries to her credit? No one, that's who.
Richie Gets Irate
This morning Himself handed me a sheet of paper and said, 'Here's my letter to the editor." This, incidentally, is traditional here -- I go from wife to secretary in a heartbeat. I said, "Which paper?" and he grandly stated, "The Daily Breeze, the LA Times and Newsweek!"
"Dear Sirs:
Suppose NASA spent a little more time and money on inner space (underwater) rather than on outer space. We might have a better read on how to stop the Gulf-BP oil spill -- not to mention being able to recover the Air France "black box" deep in the Atlantic, off the coast of Brazil.
Sincerely,"
Jackie Collins Newest
"Poor Little Bitch Girl" by Collins St. Martin's Press 472 pages $26.99
I've always been a fan of hers because the situations and characters in her books have been so over-the-top. Perfect escapism reading. The "Lucky" series was particularly entertaining.
But this one fell far short of my excited expectations. The characters are one note (happy-go-lucky billionaire; spoiled daughter of a pair of movie stars) and the plot line is thin and has some glaring logic flaws. The "brilliant attorney" is far too defensive about her sex life 'way too often.
Still, who am I to criticize an author who has 26 NY Times bestsellers; has sold more than 400 million books in 40 countries to her credit? No one, that's who.
Richie Gets Irate
This morning Himself handed me a sheet of paper and said, 'Here's my letter to the editor." This, incidentally, is traditional here -- I go from wife to secretary in a heartbeat. I said, "Which paper?" and he grandly stated, "The Daily Breeze, the LA Times and Newsweek!"
"Dear Sirs:
Suppose NASA spent a little more time and money on inner space (underwater) rather than on outer space. We might have a better read on how to stop the Gulf-BP oil spill -- not to mention being able to recover the Air France "black box" deep in the Atlantic, off the coast of Brazil.
Sincerely,"
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
All The Troubles in the World
Oil slicks and activists howling for BP heads, primaries coming up so TV is sated with ads. .The line 'I'm so-and-so and I approved this message" seems rather senseless to me. Nev. Senator Harry Reid said of the primaries, "I have no idea who will be my opponent. I don't vote in the Republican primary so I don't study it very much." Dis-missed!
Pro and con Arizona's new law -- by the way, every law officer in this country is mandated to stop, examine and detain, if necessary, any person exhibiting threatening behaviors. It was just assumed by libertarians that Arizona cops would begin racial profiling. As my old Daddy would say, "Don't holler until you're hurt."
I have to wonder when Tipper Gore paused in her search and destroy mission on obscene lyrics to look up and discover husband Al is a jerk...
A thought for all of the above:
"Only the man who finds everything wrong and expects it to get worse is thought to have a clear brain." John Kenneth Galbraith, American economist (1908-2006) (Cynics rule!)
Pro and con Arizona's new law -- by the way, every law officer in this country is mandated to stop, examine and detain, if necessary, any person exhibiting threatening behaviors. It was just assumed by libertarians that Arizona cops would begin racial profiling. As my old Daddy would say, "Don't holler until you're hurt."
I have to wonder when Tipper Gore paused in her search and destroy mission on obscene lyrics to look up and discover husband Al is a jerk...
A thought for all of the above:
"Only the man who finds everything wrong and expects it to get worse is thought to have a clear brain." John Kenneth Galbraith, American economist (1908-2006) (Cynics rule!)
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
A Fine New Find
We ambled through the exhibits at last weekend's Hermosa Beach Fiesta. One booth beckoned with offerings of a sauce over cream cheese on a Wheat Thin cracker. Several varieties of the sauce were offered - blueberry, strawberry - but I chose peach.
Before I'd swallowed it, I had my billfold out and bought a jar ($6.) It's just hot enough that you know you've got something good in your mouth, but the heat is softened by the sweet fruit taste. I would describe it as "perky."
Diane's Sweet Heat Habamero Jam. dianessweetheat.com McKinley, Ca "Where the redwoods meet the sea" 707-839-2919
Owner Diane Hunt says that 20 years ago, she and her best friend didn't have a lot of money for Christmas gifts so they whipped up a big bunch of jalapeno jam and put it in little jars as gifts. People loved it! And kept loving it so in 2007 she went commercial with it.
This is certainly a kissin' cousin to Jezebel Sauce. Refrigerators all over the South have a jar of it in the refrigerator in case of unexpected company. It can be slapped down on a brick of cream cheese in a heartbeat. "And get the crackers, will you, hon?" During the Cajun rage fueled by Paul Prudhomme, I used to make Jezebel Sauce. In the event that you want to try it --
JEZEBEL SAUCE
1 10-oz. jar of pineapple preserves
1 10-oz. jar of apple jelly
1/3 cup horseradish -- straight, not creamed
1/4 cup dry mustard
2 teas. white pepper
Mix thoroughly and keep in a jar in the refrigerator.
For any statistitions in the room, yesterday was my 550th blog.
Before I'd swallowed it, I had my billfold out and bought a jar ($6.) It's just hot enough that you know you've got something good in your mouth, but the heat is softened by the sweet fruit taste. I would describe it as "perky."
Diane's Sweet Heat Habamero Jam. dianessweetheat.com McKinley, Ca "Where the redwoods meet the sea" 707-839-2919
Owner Diane Hunt says that 20 years ago, she and her best friend didn't have a lot of money for Christmas gifts so they whipped up a big bunch of jalapeno jam and put it in little jars as gifts. People loved it! And kept loving it so in 2007 she went commercial with it.
This is certainly a kissin' cousin to Jezebel Sauce. Refrigerators all over the South have a jar of it in the refrigerator in case of unexpected company. It can be slapped down on a brick of cream cheese in a heartbeat. "And get the crackers, will you, hon?" During the Cajun rage fueled by Paul Prudhomme, I used to make Jezebel Sauce. In the event that you want to try it --
JEZEBEL SAUCE
1 10-oz. jar of pineapple preserves
1 10-oz. jar of apple jelly
1/3 cup horseradish -- straight, not creamed
1/4 cup dry mustard
2 teas. white pepper
Mix thoroughly and keep in a jar in the refrigerator.
For any statistitions in the room, yesterday was my 550th blog.
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