What could be better than eating hummus and watching TV in Mommy’s bed?
“STOP! or your face will freeze!”
“I’m a Princess” “I”m a Princess” – “OK”
All dressed up and ready to go to Radio City Music Hall
“I think you missed a spot on my thumb”
Yay, it’s pajama day at school today!
Rooting for Swisher and eating ice cream – Way to go Fin!
Future Heartbreakers
Posted in Finley Ray, Friends | Tagged Detroit Lions, Ice cream, Radio City Music Hall | Leave a Comment »
Mothers’ Day Cake crop (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Well that’s what they call it in England and other parts of Europe and they’ve been celebrating the holiday since the 16th Century!
Our own American Mother’s Day is fairly recent. In 1912, a woman named Anna Jarvis from Grafton, West Virginia declared the first Mother’s Day in the United States.
Well here it is, Mother’s Day 2012 and it’s just after 2pm. I haven’t heard from my daughter yet or my grandchildren (who would be part of my daughter’s phone call). I was going to be included in some Mother’s Day event being organized by my son-in-law but I had to be out of state today. The phone just rang and guess who called? Chiara and Finley! It was very sweet to hear Happy Mother’s Day from both of them! However after a few sentences, Finley pushed the mute button and that was it for Gigi! S0 five minutes later my son-in-law called back to wish me a Happy Mother’s Day too.
The day started off nicely…I had no desire to go out for breakfast, so I made eggs for Peter and I and while I was cooking, my second cousin who is slightly older than my own daughter called to tell me how much she loved me. Christine is like another daughter to Peter and I and over the years has spent considerable time living and visiting with us in NYC.
I got an email from my son two days ago telling me he loved me, wishing me a Happy Mother’s Day and suggesting that we drop all these other holidays except for Christmas, Halloween and Easter. Sort of cynical, don’t you think? Well I wrote back and informed him that superfluous or not, I kind of liked this holiday so if he could, I thought it would be nice if he called.
It has been a very sunny and beautiful day here at the shore and we have been working in the yard. It is never ever finished around here. Peter mowed the lawn, washed the front of the cottage and washed the porch while I planted my window box for the front porch, transplanted a Hosta and planted some Purple Puffs which are supposed to spread.
Well of course by this paragraph, you realize that this post had been started over a week ago! Oh but I have been busy, so busy that I am either dead tired with no brain cells left to write or actually working well into the night and then going to bed. I considered just omitting this blog post, but then desired, oh why not?
The day ended on such a delightful note – we joined our friend Alice and her daughter Heather for an early dinner at The Breakers in Spring Lake. They were spending the weekend there and invited us to join them. It was very elegant and the four of laughed and chatted away for a couple of hours. My salmon was delicious and even though we all shared some tartufo…on the way home, I insisted we make an ice cream run to Day’s for my Mother’s Day fix!.
Oh the world becomes such a better place after Mother’s Day in Ocean Grove. Dave and the gang are back in town scooping up scrumptious ice cream in exotic and not so exotic but ooooohhhh so good! I had Mission Fig and Toasted Coconut.
Hope to get back in the groove of writing consistently… hang in there with me.
Posted in BY THE WAY, Ha-P 2 B in OG | Tagged Anna Jarvis, England, Grafton West Virginia, Hosta, Mother's Day, United States, West Virginia, Woodrow Wilson | Leave a Comment »
Deutsch: Bleistiftspitze English: Pencil tip (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Did you ever see an old pencil? Well of course you did… you could tell it was old because it had advertising on it and and the phone number was DIamond 436-6871. Diamond?? Yes kids, telephone exchanges used to be designated by words. Usually just the first two letters or sometimes three letters of the word. Growing up, my exchange was DIamond, my husband’s was TEmpleton .
You can also tell when a pencil is old because it’s more than likely round and a color other than yellow. And then of course the eraser is a dead giveaway. Atrophied, hard as a rock, blackened and totally unusable.
BUT the pencil….!!! If it’s dull all you have to do is sharpen it and it will write just like it was a newbie fresh out of a box. And it doesn’t matter whether the pencil is a vintage No. 2 Farber or a stub of an old giveaway. Once sharpened, you can write with this pencil today, tomorrow, a year from now, 25 years from now and it always writes the same way. It doesn’t deteriorate with old age. It doesn’t wrinkle, sag, lose its sight and hearing or for that matter, its hair, its arteries don’t harden although its head does!
It will write in cursive, block print or anything in between you scribble.
Think about it….wouldn’t you like to age like a pencil?
Posted in Amuse-bouche du jour, BY THE WAY | Tagged Collecting, David Rees, Pencil, Pencil sharpener, Recreation, Shopping, Visual arts, Writing Instruments | 6 Comments »
Gosh, I don’t know what to celebrate first!
I guess I could wear a sombrero to the races or eat quesadillas while placing a bet. Or wear a fabulous floral creation like the ones in one of my previous http://wp.me/pNyWj-2SH, which featured Kentucky Derby hats by Dee, to a Cinco de Mayo celebration.
As it turns out, I’m opting to cook a Cinco de Mayo meal tonight and invited some friends over.
The menu for tonight is Mexican beer ( they all opted out for Magaritas) with chips and salsa and quesadillas.
I’m serving Arroz con pollo et frijoles, steamed asparagus and dessert from a Mexican bakery.
Well I started this post Saturday afternoon, then in the midst of prepping, I had to stop and watch the Derby. I love watching that race! I didn’t have any favorites and apparently the favorite to win, Urban Rags, didn’t even place. It was so exciting to see “I’ll Have Another” come from behind. There really is something thrilling about horse racing.
So onto the meal….
I had never made Arroz con Pollo so I researched a few recipes online and came up with three that I liked or at least part of each so I did what any good cook does, I combined them and created my own. AND I will be the first to admit, that I don’t often do that. If you read this blog regularly then you know that I find a recipe I like, make it and if I post it, I always credit the source.
Arroz con Pollo*
* This is NOT a photo of my dish. Note there are no black beans! But it is similar and gives you an idea of what it should look like when done.
Arroz con Pollo con Frijoles Negros
2 1/2 -3 lb. chicken; I used skinless boneless thighs
1/2 cup flour for dredging
Salt, ground pepper, paprika and chili powder (optional)
2 cups long grain rice (I used a package of Viga yellow rice)**
1 medium onion chopped
3 -4 garlic cloves minced
1 green bell pepper chopped ( I used an orange pepper)
1 14.5 oz can diced or stewed tomatoes. I used a can of Del Monte petite cut tomatoes with jalapeno – was not too hot.
4 cups chicken broth* The Viga rice called for 4 cups water – substitute broth
black olives (handful – I used what was leftover from making quesadillas
1 cup frozen peas (optional) ( I had a half pkg in the freezer)
** Follow directions for whatever rice you are using and substitute broth for the water.
Heat 3 TBS olive oil in large skillet ( I used a braising pan). Rinse chicken, pat dry and dredge through flour. Season chicken with salt, pepper, paprika and chili powder. Brown the chicken about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
Add the onions, pepper and garlic to the pan, scraping up brown bits. Cook about 5 minutes till onion and pepper are softened.
Add the rice and cook till rice becomes slightly opaque and browns. Stir a bit, then let it brown and then stir some more. If you use the Viga rice, you won’t see it turn opaque, just lightly browned. Lower heat if rice begins to stick to pan. Add the broth and bring to boil. Lower to simmer, cover pot, cook for about 10 minutes.
Layer the chicken on top of the rice mixture, pour tomatoes over the chicken, add the black beans. Cover pot and cook till chicken and rice are done. About 15 minutes before done, toss in olives and peas.
Recipe by Lori-adapted from Simplyrecipes.com, allrecipes.com, weheartfood.com
One of the best parts of this dish for me was that I made it slightly ahead of time and just before serving , I heated it up. It’s not so often that I actually sit with my dinner guests for drinks and hors d’ouevres and Saturday night I did!
Posted in Everyday Food, Tasty Tidbits Tuesday | Tagged Beer in Mexico, Bell pepper, Broth, Cinco de Mayo, Cook, Home, Kentucky Derby, Olive, Saturday, Soups and Stews | Leave a Comment »
Tunisian One-Pot Dish as Spicy as You Like It
I prepared this dish last night, the recipe was in the New York Times. It was a bit complicated, BUT, BUT, it was delicious and I took some shortcuts that I will share with you. And we ate the leftovers tonight, even better! I’m going to write out the recipe the way I made it and not exactly as it was written. If you want the original please go to http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/25/dining/chicken-with-couscous-sauce-on-the-side.htm
4-6 drumsticks (next time I am going to use skinless)
3 cups canned chick peas (rinsed and drained)
1/2 lb small white turnips – peeled and cut into wedges
1/2 lb carrot sticks (or cut into 2″ batons)
1 small onion – peel, insert a few cloves. (I didn’t have any cloves so I used ground cloves, about 1 tsp.)
1 bay leaf
1 tsp coriander seed – I used ground powder about 1 1/2 tsp
1 tsp cumin seed – I used ground powder about 1 1/2 tsp
1 tsp caraway seeds – I crushed them between two spoons.
1 tsp cayenne pepper
salt and ground pepper
1 large onion – chopped to = 2 cups
6 garlic cloves minced
1 -2 TBS olive oil
ground cinnamon (recipe calls for 1 stick – too expensive)
Spicy green sauce (recipe below)
Cooked and buttered couscous or rice
Put the chickpeas in a medium sauce pan with about 5 cups of water, add bay leaf, and onion with cloves (or sprinkle the ground cloves into the water), season with salt. Bring to a boil and then leave to simmer while preparing the other ingredients.
Mix the spices together (cumin, coriander, caraway, cayenne pepper)
Rinse chicken legs and pat dry-season generously on all sides with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the spice mixture on the chicken legs and rub into the meat.
In heavy-bottomed soup pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken legs and brown gently until golden, about 4 minutes a side. Remove legs and set aside. In same pot, add diced onions and a little salt. Let onions soften and color for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, and scraping up any brown bits. Add cinnamon and garlic and cook for a minute more.
Drain chick peas and reserve broth. I kept the onion in the broth. Return the chicken legs to the pot and pour in 4 cups of the chickpea broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Cook covered for about 25 minutes.
Add the chickpeas, carrots and turnips and cook, covered, for 15 minutes more. Let rest 5 minutes and skim excess fat. Serve with the broth, spicy green sauce and buttered couscous.
Spicy Green Sauce
1 preserved lemon or the grated zest of 1 lemon. I got a jar of preserved lemon at an Indian grocery store but I believe the zest would just as good, since the recipe calls for using only the skin.
1 garlic clove smashed with a little salt to make a paste.
1 or 2 serrano or jalapeno chiles, very finely chopped. Use less for a milder sauce.
1 cup of finely chopped cilantro, leaves and tender stems
1/3 cup olive oil
3 scallions finely chopped
If using preserved lemon, remove from brine, rinse well and chop the peel in 1/16 inch cubes. Reserve pulp for another use. Put cubes aside.
In a small bowl, mix the garlic paste, chiles and cilantro in a blender or food processor, keep a small amount of cilantro out.
Stir in the olive oil, scallions and diced lemon or zest. Taste and add salt or more oil if necessary. Once sauce is made and in a small serving dish, you can mix in the rest of the chopped cilantro which gives the sauce texture.
This one-pot meal was excellent and even better the next day although we had eaten all the chicken the night before!
Posted in Tasty Tidbits Tuesday | Tagged Bay leaf, Black pepper, Chicken, Cook, Cookware and bakeware, Garlic, New York Times, Olive oil | 1 Comment »
This may turn out to be a whole week of FAB FOTOS. Well, you know there is just so much to see and do in NYC and Murray has been zipping around snapping fantastic photos as usual.
Today, yes May Day. brought the OWS troops out in full force. They were in Union Square, they were in Bryant Park, they were downtown. And as the movement grows in momentum and spreads around the world, the protests, the causes have also expanded. Occupy Wall Street may soon become the poster child for all kinds of civil unrest, causes, social revolution, and a catch-all army of protesting warriors and the whole 1% out there!
Protesting the War on Women
War Paint
Immigration - The Cause
We're Watching You!
Protest War -The Cause Peace
Protesting Unfair Taxation
The Wearin' o' the Green
All photos courtesy of Murray Head
Posted in BY THE WAY, Fab Fotos, New York Speaks, Only in New York, Smooth or Crunchy | Tagged Bryant Park, FAB FOTOS, May Day, Murray, New York City, Occupy Wall Street, OWS, Union Square | 1 Comment »
This is a two for the price of one blog post! MAY DAY, MAY DAY is an international term used to seek aid or help. You’ve heard it in the movies, on television and hopefully not ever on a ship, boat or plane on which you were traveling. The origin of this universal plea for help is derived from the French term, “m’aider“ – translation, “help me”.
HELP ME! And that’s my segue to the other May Day. May or May Day is traditionally known as International Worker’s Day. In New York City, Union Square has a long history of being the meeting place to gather to express concern, protest, rally and demonstrate. Today OWS or Occupy Wall Street plans to begin their march/demonstration from Union Square.
Here are a few flashback photos that were posted in The Gothamist (source The New York Public Library):
1914- Union Square
And this year’s protest poster distributed by OWS looks like this:
International Worker's Day 2012
And our on the spot, ready to shoot photographer, Murray was in Union Square scouting out the preparations for the big day. These photos were taken 2 days ago which gives you an idea of how huge a demonstration is planned for today.
Getting Organized
May First Amendment
Pushing All the Right Buttons
Follow Me
Rehearsal
Occupy Wall St.
All photos courtesy of Murray Head
Suggested articles:
http://gothamist.com/2012/04/03/union_square_now_the_very_model_of.php
Posted in BY THE WAY, Fab Fotos, New York Speaks, Only in New York, Smooth or Crunchy | Tagged May Day, Murray Head, New York, New York City, New York Public Library, Occupy Wall Street, OWS, Union Square, United States | Leave a Comment »
This past weekend the weather was about as glorious as you can get. Not too hot, not too cool, not too windy – JUST PERFECT! Everybody was out and about on Saturday including Pbenjay’s staff photographer, Murray Head. I, on the other hand, was still switching my winter clothes with my summer cl0thes and ironing and ironing and ironing. Luckily for you, dear readers, while I was ironing, Murray was moving around the City and snapping some great scenes.
THIS IS NEW YORK!
Check!
On any given Saturday, you can always find lots of chess players. Some come to learn, some to watch and some to win!
Looking Uptown
A Tiny Green Heart
Flowers for Sale
Long Live the King
All photos courtesy of Murray Head
Posted in Fab Fotos, New York Speaks | Tagged Ironing, Murray, Murray Head, New York, New York City, San Francisco, Saturday, Union Square | Leave a Comment »
Love ? I love love love you. (Photo credit: @Doug88888)
Last month in the New York Times, there was an article titled, The Brain on Love. Very interesting – I thought I would paraphrase a few of the ideas, theories and data in it for my readers.
As we mature and forge relationships, fall in love, find a soul-mate, our brains remember the oneness we felt with our mothers and longs for the adult equivalent. That first attachment of well-being is imprinted on a baby’s brain.
Studies show that physical well-being, longevity, medical and mental health, happiness, and even wisdom are promoted by being in a supportive loving relationship. Choosing a mate opens up new areas of learning; Glimpses of the world though another’s eyes; forsaking some habits and adopting others (good or bad); tasting new ideas, rituals, foods or landscapes; a slew of added friends and family; a tapestry of physical intimacy and affection; and many other catalysts, including a tornadic blast of attraction and attachment hormones – all of which revamp the brain.
When two people become a couple the brain extends its idea of self to include the other: instead of the slender “I”, a plural self emerges who can borrow some of the other’s assets and strengths. …Through lovemaking or when we pass on the flu or a cold sore, we trade bits of identity with loved ones, and in time we become sort of a chimera. We don’t just get under a mate’s skin, we absorb him or her.
Love is the best school but the tuition is high and the homework is painful. …..studies by the U.C.L.A. neuroscientist Naomi Eisenberger show the same areas of the brain that register physical pain are active when someone feels socially rejected. That’s why being spurned by a lover hurts all over the body, but in no place you can point to. ….
Whether they speak Armenian or Mandarin, people around the world use the same images of physical pain to describe a broken heart, which they perceive as crushing and crippling. It’s not just a metaphor for an emotional punch. Social pain can trigger the same sort of distress as stomachache or a broken bone. But a loving touch is enough to change everything.
To be continued...
Posted in BY THE WAY, Smooth or Crunchy | Tagged Brain, Love, Mental health, Naomi Eisenberger, New York Times, Pain, Physical intimacy | 2 Comments »
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UNA NOCHE – It’s Only 90 Miles
April 29, 2012 by pbenjay
FREEDOM!!!
That’s what they say…. it’s only 90 miles away! FREEDOM seems so close yet it is another world and century away. I had the great joy of viewing UNA NOCHE at the Tribeca Film Festival last week.
UNA NOCHE takes us to Havana Cuba where we get an intimate glimpse into the lives of three young adults. They are poor, discouraged, desperate and oppressed. Their lives are minimal, sometimes miserable and they reveal life in Castro’s Communist Cuba, sometimes not so bad and sometimes very.
It’s the story of three teenagers who try to escape their island home and life of poverty. Actually, only one of the three yearns for freedom from oppression and he longs to reunite with his father, who left years ago and has never been heard from again. It’s Raul’s fantasy that’s the impetus of the expedition. He can’t do this on his own, so he entices Elio, his friend and obsessed admirer to take on the task of building the raft. And then there’s the very pretty Lila; She is deeply attached to her brother Elio, her own savior in a chaotic household. Her teenage angst is fueled by the scorn some cliquey classmates and the knowledge that her father is cheating on her mother.
Overall the snapshot of life in Cuba that we see, is quite dismal. The fact that it is a police state is quite evident and the dark side of Socialism, the black market flourishes. As one line in the movie states, “Nothing is for sale in Cuba and you can buy anything….”
The movie is a powerful 86 minute drama and I don’t want to be a spoiler. The film and its actors won awards at the Film Festival– well deserved!
However, it was the disappearance of the two twenty-year old actors, Javier Nunez Florian and Anailin de la Rua de la Torre, a real life couple who portray the brother and sister in the movie, that has gotten more press than the film itself. The three actors were invited to attend the Tribeca Film Festival. When their plane landed in Miami for a layover before flying to New York, the two disappeared. When the plane landed at JFK airport, it was discovered that their luggage was empty, implying this was a pre-meditated plan. Indeed it was, as now 10 days later, the two have surfaced in Miami and announced their intention to defect and have hired a lawyer to assist in their claim for asylum.
I wish them the best and hope they are successful in their desire to remain in America. I’ve been to Cuba and although life as depicted in the film is somewhat exaggerated for effect, and I understand that although things are loosening up since Fidel stepped down, it’s still basically a repressed society.
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Posted in From My Point of View - Personal commentary on Movies and Books, New York Speaks, Only in New York, Smooth or Crunchy | Tagged Cuba, Elio, Film festival, Miami, New York, Raul, Tribeca Film Festival, United States | Leave a Comment »