Food Fight

This “Food Fight” animation by Stefan Nadelman is genius!!!!!

From the film’s website: “Food Fight is an abridged history of war, from World War II to present day, told through the foods of the countries in conflict. Watch as traditional comestibles slug it out for world domination in this chronologically re-enacted smorgasbord of aggression.”

Gruesome images of war tend to make a person lose his appetite. But when hamburgers, sushi and chicken kabobs do battle, the result is delicious.

Matching up foods with countries is half the fun in watching but if you so choose, here’s a bit of a cheat sheet. For example, the soft pretzels and bratwurst represent Germany, the matzah takes on Israel and the fish ‘n’ chips represent England. Kebabs, Kim chi, beef stroganoff, dumplings and egg rolls all make guest appearances.

My personal favorite is when the sushi go kamikaze on the burgers. It’s perfect. Watch it below!

AtomFilms.com: Funny Videos | Funny Cartoons | Comedy Central

Source: http://www.atomfilms.com
http://justjared.com

Buddhist Thought for the Day

Those whose minds are well grounded
in the elements of enlightenment,
who without clinging to anything
find joy in freedom from attachment,
whose appetites have been conquered,
and who are full of light,
they are free in this world.
--The Dhammapada

Frozen in Grand Central

Frozen in Grand Central Station
This is a prank on a "grand" scale. Over 200 people gathered at Grand Central Station in New York to pull off a 'frozen in place' act. The onlooking travelers who weren't part of the act were mystified as to what was going on.

On a cold Saturday in New York City, the world’s largest train station came to a sudden halt. Over 200 Improv Everywhere Agents froze in place at the exact same second for five minutes in the Main Concourse of Grand Central Station. Over 500,000 people rush through Grand Central every day, but on this day, things slowed down just a bit as commuters and tourists alike stopped to notice what was happening around them.

Morning Glory Vines Time Lapse

This is an interesting video showing this twining vine growing and circling around and around as if it actually did have a mind and wanted to grab on to something.

Morning glory vines do grow very fast, reaching 10 feet or more two months after seeds sprout, and they will climb on just about any support.

Strange and beautiful all at once.

Southern Nights

Shrimp Scampi Po-Boy on Garlic Bread

1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 teaspoon Essence
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons chopped garlic
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pinch cayenne
1/4 cup dry white wine or Vermouth
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/4 cup chopped green onions
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chiffonade basil
1 loaf Garlic Bread, recipe follows
Finely grated Parmesan cheese, garnish

In a bowl, lightly season the shrimp with the Essence.
In a large skillet or saute pan, melt the butter and heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, salt, pepper, and cayenne and cook, stirring, until the garlic is soft and fragrant but not browned, about 2 minutes. Add the wine and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the wine is reduced by half. Lower the heat to medium-high, add the shrimp, lemon juice, Worcestershire, and lemon zest and cook, stirring, until the shrimp are opaque and starting to turn pink, about 2 minutes. Add the green onions and cook until the shrimp are pink. Stir in the parsley and basil and remove from the heat. Adjust the seasoning to taste.

To serve, spoon the shrimp and sauce into the bottom half of the prepared garlic bread. Sprinkle lightly with cheese and top with the remaining garlic bread. Cut into 4 portions and serve immediately.

Garlic Bread:
1 loaf fresh French or Italian bread, about 22 inches long, cut in half lengthwise
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons Emeril's Original Essence
2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley
1 teaspoon dehydrated garlic flakes, recipe follows
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil.

With a fork or your fingers, pull out the excess bread and hollow slightly the center of the loaf.

In a bowl, cream together the remaining ingredients and spread evenly over the cut sides of the bread. Place on the prepared baking sheet and bake until just golden brown and bubbly.

Serve hot.

Emeril's ESSENCE Creole Seasoning (also referred to as Bayou Blast):
2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme
Combine all ingredients thoroughly.

Recipe Courtesy Emeril Lagasse via The Food Network


New Orleans Coleslaw

1 head white or savoy cabbage, weighing about 2 pounds before trimming
2 carrots
2 sticks celery
4 scallions
1 cup best quality, preferably organic, store-bought mayonnaise
4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) buttermilk
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2/3 cup pecans, fairly finely chopped

Trim and shred the cabbage; you can do this either by hand or with a food processor.
Peel and grate the carrots, and finely slice the celery and scallions.

Whisk together the mayonnaise, buttermilk, maple syrup and vinegar and coat the shredded vegetables with this dressing.

Season with salt and pepper and toss with the chopped nuts.

Recipe Courtesy of Nigella Lawson via The Food Network


Key Lime Pie from Joe's Stone Crab

Graham Cracker Crust:
1/3 of a 1-pound box graham crackers
5 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
1/3 cup sugar
Filling:
3 egg yolks
2 teaspoons lime zest
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
2/3 cup freshly squeezed Key lime juice, or store bought

Topping:
1 cup heavy or whipping cream chilled
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

For the graham cracker crust:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Break up the graham crackers; place in a food processor and process to crumbs. If you don't have a food processor, place the crackers in a large plastic bag; seal and then crush the crackers with a rolling pin. Add the melted butter and sugar and pulse or stir until combined. Press the mixture into the bottom and side of a pie pan, forming a neat border around the edge. Bake the crust until set and golden, 8 minutes. Set aside on a wire rack; leave the oven on.

For the filling:
Meanwhile, in an electric mixer with the wire whisk attachment, beat the egg yolks and lime zest at high speed until very fluffy, about 5 minutes. Gradually add the condensed milk and continue to beat until thick, 3 or 4 minutes longer. Lower the mixer speed and slowly add the lime juice, mixing just until combined, no longer. Pour the mixture into the crust. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the filling has just set. Cool on a wire rack, then refrigerate. Freeze for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.

For the topping:

Whip the cream and the confectioners' sugar until nearly stiff. Cut the pie into wedges and serve very cold, topping each wedge with a large dollop of whipped cream.

Recipe courtesy of Joe's Stone Crab via The Food Network

Buddhist Thought for the Day

Good people walk on regardless of what happens to them.
Good people do not babble on about their desires.
Whether touched by happiness or by sorrow,
The wise never appear elated or depressed.
--The Dhammapada

Just Five More Minutes Honey

Caffeine is a staple in office break rooms across the country, pepping up adults who slog through their days feeling drowsy and tired.

Perhaps we all just need a little bit more sleep?

A new study released by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) indicates that adults are not getting enough rest each night.

Of those questioned, 70 percent said they had not gotten enough rest or sleep every day of the past month.

Yawning in America

The study, which surveyed adults in Delaware, Hawaii, New York and Rhode Island, found that a lack of sleep is a particular problem for younger adults.

Of those between 18 and 34, 13.3 percent lacked enough sleep every day, compared to 7.3 percent of adults over 55.

The study did not find much difference between races or genders.

The National Sleep Foundation says that most adults need 7-9 hours of sleep each night. Many are not getting that.

Nationwide, adults that averaged six hours or less of sleep a night increased in all age in groups from 1985 to 2006, according to a National Health Interview Study.

For example, in 1985, about 20 percent of men and women ages 45-64 reported sleeping an average of six hours or less. By 2006 that number had jumped to 30 percent.

Sleep Disorders Rise

The CDC says an estimated 50-70 million people suffer from constant sleep loss or sleep disorders. People often do not understand that lack of sleep can cause health problems.

But there is some good, if unsurprising, news: Retirement is apparently good for your sleep habits.

The CDC found that those who are no longer working were twice as likely to report that they got a full night's sleep.

Those who are unable to work at all — perhaps because of medical or mental issues — were the most likely to indicate 30 days of inadequate rest.

Sleep patterns can be influenced by what kinds of jobs people have, and even where they live.

The study found those who lived in Hawaii apparently got more sleep than their counterparts in the other three states studied.

Lifestyle choices, such as late-night television watching, Internet use, or caffeine and other stimulant intake, can also affect sleep patterns.

Source ABC News

Remote Canada Town a Hub for Northern Lights Seekers

YELLOWKNIFE, Northwest Territories - In the subarctic woods of Canada's Northwest Territories, a quiet crowd searches the moonlit sky, a wave of concern creeping into hushed voices. Time is running out.

Then a funnel of greenish light appears in the east, hanging still at first, then rippling like steam in a glass tube. On the opposite horizon, a waving curtain of color spreads above the trees, drawing shouts of glee from the crowd.

"It's so romantic!" a woman shrieks, clasping her partner's hand. Others are busy adjusting their digital cameras.

The Northern Lights have made their appearance, the highlight of the day for a group that has crossed an ocean and endured freezing temperatures to seek them out.

More formally known as aurora borealis, the lights have made the northern mining center of Yellowknife -- population roughly 20,000 -- a travel hub for mostly Japanese tourists eager to take advantage of the town's nearly ideal viewing conditions.

Hideo Nagatani, manager of local operator Aurora Village, says the appeal for the Japanese is simply a cultural love of nature's grandeur.

"It's like during the fall season, many Japanese flock to Quebec and Ontario for the changing of colors on the leaves," he said.

"Where there is something very spectacular, they will travel around the world to really see it."

Caused by the collision of solar-charged protons and electrons with the earth's upper atmosphere, the borealis typically appears as green and red curtains of light that dance across the sky.

Several cultures have their own folklore surrounding the lights. An Algonquin Indian myth held the lights were the souls of ancestors dancing around a fire.

The Japanese fascination with the lights also has its own bit of folklore: that conceiving a child beneath the lights will bring good luck.

One Thursday evening in February, the crowd seemed set for disappointment as clouds obscured the sky. Small snowflakes whirled, sparkling in the occasional camera flash. The temperature was minus 20 degrees Celsius (minus 4 degrees Fahrenheit).

"It needs to be colder," says Clayton Abichon, the lone fluent English speaker on staff this evening, referring to the abnormally balmy conditions for a mid-February evening 500 km (300 miles) south of the Arctic circle.

So when about 30 minutes before midnight the sky finally cleared, a rush of humanity bursts from the tents, where many had been taking refuge from the cold.

The display fades at one end the sky and starts at the other, almost moving around the horizon at times, while sled dogs howled in their kennel farther down the frozen lake shore.

The crowd oohed and ahed as it would at a fireworks display, with many lying on their backs on the snowy ground for a better look.

Most will be back the following night, hoping for even colder temperatures and another light show worth crossing an ocean for.

Source: Reuters

Easy Italian Dinner

Beet and Goat Cheese Arugula Salad

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons shallots, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon honey
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 medium beets, cooked and quartered
6 cups fresh arugula
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup dried cranberries or dried cherries
1/2 avocado, peeled, pitted, and cubed
3 ounces soft fresh goat cheese, coarsely crumbled

Line a baking sheet with foil. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Whisk the vinegar, shallots, and honey in a medium bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in the oil. Season the vinaigrette, to taste, with salt and pepper. Toss the beets in a small bowl with enough dressing to coat. Place the beets on the prepared baking sheet and roast until the beets are slightly caramelized, stirring occasionally, about 12 minutes. Set aside and cool.

Toss the arugula, walnuts, and cranberries in a large bowl with enough vinaigrette to coat. Season the salad, to taste, with salt and pepper. Mound the salad atop 4 plates. Arrange the beets around the salad. Sprinkle with the avocado and goat cheese, and serve.

------------------


Chicken Piccata

2 skinless and boneless chicken breasts, butterflied and then cut in half
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
All-purpose flour, for dredging
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup brined capers, rinsed
1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour and shake off excess.
In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter with 3 tablespoons olive oil. When butter and oil start to sizzle, add 2 pieces of chicken and cook for 3 minutes. When chicken is browned, flip and cook other side for 3 minutes. Remove and transfer to plate. Melt 2 more tablespoons butter and add another 2 tablespoons olive oil. When butter and oil start to sizzle, add the other 2 pieces of chicken and brown both sides in same manner. Remove pan from heat and add chicken to the plate.

Into the pan add the lemon juice, stock and capers. Return to stove and bring to boil, scraping up brown bits from the pan for extra flavor. Check for seasoning. Return all the chicken to the pan and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove chicken to platter. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter to sauce and whisk vigorously. Pour sauce over chicken and garnish with parsley.

---------------

Broccoli and Green Beans

8 cups broccoli florets (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1/2 pound green beans
2 tablespoons cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, sliced thin
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, plus more if desired
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a large pot, bring 6 quarts of salted water to a boil. Have ready a large bowl of ice water. Place broccoli into pot and cook for 2 minutes. You just want to parboil the broccoli at this point since you will saute it later on. Using a spider strainer, remove broccoli from pot and shock it in a bowl of ice water. When broccoli is completely cool, place it in a colander and allow to drain. Refresh the bowl of ice water. Bring the water back to a boil. Add green beans and cook for 4 minutes. Like the broccoli, you just want to parboil the green beans. Remove green beans from pot with spider strainer and add to ice water. When green beans are completely cool, add them to the colander and allow to drain.
In a large saute pan, heat olive oil. When almost smoking, add the garlic and saute for about 45 seconds. When the garlic starts to brown, remove immediately and discard. Overcooking the garlic will impart a very bitter taste to the dish. Add the red pepper flakes, broccoli and green beans to the pan and cook for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

---------------------------------

Ricotta with Honey and Raspberries

1 pound ricotta cheese
1 teaspoon sweetened cocoa powder
1 cup fresh raspberries
2 tablespoons honey
2 biscotti cookies

In a serving bowl, add ricotta cheese. Using a small sieve, sprinkle cocoa powder over the ricotta. Top with fresh raspberries, and drizzle with honey. Use the biscotti cookies as spoons.
---------------------
Source Giada De Laurentiis The Food Network Everyday Italian

Buddhist Thought for the Day

On life's journey
Faith is nourishment,
Virtuous deeds are a shelter,
Wisdom is the light by day and
Right mindfulness is the protection by night.
If a man lives a pure life nothing can destroy him;
If he has conquered greed nothing can limit his freedom.


Buddha

Cheap Eats - Pepe Rosso To Go

Pepe Rosso to Go
149 Sullivan St., New York, NY 10012
nr. Houston St.
212-677-4555

The original version of the popular pasta take-out franchise, Pepe Rosso hasn’t much changed its basic formula, nor has its West Village cousin, Pepe Verde. Expect cheap antipasti, insalate, pasta dishes and panini made predominantly for the take-out and delivery crowd—though half the fun of going to either Pepe branch is sitting at one of the few tables inside and watching the gregarious workers prepare orders, man the phones and play grab-ass with customers and co-workers all at once in an animated frenzy. It’s like the Seinfeld soup Nazi, only they’re honest Italians who happen to be friendly and handsy. And almost everything on the menu is under ten dollars.



Recommended Dishes
PENNE VODKA WITH PANCETTA, $7.95; SPAGHETTI PESTO WITH POTATO & STRING BEANS, $7.95;
GNOCCHI BOLOGNESE , $9.95; AIR CURED BEEF, CAPRINO, ARUGOLA, & TRUFFLE OIL, $6.95


http://peperossotogo.com/soho.html

The Pavillion For Washing Away Thoughts

Beyond the Wall of the Colorful Clouds and around the Lake of Reflected Fragrance, the largest traditional Chinese garden in the United States to date has sprung from the soil of Southern California.

Ten years in the making, Liu Fang Yuan, or the Garden of Flowing Fragrance, opened this month on the expansive grounds of The Huntington, a hallowed cultural institution outside Los Angeles.

Constructed with $18 million in private funding and craftsmen from China, the garden reflects the growing prosperity not only of the Asian giant but also of the burgeoning Chinese-American community in these parts.

"This is the only (U.S.) Chinese garden in a public institution that is funded entirely by private and grant moneys, with no political backing or involvement," said Liu Fang Yuan curator June Li, who was born in Hong Kong.

In its first phase, the garden covers 3.5 acres (1.4 hectares) of the 12 acres set aside for the Chinese project at The Huntington, which also boasts Japanese, Australian and desert gardens on the estate's 200 acres (81 hectares).

Within the four-season Chinese garden, there is a lake, a brook, bridges, a complex of pavilions, a teahouse, a tea shop and the signature Chinese scholar's rocks.


Classical Chinese gardens are intimately linked to that country's artistic and literary traditions and imagery from nature is frequently found in painting, poetry, music and fiction. The reverse is true also, with cultural arts incorporated in garden design.

The California garden draws largely on the 17th century of the Ming dynasty, when many gardens were built and owned by wealthy merchants and scholar-officials.

But applying 400-year-old techniques to modern California was no easy task. Li said the team of botanists, engineers and architects "weathered many difficulties" like translating measurements, drawings and codes.

One of the biggest challenges was building the garden to meet the strict seismic requirements of Southern California -- something the Chinese partners from the city of Suzhou had never done in decades of engineering Chinese gardens.


With names like The Bridge of Strolling in the Moonlight and the Pavilion for Washing Away Thoughts, Liu Fang Yuan invites visitors to purify the mind and contemplate a soothing landscape enhanced by the purple San Gabriel Mountains.

As the couplet on the teahouse courtyard says: "Enter as a hundred cares vanish. Laugh as the great river expands."

Source Reuters Life

One Bedroom Offering Spectacular View of Park

What may be the cheapest rooms in Manhattan are made especially for squirrels. A self-appointed protector of squirrels has paid to have soft-pine boxes made for the critters and had them placed in trees at City Hall Park.

Mark Garvin said he paid a ''couple hundred dollars'' to have each of the boxes made. The Parks Department installed three at the park.

Garvin, a biologist, said he and his wife appointed themselves caretakers of about 60 or so squirrels at the park after 9/11.

''That whole park was coated in white dust,'' he said. ''The animals were dying over there, so that's when we really got determined.''



The Parks Department also maintains refuges for squirrels at other city parks, as well as shelters for animals the agency deems important because they feed on pests.

Citywide Parks Ranger Capt. Richard Simon said squirrels have many uses.

''Old people like to feed them and the tourists like to see them,'' he said. ''They're just very friendly, and they're cute.''


Information from: Daily News, http://www.nydailynews.com

All in Favor Raise Your Green Beer

Above: A reveller at the 2006 St Patrick's Day Parade in New York City. A petition has been launched in cyberspace, bars and retail stores to make St Patrick's Day -- the feast of the patron saint of Ireland -- a holiday in the United States.
(AFP/GETTY IMAGES/File)

A petition has been launched in cyberspace, bars and retail stores to make St Patrick's Day -- the feast of the patron saint of Ireland a holiday in the United States.

"If we have a million signatures by midnight March 16, we're going to get it into the hands of someone in Congress and try to get the ball rolling," said Shawn Clair of the public relations firm which handles the US account of a very well known Irish stout beer, which is sponsoring the campaign.

"The campaign has been launched for a couple of weeks now and we already have 70,000 online signatures," said Clair.

St Patrick's Day falls on March 17.

"This is a very sincere effort. There are over 90 parades in the US dedicated to St Patrick's Day, and yet it's not an official holiday," said Clair.

According to the US Census Bureau, 36 million US residents claim Irish ancestry -- nearly nine times more than the population of Ireland, which stands at just over four million.

Millions of Irish died or emigrated in the mid-1800s, when a potato famine hit the small island, which was then governed by Britain.

The population of Ireland fell from around 8.2 million before the famine to 4.4 million in 1911 as rampant poverty, hunger and disease drove the Irish out of their country in huge migratory waves.

Many settled in the United States, where, according to the Census Bureau, 12 percent of Americans have Irish blood.

Advocates of another day off in the United States can either sign the petition online, at www.petition317.com, or in bars and shops that sell the dark Irish brew with a creamy blond head, Guinness, which is supporting the effort and funding it with full-page ads in newspapers.

Thirty-second TV spots promoting the idea are due to air in the coming days, said Clair.

Buddhist Thought for the Day

The beauty of life is, while we cannot undo what is done,
we can see it, understand it, learn from it and change.
So that every new moment is spent not in regret, guilt, fear or anger, but in wisdom, understanding and love.
--Jennifer Edwards

Dunkin' Latte Giveaway Set As Starbucks Shuts

Coffee lovers might have grounds to switch today.

More than 7,000 Starbucks shops are closing today from 5:30 and 9 p.m., as beverage-tenders get drilled in the fine points of espresso making.

Perhaps sniffing an opportunity, Dunkin' Donuts is jumping in.

From 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. today, the price will be 99 cents for small lattes, cappuccinos and espressos.

A Dunkin' news release seems to take a few coffeepot-shots at its competitor.



"We launched the espresso revolution in 2003 and made it possible for customers to enjoy authentic lattes without long waits, high prices and confusing sizes," said Will Kussell, president and CBO (chief brand officer).

The unprecedented Starbucks shutdown is part of the "Transformation Agenda" initiated by Howard Schultz since his recent return as CEO.

More than 135,000 U.S. baristas will be retrained in the Art of Espresso, according to Starbucks.com.

The Web site also has a list to help Starbucks customers pass the time:


5 Great Things to Do in Just 3-1/2 Hours

1. Thinking of a change in hair color? A full color with highlights takes just about 3 hours.

2. Watch almost all of the nominated short films.

3. When was the last time you made a home cooked meal? You can roast an 8 lb.-12 lb. turkey in 3-1/2 hours.

4. What better time to organize those closets, it's a jump start on spring cleaning.

5. After patiently waiting 12,601 seconds, head to Starbucks to get that espresso!


Not a single mention of going to Dunkin' Donuts.

Jean-Georges Vongerichten : Sauteed Chicken with Green Olives and Cilantro

In March of 1997 Jean-Georges opened restaurant Jean Georges in the Trump International Hotel and Tower, earning a 4-star review from The New York Times less than three months after opening; he was also awarded the coveted Chef of the Year award from John Mariani at Esquire magazine and the Best New Restaurant award by the James Beard Foundation.

The Mercer Kitchen at the stylish Mercer Hotel in SoHo, features an American-Provencal menu and Ecommunal style tables in the open kitchen area where hotel guests and diners may choose to eat, converse and watch the kitchen's activities. In October of 1998 Jean Georges opened Prime, a steakhouse located in Steve Wynn's much-anticipated Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas.

Jean-Georges Vongerichten currently holds an unprecedented total of twelve stars from The New York Times for his four New York City restaurants, JoJo, Vong, Jean Georges and The Mercer Kitchen. In 1998 Jean-Georges was awarded three medals at the James Beard Restaurant Awards ­ Best New Restaurant, Outstanding Chef, and Who's Who of Food & Beverage; it is the first time that a chef was awarded best new restaurant and outstanding chef in the same year.
In September of 1998 Broadway Books published Jean-Georges' second cookbook, Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef, which adapts recipes from all of his restaurants for the home cook. His first book, Simple Cuisine features recipes that include his vegetable broths and vinaigrettes and the clean flavors he favors at Jo Jo. Jean-Georges has appeared as a guest on the Martha Stewart Show, Live! with Regis & Kathie Lee, the Today Show and Good Morning America as well as doing several guest spots on the TV Food Network. He is featured in the PBS series, In Julia's Kitchen with Master Chefs with Julia Child, broadcast in 1995.

------------------------------
Jean-Georges developed this dish after a vacation in Morocco, and its flavor is certainly evocative of North Africa. This sauce can be used with sautéed boneless, skinless chicken breasts. But try it this way if you can, the sauce combines beautifully with the crisp skin of the chicken.




Sauteed Chicken with Green Olives and Cilantro

One 3- to 4-pound chicken, cut up for sautéing
2 Tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup onions, minced
2 teaspoons ginger, minced
2-inch piece cinnamon
A few strands of saffron or 1/2 teaspoon dried turmeric
2 cups chicken stock or other stock
2 Tablespoons peanut or neutral-flavored oil, such as canola
2 Tablespoons green olives, minced
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 Tablespoon cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 500°F. Place 2 tablespoons olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, ginger, cinnamon, saffron or turmeric and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes. Add the stock and increase the heat to high; cook, stirring occasionally, while you prepare the chicken. When the liquid has reduced by about three-quarters and becomes syrupy, turn off the heat.

Heat the peanut or other oil in a large, preferably nonstick, ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat for a minute or two. Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Place the chicken in the skillet, skin side down, and cook undisturbed until lightly browned, 5 to 8 minutes. Turn over and cook on the other side for about 2 minutes. Turn the chicken skin side down again, and place the skillet in the oven. Check it after 15 minutes, and remove the pieces as they are cooked through (the breasts will be cooked before the legs; keep them warm).

When the chicken is just about done, finish the sauce. Stir in the remaining 1 teaspoon of olive oil, the olives and some salt (not too much as the olives are salty) and pepper. Cook for about 2 minutes over medium-high heat stirring once or twice. Turn off the heat and add the lemon juice and cilantro. Remove the cinnamon stick.

To serve, arrange the chicken on 4 plates. Spoon the sauce around it, not over it, so the chicken stays crunchy.

Yield 4 servings

Clapton Invited To Play North Korea

Above: British musician Eric Clapton, seen here in 2005, has been invited to play North Korea, a spokesman at the country's embassy in London said Tuesday.
(AFP/HO/File/lorenzo bevilaqua)

Guitar legend Eric Clapton has been invited to play North Korea, a spokesman at the country's embassy in London said Tuesday.
"We have invited him for a concert in Pyongyang at a time of his convenience," a diplomat at the mission told AFP by telephone.

"We invited him in mid-January. We haven't received an answer yet. Mr Clapton is a famous guitarist, an icon of the Western music.

"It's a good opportunity for the North Korean people to understand better Western music. Everybody knows who Clapton is."

The invitation emerged on the day the New York Philharmonic orchestra played a landmark concert in the North Korean capital, in a bid to improve relations between Washington and Pyongyang.

The North Korea State Symphony Orchestra is to play two concerts in Britain -- one at London's Royal Festival Hall and in Middlesbrough, north-east England, where its footballers were based for the 1966 World Cup.

Clapton, 62, has a distinguished career in blues and rock music, shooting to fame in the 1960s as a guitarist with The Yardbirds, where he earned his nickname "slowhand".

He went on to join John Mayall's Bluesbreakers and also enjoyed fame with Cream, Derek and the Dominos and as a solo artist.

Source: AFP (london) via Yahoo News

Obama's Leading Man

Barack Obama on an upcoming "Entertainment Tonight" segment as the Democratic presidential candidate chats about his favorite movies and stars.

His top films are three Oscar winners "The Godfather," "The Godfather: Part II" and "Lawrence of Arabia." Obama says his favorite actors are Jimmy Stewart, Spencer Tracy, Humphrey Bogart, Meryl Streep, Susan Sarandon and Angela Bassett.

Will Smith is Obama's pick to play him if a movie is made about his life, something the two have discussed.

Will and I have talked about this because he has the ears!" the Illinois senator said in an interview slated to air Tuesday and Wednesday.

But campaigning doesn't leave much time for him to watch movies. It's hard enough eating three, healthy meals a day, he said.

"Sometimes when you're out in remote areas, there's not much you can do," Obama said. "You go for a burger, that's safe. If you start getting fancy you could get into trouble. If you're in a place like Iowa or Wisconsin there's gonna be cheese on just about everything. If you start eating too much junk you'll never survive."

Source http://www.etonline.com/

Relais and Chateaux opens NYC boutique

Above: Maison des Relais and Chateaux boutique in midtown Manhattan.
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS/Bebeto Matthews
---------------------------
MAISON DES RELAIS and CHATEAUX
10 E. 53rd St.,
near Fifth Avenue
or 877-334-6464.
Open Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-7 p.m. and Saturdays 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

The hotel association Relais & Chateaux may not be a familiar name to the average American, but the organization is hoping to change that with the opening of Maison des Relais & Chateaux.
The Maison is a warm and inviting place, part home, part hotel lobby, a boutique in the heart of Manhattan with a small sitting area, Rolls Royce kitchen, and reservation agents for booking Relais & Chateaux hotels and restaurants around the world.

The New York Maison opened on Feb. 13; other Maisons are in London and Paris. Three sales offices are set to open this year in Singapore, Switzerland and the Benelux countries.

Relais & Chateaux (relais means lodge or resting place; chateaux means castle) was created in 1954 when eight hoteliers decided to form the association to attract attention to their properties located between Paris and Nice. The exclusive collection has since grown to include 478 hotels and gourmet restaurants in 55 countries. There are 45 U.S. properties.

Europe has a long tradition of small country inn hotels, says Jaume Tapies, international president of the association, adding that the average property is 23 rooms. When the organization started, North America was known for mega hotels. But he says the number of "small luxury inns" in the region and the numbers of North Americans going overseas for vacations who are seeking "unique experiences" warrants a New York boutique.

Tapies says he wanted the Maisons to be more than reservation offices, which explains the mini-theater, where people can watch a DVD of the history of the association, and in the future, take a video tour of one of the properties. A Library of the Five Senses includes tall shelves lined with guides to the properties and chefs' cookbooks. The kitchen features an $80,000 Electrolux island consisting of a stainless steel grill, champagne sink, induction wok and induction cooktop where food is prepared for tastings and other events.

While there is no celeb endorsement (according to a spokeswoman), the boutique does plan to host invitation-only events at the Maison, such as wine tastings and cooking classes from Relais & Chateaux properties, including Patrick O'Connell from The Inn at Little Washington in Virginia, and Jean-Georges Vongerichten from The Mercer Kitchen at the Mercer Hotel in New York.

Source: Associated Press
http://www.relaischateaux.com/page.php3?lang=en

Justin Timberlake To Induct Madonna Into Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame

Photo Credit: Theo Wargo/ WireImage.com; Feodor Savintsev/ Epsilon/ Getty Images)

Justin Timberlake will induct Madonna into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at the organization's March 10 ceremony, a rep for the Hall confirmed to MTV News Tuesday (February 26).

Other inductors include Tom Hanks (for '60s group the Dave Clark Five) Lou Reed for folk legend Leonard Cohen), Billy Joel (for John Mellencamp), Ben Harper (for blues harmonica player Little Walter), Jerry Butler (for legendary soul producers Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff) and John Fogerty (for instrumental group the Ventures).

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony will take place at New York's Waldorf Astoria hotel on March 10.

To be eligible for nomination this year, an artist must have issued their first single or album by 1982, which was the year Madonna put out her first dance tune, "Everybody." While no one would confuse her decades of dance-floor anthems with rock and roll, the most successful female artist of all time has had a remarkably strong, nearly three-decade career.

Indiana's John Mellencamp began his career as a generic pop singer named Johnny Cougar in 1976, but over the course of nearly 30 years in music, he has become one of the most thoughtful and respected singer/songwriters of his generation. Initially dismissed as a Bruce Springsteen wannabe, Cougar hit his stride in the early '80s, when he released the rock radio staples "Jack and Diane" and "Hurts So Good." He soon became known for chronicling the plight of the downtrodden American farmer and worker, with such folk-inspired albums as Scarecrow and The Lonesome Jubilee. Along with Neil Young and Willie Nelson, Mellencamp helped found the annual Farm Aid concert benefiting small American farms.

Known for his seriously deep, froggy baritone vocals, Canadian poet/songwriter Leonard Cohen has been recording albums since 1968 in styles ranging from pop to folk and cabaret. His most famous, and most frequently covered, song is the meditative "Hallelujah." One of the most popular bands from the British Invasion of the mid-1960s, the Dave Clark Five rivaled the Beatles for a time in popularity thanks to hits like "Glad All Over." Rock instrumental band the Ventures, founded by Don Wilson and Bob Bogle, are best known for such hits as "Walk Don't Run" and "Hawaii Five-O," as well as their pioneering use of space-age sound effects on some of their recordings, which have made them the biggest-selling rock instrumental group of all time.

Hard-drinking blues player Little Walter died at age 37 in 1968, but not before putting his indelible stamp on the art of mouth-harp playing, including being one of the first blues harmonica players to run his harp microphone through an amplifier, pioneering the use of electronic distortion in popular music.

Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff gave Motown a run for its money in the late 1960s and early 1970s, as they helped to pioneer the Philadelphia soul sound that was the signature of the Philadelphia International label. The production/songwriting team wrote hits for a galaxy of stars, including the O'Jays ("Love Train") and Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes ("If You Don't Know Me by Now"). The duo are being inducted in the non-performer category under the newly named Ahmet Ertegun Award, in honor of the late Atlantic Records co-founder

Buddhist Thought for the Day

The river becomes the cloud becomes the rain becomes the corn becomes the cow becomes the milk, and we gather around dishes of ice cream. The wave washing ashore this day in Burma is a messenger of the pterodactyls which flew over it 150 million years ago, and is a prophet to living beings of tomorrow for which we have no name. We breathe the ocean, feel the seas pulse in our veins, and are immersed in the wetness of all time.

“Water” by Mary Oliver

Veal Chops with Roquefort Butter

Veal Chops with Roquefort Butter

Ingredients
2 tbsp (30 mL) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 oz (30 g) good Roquefort cheese
1/2 tbsp (7 mL) chopped green onions
4 veal chops, 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick
Kosher or coarse salt
Freshly ground pepper
Directions
Using an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, a hand-held blender, or a heavy wooden spoon, beat butter and cheese together until smooth
Mix in onions and roll into a log about 1 inch (2.5 cm) in diameter, using parchment paper or aluminum foil to help you roll. Place in freezer while you prepare meat (or freeze for later use).
Sprinkle chops with salt and pepper and let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes. Preheat broiler or grill, or a heavy skillet. Broil, grill or pan-fry chops for 6 to 8 minutes a side, until almost cooked through. Cover with aluminum foil and let rest for 10 minutes. Top with a slice of the flavoured butter and serve with vegetables and potatoes or noodles.

Source: Ina Garten, The Barefoot Contessa, Barefoot in Paris

The Oscars Recap in 60 Seconds

Above: Host Jon Stewart delivers his monologue during the 80th annual Academy Awards, the Oscars, in Hollywood February 24, 2008.
REUTERS/Gary Hershorn (UNITED STATES-OSCARS)

from mahalo.com


---------------------------
Overheard at the Oscars:

"I am totally overwhelmed with joy, sparkles and fireworks," she exclaimed. "It’s like bombs, bombs, bombs in my head." - Best actress winner Marion Cotillard

"I was having a reverse "Zoolander" moment out there," she said. "I thought I heard someone else’s name. Then, very slowly, I heard my name being called. It was so slow that I’m still recovering from that moment. You could tell me that my dress fell off on stage, and I’d believe it." - Best supporting actress winner Tilda Swinton

"I don’t have to talk about it," Day-Lewis said abruptly. "I just do it."

When the journalist pressed him for an explanation of his refusal to discuss what he did for laughs, Day-Lewis shot back an answer that seemed to channel his character from "There Will Be Blood."

"Because it’s none of your (expletive) business." - Best actor winner Daniel Day Lewis

The only real success in show business is to "have a job, and then fight to keep it."
- Best supporting actor winner Javier Bardem

"I am not wearing $1 million shoes," she said in response to an Internet report. "That must have been a publicity stunt. I am wearing regular shoes. If I had a million dollars, I would use it to help people, not buy shoes." - Best Original Screenplay(Juno)winner Diablo Cody

http://www.ocregister.com/
http://www.mahalo.com

Oscar Gold: 'No Country For Old Men' Wins Four Awards; Daniel Day-Lewis, Marion Cotillard Take Top Acting Prizes

Above: Daniel Day-Lewis, best actor winner for "There Will Be Blood", Tilda Swinton, best supporting actress for "Michael Clayton", Marion Cotillard, best actress for "La Vie en Rose" and Javier Bardem, best supporting actor for "No Country for Old Men", pose with their Oscars backstage at the 80th annual Academy Awards in Hollywood, February 24, 2008.
REUTERS/Mike Blake

"Welcome to the make-up sex," host Jon Stewart joked by way of introduction.

Hold the makeup, but put two calls into the hairdresser, for Best Supporting Actor winner Javier Bardem, who took the trophy for his chilling performance of dopey-haired assassin Anton Chigurh in "No Country for Old Men."

"This is pretty amazing!" he said in his acceptance speech. "Thank you to the Coens for being crazy enough to think I could do that, and [for putting] one of the most horrible haircuts in history on my head!"

Joining their star on the Oscar dais were "No Country" writers and directors Joel and Ethan Coen, who hit the trifecta by winning for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay.

In three separate speeches, the pair refused to apologize for subjecting Bardem to his haircut but did credit their success to their unusually good taste, Joel joked while picking up the award for Best Adapted Screenplay.

"Thank you very much for this. I think whatever success we've had in this area is entirely attributable to how selective we are," he laughed. "We've only adapted Homer and Cormac McCarthy." (The pair were previously nominated for "O Brother, Where Art Thou?," an adaptation of Homer's "The Odyssey.")

But while the Coens acknowledged great writers, it wasn't until Diablo Cody picked up the Best Original Screenplay award for "Juno" that great writers were explicitly thanked.

"This is for the writers. I want to thank all the writers. I worship you guys," the stripper-turned-Oscar-winner gushed, adding, "I want to thank my family for loving me exactly the way I am."

The night's first real upset came when Tilda Swinton won Best Supporting Actress over favorites Cate Blanchett and Amy Ryan. Obviously shocked by her win, Swinton gave credit in an impromptu speech to "Michael Clayton" co-star George Clooney for his "seriousness and dedication."

"Seeing you climb into that rubber bat-suit, the one with the nipples, every morning under your costume," she joked of Clooney's much-lampooned role in "Batman & Robin." "You rock, man. Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

Also offering up their thanks were relative unknowns Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova, who won Best Original Song for "Falling Slowly" from their film "Once." A Sundance hit, "Once" tells the story of two unnamed musicians who fall in love through song.

"What are we doing here? This is mad. We made this movie two years ago," Hansard enthused, triumphantly waving the Oscar above his head. "We never thought we'd ever come into a room like this. Thanks for taking this movie seriously!"

In a touching moment, Irglova was brought back onstage by Stewart after she was cut off during the pair's initial acceptance speech.

Also coming back to the stage was Best Actor winner Daniel Day-Lewis ("There Will Be Blood"), who won the same award in 1990.

"It seems to me like this sprang like a sapling out of the mad, beautiful head of Paul Thomas Anderson," he said, thanking the film's writer/director. "My deepest thanks to the Academy for whacking me with the handsomest bludgeon in town."

Given that the show came on the heels of a lengthy work stoppage for most of Hollywood's human workforce, it was perhaps a little strange that the evening's first major honoree was ... a rat? Director Brad Bird picked up his second Best Animated Feature Film Oscar in four years for "Ratatouille," the story of a "rat with a dream," he said during his acceptance speech.

"I think I'm gonna throw up," he laughed while picking up his trophy, the third in the category's short history for Pixar Animation Studios.

While Bird joked about throwing up, Best Actress winner Marion Cotillard looked like she actually might. Honored for her performance as Edith Piaf in "La Vie en Rose," a shaking Cotillard seemed on the verge of tears throughout her acceptance speech.

"Wow, I'm speechless now," the French actress said, welling up. "Thank you, life; thank you, love! It is true there are some angels in this city."

Also winning awards were Robert Elswit for Best Cinematography for "There Will Be Blood"; Dario Marianelli for Best Score for "Atonement"; Michael Fink, Bill Westenhofer, Ben Morris and Trevor Wood for Best Visual Effects for "The Golden Compass"; and Dante Ferretti and Francesca Lo Schiavo for Best Art Direction for "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street."

Only one win behind "No Country," "The Bourne Ultimatum" picked up three Oscars — for Best Editing, Best Sound Mixing, and Best Sound Editing.

Source MTV News
http://www.vh1.com/movies/news/articles/1582193/20080225/story.jhtml?rsspartner=rssRSSOwl

Buddhist Thought for the Day

Conquer the angry man by love.
Conquer the ill-natured man by goodness.
Conquer the miser with generosity.
Conquer the liar with truth.

--The Dhammapada

Laurent Tourondel's Bouillabaisse Marseilles

The ever-expanding BLT empire is going to have a new addition and one that is a departure from previous generations. The Trump Soho, on which construction has recently resumed, is to have a big, new BLT restaurant, but chef-owner Laurent Tourondel says it won’t be a BLT Steak, Burger, Prime, Fish, or Market. “It’s going to be a new concept, something I’ve never done before,” he says. Tourondel also shot down a rumor we’d heard that a hot, young downtown chef was being recruited to do another big restaurant in the building. “I’m in charge of all the food and beverage there, so I would know,” he asserts. Unless he just isn’t telling.

Tourondel once helmed a restaurant I loved, Cello, which was located in a townhouse in the Lenox Hill section of New York City. I always ordered the bouillabaisse. It was outrageously delicious. Luckily I have the recipe. It takes some time and effort but the result is worth it. Believe me :)

Laurent Tourondel's Bouillabaisse Marseilles from Cello Restaurant, New York, NY

Yield: 6 -8 servings

2 pounds rock fish, filleted, bones reserved
1 pound John Dory, filleted, bones reserved
2 pounds rouget or red snapper, filleted, bones reserved
1 pound striped bass, filleted, bones reserved
2 pounds grouper, filleted, bones reserved
6 blue crabs, broken into small pieces
16 small squid
1 cup mussels
Two 1 1/2 pound lobsters, head separated and crushed
1/2 medium onion, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 carrot, diced
5 garlic cloves
2 large tomatoes, diced
1/2 fennel bulb, diced
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
12 black peppercorns
3 Tablespoons Pastis (licorice-flavored alcohol from south of France)
1 cup white wine
1 dried red chile pepper
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs of thyme
1 pinch saffron
5 parsley stems
6 Tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper


Rouille


1/2 cup olive oil
6 garlic cloves
1 fresh chile pepper
1 pinch saffron
1 cooked potato, peeled


Garnish


8-10 cooked potatoes
1 baguette
10 Tablespoons Gruyère cheese, grated


To prepare the bouillon, in a large, hot stockpot roast the bones of the rock fish, rouget, striped bass, grouper, crab and the lobster heads in the olive oil. Once the bones are caramelized, add the onion, celery, carrot, fennel and garlic; sweat for 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook until soft. Stir in the tomato paste and coat all of the vegetables and bones. Add the pastis, and cook until dry. Add the white wine and reduce by half. Add the peppercorns, chile pepper, bay leaf, thyme, saffron, and parsley stems; add enough water to just cover everything. Cook until the liquid has reduced by a third. Stir frequently so that nothing sticks to the bottom of the pot.


In another large pot run all of the contents of the bouillabaisse through a medium holed food mill. Season with salt and pepper. Bring the bouillon to a simmer and add each filet of fish individually based on its thickness (thickest filets first). Cut the lobster tail through the shell into large pieces. Add the lobster, squid and mussels to the bouillon. Cook until the mussels open. Serve as is in the pot.


To prepare the Rouille, in a food processor, combine all the ingredients. Season with salt pepper. Serve on the side with the Gruyère cheese, cooked potatoes and toasted baguette.

source http://starchefs.com/bouillabaisse/html/english/recipe_04.shtml

Unbelievable Magazine Ads from Back in the Day

"Blow in her face and she'll follow you anywhere." Pretty much says it all.


LOL

Source: http://adsoftheworld.com

Oh, Snap!! Who Put the Pop in Snap, Crackle and Pop ??

Even though it's not unusual for songs by sacred icons like the Stones and the Beatles – even Bob Dylan – to be heard hawking products on television these days, it was rare in 1963. And even now it's not kosher for a band to actually compose a jingle for a commercial, which is what the Rolling Stones did back then. The folks at Spinner unearthed (though it was right there on YouTube) a TV spot for Rice Krispies that ran in the UK when the Stones were considered a scary bunch of yobbos.


Source: http://www.worldofwonder.com

Deaf Dancers Find Fame in China

Disabled troupe breaks barriers through expressive art

The deaf China Special Art Troupe hopes to perform at the opening ceremony of the Beijing Paralympics later this year. The troupe has become well known in China and has travelled extensively abroad, showcasin its expressive form of dance.



Source http://www.reuters.com

Estonian Waterfall Sculptures

Highest waterfall in Estonia freezes, creating a spectacular winter wonderland.
The Valaste waterfall is 25-metres high and lies between the village of Ontika which has just 83 inhabitants, and Valaste, where 121 people live.

Strong sea winds and sudden low temperatures have seen much of the waterfall freeze. While water still flows, everything surrounding it is covered in beautiful ice crystals. The strong winds blew the water up from the falls, covering all nearby objects.



Source http://www.reuters.com
http://liveleak.com

Snow Day

Above: A man makes his way through the snow in Central Park in New York, February 22, 2008.
REUTERS/Keith Bedford (UNITED STATES)

An unexpected winter storm brought the heaviest snowfall of the season to New York City today, delaying area flights for hours and snarling road travel throughout the Northeast.

The city received as much as 8 inches (20 centimeters) of snow before it tapered off and changed to a mix of freezing rain and sleet around noon, the National Weather Service said. As little as 1 inch had been forecast. A winter storm warning remains in effect until just after midnight.

"So far this has been a relatively easy winter, but we have a long day and a long night ahead of us", New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said at a press conference.

"The storm caused morning accidents and delays on Connecticut, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania highways and created havoc for tractor-trailers throughout the New York City region", said Gene Michaels of Westwood One Inc.'s Metro Networks traffic service.

"By around 1 p.m., major roads in the New York City region were plowed and down to the asphalt", Metro Networks said.

Staten Island had the biggest snowfall in New York City, with 8 inches on the ground as of 10:25 a.m., according to the weather service. Central Park received 6.

Fairfield County received the heaviest amount in Connecticut, with 9 inches in Stratford. Bergen County got the most in New Jersey, with 7 inches in Franklin Lakes.

Stronger Than Expected

"A coastal low-pressure system moved in overnight, bringing a lot of moisture," said Dave Sage, a meteorologist with the weather service in Buffalo, New York. "It arrived a bit sooner and stronger than expected."

Source: http://www.bloomberg.com

Buddhist Thought for the Day

Through humor, you can soften some of the worst blows that life delivers. And once you find laughter, no matter how painful your situation might be, you can survive it.

--Bill Cosby


Photo of Laughing Buddha from http://www.sanctuarytattoo.com

Anthony Bourdain Gives Good Quote

Fodor's recently talked to Anthony Bourdain about his favorite spots in New York City. He reveals where to go for underground (literally) sake and Tokyo-style snacks, the city's best lox-scrambled eggs, and splurge-worthy Italian. And I love his curmudgeonly take on the city’s live-music scene: “I don't know which is worse: to be packed in a room with a lot of people half your age, in which case you feel like an idiot, or even worse, go see someone you've really loved for a long time, like Elvis Costello, and you look around and see all the other original fans and they're all old and hideous just like you.”


Fodor's: What do you love most about New York cuisine?

AB: I'd attack the question like this, 'What do we do in New York better than anyone else in the world?' And the answer to that question is deli. If you have limited time in New York, hit Barney Greengrass, the Sturgeon King, for the classic New York breakfast. You know, smoked fish, a toasted bialy or bagel, lox, or their scrambled eggs with lox and onions. It's great to go on a Sunday and pick up a copy of the Post, or pick up the Sunday Times. That's about as New York as it gets. And then to complete your deli exploration, go to Katz's Delicatessen for a pastrami sandwich. It's the food that I miss when I'm away, no matter how well I'm eating. Even in places with fantastic food -- Singapore, Hong Kong -- the food that I miss first is deli.

Fodor's: Are there any new or underrated restaurants that people should know about?
AB: I don't think it's possible to overpraise Momofuku Ssäm Bar. I think it's one of the few cases where a place totally lives up to the hype. It's that exciting. Call ahead and go for the Bo Ssäm, the whole pork butt. They also have a frisée salad with a spicy tripe stew underneath that's just mind-blowing. That's one of those places where you just go and eat as much as you can. It is not a home for vegetarians. It is hostile territory for vegetarians.

Fodor's: Where do you go for a romantic evening?

AB: Definitely Del Posto if we're looking to put on really good clothes and go out and spend a lot of money on a high-end meal. That's a special event dinner, and I think it's outrageously good. I think its genius. I love it. And my wife is Italian, so she's a very harsh critic of Italian restaurants, to say the least. But she loves it. That's a good night out.

Fodor's: Do you usually hang out in one neighborhood?

AB: I'll go where the food is. I think the Time Warner Center is the ugliest building in the universe, but I'd walk through hell to eat at Per Se or Masa. I just signed a contract for a nice advance for a book, and I'm looking to totally reward myself and do something really outrageously expensive and self indulgent. A woman might go out for an Hermès bag, I go to Masa. That's also a really good first date place. Take someone to Masa and if they don't eat absolutely everything, there's no possibility of a relationship.

Fodor's: What are some of your favorite bars?

AB: You know, I'm looking for food and drink at the same time. Maybe Sakagura, which has really good sake. It's sort of an underground joint with a whole lot of different sakes -- very Japanese. We've been going out for a lot of underground yakitori lately...to little izakayas that are for Japanese only and you eat little bits of chicken on a stick -- very authentic, Tokyo-style, super casual places that are built around the whole idea of drinking beer or sake and snacking. Yakitori Totto (251 West 55th St., 2nd flr.) is fantastic. That's become something of a chef hangout.

Fodor's: How about street vendors? Are there any you'd recommend?

AB: The Red Hook South American vendors (photo, right), and I know they're under fire. It's something to be sadly missed. It's shameful that beyond the usual dirty water hot dogs, about which I'm pretty sentimental, we don't have anything remotely similar to what they have in Singapore. There's no street food that I could enthusiastically say, 'This is worth traveling for.' There's the odd souvlaki or gyro guy that's okay, and some people get really sentimental about them. Me? Nah. We're good on the high-end. We're a place to go for deli and for the high-end.

Fodor's: Do you ever go out to hear live music?

AB: Never. I don't care if it's the Beatles or the Stones with all their original members somehow exhumed and back from the dead. I don't know which is worse: to be packed in a room with a lot of people half your age, in which case you feel like an idiot, or even worse, go see someone you've really loved for a long time, like Elvis Costello, and you look around and see all the other original fans and they're all old and hideous just like you. It's a totally depressing experience. I just don't go out and see music anymore.

Fodor's: If you have any friends or family visiting, are there any hotels that you'd recommend?

AB: I'm always looking for a boutique-y hotel. When I wake up in the morning I want to know where I am; a place that doesn't feel like every other chain hotel in every other city. The Mercer has a boutique-y feel to it. People who come in from out of town and stay there give me good reports.

Fodor's: Now that you're a dad, where are some of your favorite places to go with your daughter?

AB: Central Park. It's great. My daughter loves it, and she loves Carl Schurz Park. That's a very baby-friendly park. She doesn't walk yet. I stroll her around the park. There are good swings, doggies to look at, and it's on the river. I'm looking forward to bringing her to the Museum of Modern Art and the Guggenheim, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I like museums and I loved it when my dad would bring me as a kid.

http://www.fodors.com/news/story_2939.html

Candy Man

Above: Portrait of Oscar nominee George Clooney made in mosaics of thousands of Jelly Belly candies by Roger Rocha.
Photo: AFP

A portrait of George Clooney has been made using 10,000 sweets.

The image of the 46-year-old actor - who is nominated for the Best Actor Oscar for his role in Michael Clayton at the Academy Awards on Sunday - was commissioned by the Jelly Belly Gourmet Beans Company.

The piece - which features Cotton Candy beans for George's cheeks and Buttered Popcorn candy for his highlighted hair - will be donated to a charity of George's choice later this week. Unless it goes to Clooney of course, then it will be a beloved treasure that’s prominently displayed in his house.

We love us some Clooney — especially with a Cotton Candy glow on his cheeks and some Cantaloupe laugh lines — but are those Coconut teeth and Buttered Popcorn highlights? Ick.

Flavor preferences aside, we can't wait to see how George's notoriously goofy and competitive Ocean's pals will respond. A statue of Brad Pitt made of Mike and Ikes? A chocolate Matt Damon for Easter? A carving of Don Cheadle in Bit-O-Honey?

Source: Page Six
and
http://www.theage.com.au/news/film/clooney-immortalised-in-beans/2008/02/21/1203467235288.html

Moonshadow, Moonshadow - Lunar Eclipse contd

A sequence of images taken approximately every twenty minutes show the moon passing through the shadow of the earth as photographed in Toronto Wednesday Feb. 20, 2008. A total lunar eclipse, can only occur on a full moon, when the moon passes through the shadow of the earth. The next total lunar eclipse will not be visible from North America until Dec. 21, 2010.
(AP Photo/THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld)

Five Leading Tibetan Organizations Launch Major Protest

Five leading Tibetan organisations launch a major protest march from India to Tibet demanding for the peaceful resolution of the Tibet issue. Below is an article written by Bijender Sharma published by Punjab News Online:

Five leading Tibetan organizations announced today [19-02-2008] the launch of the "Tibetan People's Uprising Movement", a new coordinated Tibetan resistance effort in the lead up to the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Exiled Tibetans led by five organizations have announced a plan to take a major protest march from India to Tibet demanding China for the peaceful resolution of Tibet issue.

The groups announced that hundreds of Tibetans would depart from Dharmsala, the home of the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan Government-in-Exile, on March 10 [2008], this year the day Tibetans would be observing the anniversary of the uprising against Chinese rule, with the hope to walk to Lhasa, Tibet's capital. The long-distance protest march is part of a series of global protest actions Tibetans and their support groups are planning to disrupt the symbolic relay of the Olympic torch as it is carried through 20 cities on five continents. "China is hoping to showcase itself as a global leader and forever silence any challenges to its rule in Tibet," Tsewang Rigzin, president of the Tibetan Youth Congress, and others told reporters at a press conference in Lower T C V in Mcleodganj near Dharmshala on the concluding day of three day workshop on Tibet.

Tsewang urged Tibetans around the world to take to the street and take actions wherever China takes the torch, but called on Tibetans to refrain from using violent means."The march to Tibet is an initiative by exiled Tibetans to strengthen Tibetan resistance by taking the struggle home," Tsewang said. The group members, however, refrained from divulging further details on the march, including the route they planned to take. China has ruled Tibet since Communist troops forcefully invaded the region in 1950. China's illegal occupation of the once peaceful cultural nation subsequently resulted in the death of an estimated 1.2 million Tibetans and destruction of thousands of monasteries. Besides, China is accused of carrying on unabated gross violation of Human rights in Tibet, other ethnic regions and China at large. With the world's attention drawn on China as it prepares to host the 2008 Games in China, Tibetans have long vowed not to miss the moment to press for their cause. And Tibetans are not alone in their struggle.

There are other endless lists of international activists and human rights campaigners desperately pushing China for a better change and expose their wrongdoings.

Photo Source
http://blog.studentsforafreetibet.org