One More Moondance

Old friends pass away, new friends appear. It is just like the days. An old day passes, a new day arrives. The important thing is to make it meaningful: a meaningful friend - or a meaningful day.

--Dalai Lama

Linguine with Portobello "Truffles"

Linguine with Portobello "Truffles"

1 (8-ounce) package uncooked linguine pasta - (If using as a first course dish, use 1 1/2 ounces pasta per person.)
2 large portobello mushrooms
3 to 4 tablespoons butter
Coaarse salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 to 3 teaspoons white truffle oil

Cook linguine pasta according to package directions to al dente; drain and return to pan to keep warm. NOTE: Reserve a little of the hot pasta water to moisten the pasta later.

Remove the stems of the portobello mushrooms. Place the caps on a plate with the gills side up. With a paring knife, cut the mushrooms in half and begin to scrape the gills away from the cap where they meet. You will notice that the gills look like small, rectangular chopped truffles as they drop onto the plate. Repeat with the other mushroom halves. Reserve the gills for the "truffles" to sprinkle on top of the pasta dish when finished.

Source http://whatscookingamerica.net

Rapunzel is alive and well

Mar. 5 - Annual competition to crown the woman with the longest hair takes place in Lithuania.

Lithuania's "Miss Longest Hair" competition recently attracted girls from across the country, many with more than a metre long hair, to vie for the title.

Source Reuters

Every year, Lithuania holds a “Miss Longest Hair” competition—yes, there’s nothing better to do in Lithuania. The winner gets all kinds of hair care products, which they’ll certainly need to get out of those absolutely freakish hairstyles.

Here's a behind the scenes view:

There are the makings of a Christopher Guest mockumentary here :)

Tibet's language, customs fading away: Dalai Lama

BEIJING (Reuters) - Tibet's language, customs and traditions are fading away and Tibetans live in fear as they become an insignificant minority in their Himalayan homeland, the Dalai Lama will say in a speech on Monday.

The Dalai Lama, Tibet's exiled spiritual leader, will urge the international community to call on China to respect freedom of expression during the Beijing Olympics, according to an advance copy of his statement obtained by Reuters.

Monday marks the 49th anniversary of an uprising crushed by the Chinese People's Liberation Army, driving the Dalai Lama, now 72, into exile in India.

"The language, customs and traditions of Tibet ... are gradually fading away," the Dalai Lama will say in the speech from Dharamsala, the north Indian hill station where he lives.

Tibetans "have had to live in a state of constant fear, intimidation and suspicion under Chinese repression", he will say.

"Repression continues to increase with numerous, unimaginable and gross violations of human rights, denial of religious freedom and the politicization of religious issues."

As a result of China's policy of population transfer, the non-Tibetan population has increased many times, reducing Tibetans to an "insignificant minority in their own country ... I urge the Chinese government to bring an immediate halt to such policies," the Dalai Lama will say.

The atheist Communist Party has competed against the Dalai Lama for the loyalty of his people but the 1989 Nobel Peace Prize winner remains the single most important figure in Tibetan life.

China has defended itself saying it ended centuries of serfdom and has poured billions of dollars to develop Tibet and raise the living standards of the impoverished, predominantly Buddhist region.

Turning to the Olympics, the Dalai Lama will say he has supported Beijing hosting the Games from the very beginning, dismissing an accusation by China's top official in Tibet, Zhang Qingli, that he was trying to "sabotage and cause trouble."

The Dalai Lama will urge the international community to urge China to prove itself a good host by respecting freedom of expression during the Games.

"The world should ... explore ways of investing their collective energies in producing a continuous positive change inside China after the Olympics have come to an end," he will say.

The Dalai Lama will have no harsh words for Chinese President Hu Jintao, who said last week stability in occasionally restive Tibet had a bearing on the stability of China as a whole.

The Dalai Lama will welcome China's emergence as a powerful country thanks to its economic progress, but he will prod China to improve observance of the rule of law, transparency, the right to information and freedom of speech.

Despite "no concrete result" in talks between China and the Dalai Lama's envoys, the Dalai Lama will say his "determination to pursue the middle-way policy and to continue our dialogue with the Chinese government remain unchanged."

Source Reuters

Bush Sings His Farewell Tune

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Add this to his legacy: President Bush can sing. Well, he can be a good sport about it, anyway.

In a tuxedo and cowboy hat, the president sang his own farewell tune Saturday night at the annual dinner of the Gridiron Club, an invitation-only institution of Washington journalists. On a night of skits and satire, Bush surprised a high-powered crowd by crooning with the help of backup singers he called the ''Busharoos.''

The audience -- Supreme Court justices, lawmakers, big-name reporters and more -- rose to applaud his effort, the first singing performance by a president at the annual dinner of the club since it was founded in 1885.

To the tune of ''Green Green Grass of Home,'' Bush sang about his life ahead -- on the ranch, with his dog, and without the meddlesome media around.

''As I step down from the plane and there to meet me is my mama and my papa, down the lane I look and here comes Barney, heart of gold and breath like honey,'' Bush sang.

''Yes, you're gonna miss me, the way you used to quiz me,'' he sang to the reporters. ''It's good to touch the brown brown grass of home.''

Bush said his singing was the ''first and final performance'' of its kind. He also told reporters that he appreciated their work, for the most part.

''Now, it's true you sometimes get on my nerves,'' he said. ''But when you're not writing your stories, you're really not half bad.''

This was Bush's last Gridiron Club dinner; his presidency ends on January 20, 2009. Before he left the stage, Bush made sure that his acquaintances would not be forgotten. He joined other performers and the whole crowd for a send-off rendition of ''Auld Lang Syne.''

Source Associated Press

You Can Keep Your Hat On

SAO PAULO (Reuters) - The normally taciturn Bob Dylan was moved to words on Thursday night when a young Brazilian woman rushed on stage and hugged him during a concert in Sao Paulo.

The American singer-songwriter is known for saying very little to his audience between songs and if he does it's usually an incomprehensible mumble.

During the encore of his second show in Sao Paulo, a long-haired woman ran on to the stage and embraced the star. A startled-looking Dylan hung on to his black Cordoba hat before a bouncer carried her away.

At the end of the song, he spoke to his fans for the first time in a two-hour show. "Thank you, friends. And I'd like to thank that young lady for coming up and joining us on stage."

Then he started chuckling to himself and said: "Where did she go? I want to give her my hat. Don't let her get away."

It was not known if the two did eventually get to meet formally. Dylan is currently on tour of Latin America with dates in Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Chile.

Friday, March 7, 2008

Buddhist Thought for the Day

When people get angry they lose all sense of happiness. Even if they are good-looking and normally peaceful, their faces turn livid and ugly. Anger upsets their physical well-being and disturbs their rest; it destroys their appetites and makes them age prematurely. Happiness, peace, and sleep evade them, and they no longer appreciate people who have helped them and deserve their trust and gratitude.

Dalai Lama

They Just Heard About the 75% Off Sale at Jimmy Choos

150 women thundered down Amsterdam's most famed fashion street in stiletto heels, running for a euro 10,000 (US$15,000) prize, shopping spree, Thursday March 6, 2008. The annual race on the P.C. Hooft street called the 'Stiletto Run' is only three years old but has quickly grown in popularity and spawned imitation races in Germany, Sweden, Poland and Russia.
(AP Photo/Fred Ernst)

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands - Like a herd of antelope, jockeying and shoving for position, 150 young women raced down Amsterdam's most famed fashion street in stiletto heels Thursday, racing for a $15,000 prize.

The race on the P.C. Hooft street called the "Stiletto Run" is only three years old but has quickly grown in popularity and spawned imitation races in Germany, Sweden, Poland and Russia.

The race's motto is "Shopping is a Sport" and friendly competition is encouraged — though not always observed.

"At the start there was a lot of pushing, you really get elbowed over," said Fauve Stukje, 18, who came with a small entourage and a big pink sign — but failed to win, show or place.

She said she slightly regretted her choice of shoes, which were nearly 4 inches high — a little higher than the 3 1/2 inch minimum.

Tamara Ruben, 25, from the town of Veenendaal, claimed first prize in the 380-yard race, running so smoothly you might think she was wearing sneakers.

Asked how she would spend the money, she said: "Anything but high heels."

Source Associated Press

Speaking of Bans- Louisiana Town Bans Saggy Pants

DELCAMBRE, LA (AP) -- Sag your britches somewhere else, this Cajun-country town has decided.

Mayor Carol Broussard said he would sign an ordinance the town council approved setting penalties of up to six months in jail and a $500 fine for being caught in pants that show undergarments or certain parts of the body.

Broussard said he has nothing against saggy pants but thinks people who wear them should use discretion. "It's gotten way out of hand out here," he said.

Albert Roy, the councilman who introduced the ordinance, said he thought the fine was a little steep and should be more in the $25 range, but he still favored the measure.

"I don't know if it will do any good, but it won't hurt," Roy said. "It's obvious, and anybody with common sense can see your parts when you wear sagging pants."

Broussard's advice for people who like their pants to hang low: "Just wear it properly. Cover your vital parts. I mean, if you expose your private parts, you'll get a fine. If you walk up and your pants drop, you get a fine. They're better off taking the pants off and just wearing a dress."

Source http://www.firstcoastnews.com

NY Pub Bans 'Danny Boy' on St. Patrick's

Owner Shaun Clancy poses for a picture behind the bar at Foley's Pub and Restaurant in New York, Wednesday, March 5, 2008. Clancy has banned the popular Irish song 'Danny Boy' for the month March, just in time for St. Patrick's Day.
(AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

NEW YORK - It's depressing. It's not usually sung in Ireland for St. Patrick's Day. Its lyrics were written by an Englishman who never set foot on Irish soil. Those are only some of the reasons a Manhattan pub is giving for banning the song "Danny Boy" for the entire month of March.

"It's overplayed, it's been ranked among the 25 most depressing songs of all time, and it's more appropriate for a funeral than for a St. Patrick's Day celebration," says Shaun Clancy, who owns Foley's Pub and Restaurant, just off Fifth Avenue opposite the Empire State Building.

The 38-year-old, who started bartending when he was 12 at his father's pub in County Cavan, promises a guest free Guinness if he or she sings any other traditional Irish song at the pub's March 11 pre-St. Patrick's Day karaoke party. On other nights, guests will be rewarded with a surprise.

Not everyone agrees.

Foley's is going head to head with a pub near Detroit — AJ's Cafe in Ferndale, Mich. — which is staging a "Danny Boy" marathon on St. Patrick's Day weekend, offering 1,000 renditions of the song over 50 hours.

The lyrics for the song published in 1913 were written by an English lawyer, Frederick Edward Weatherly, who never even visited Ireland, according to Malachy McCourt, author of the book "Danny Boy: The Legend of the Beloved Irish Ballad." Weatherly's sister-in-law had sent him the music to an old Irish song called "The Derry Air" and the new version became a huge hit when opera singer Ernestine Schumann-Heink recorded it in 1915.

Some say it's symbolic of the great Irish diaspora, with generations of Irish fleeing the famine and poor economic conditions starting around 1850. Others have guessed it's sung by a mother grieving for her son or even by a desolate lover — depending on how one hears lyrics like "The summer's gone, and all the flowers are dying/ 'Tis you, 'tis you must go and I must bide."

In the 1940s, "Danny Boy" was recorded by Bing Crosby, became the theme song of television's "Danny Thomas Show" from 1953 to 1964 and has been a vehicle for vocal stars from Judy Garland, Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash to Cher and Willie Nelson.

But for the rest of the month, Foley's will be "Danny Boy"-free.

"I'm glad! I'm glad! I'm glad!" exclaimed Martin Gaffney, 73, a retired passenger ship waiter who looked forward to the free beer. "You come in here and have a few pints for lunch. It'll be good."

The great old song is "all right, but I get fed up with hearing it — it's like the elections," he said in a thick Irish brogue.

Instead, Gaffney said Wednesday he looks forward to crooning his own Irish favorites, like "Molly Malone" — whose theme is also hardly a barrel of laughs.

A sort of unofficial anthem of Dublin also known as "Cockles and Mussels," the song tells the tale of a beautiful fishmonger who plies her trade on city streets and dies young of a fever.

Source Associated Press
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They should allow this version though:

Oh Danny Boy Oh Danny Boy Oh Boy Oh Boy Oh Danny!! lmao gotta love Animal :)

1888 photo depicts Helen Keller, teacher

This 1888 photo released by the New England Historic Genealogical Society in Boston shows Helen Keller when she was eight years old, left, holding hands with her teacher, Anne Sullivan, during a summer vacation to Brewster, Mass., on Cape Cod. A staff member at the society discovered the photograph in a large photography collection recently donated to the society. When Sullivan arrived at the Keller household to teach Helen, she gave her a doll as a present. Although Keller had many dolls throughout her childhood, this is believed to be the first known photograph of Helen Keller with one of her dolls. (AP Photo/Courtesy of the Thaxter P. Spencer Collection, R. Stanton Avery Special Collections, New England Historic Genealogical Society-Boston)

BOSTON - Researchers have uncovered a rare photograph of a young Helen Keller with her teacher Anne Sullivan, nearly 120 years after it was taken on Cape Cod. The photograph, shot in July 1888 in Brewster, shows an 8-year-old Helen sitting outside in a light-colored dress, holding Sullivan's hand and cradling one of her beloved dolls.

Experts on Keller's life believe it could be the earliest photo of the two women together and the only one showing the blind and deaf child with a doll — the first word Sullivan spelled for Keller after they met in 1887 — according to the New England Historic Genealogical Society, which now has the photo.

"It's really one of the best images I've seen in a long, long time," said Helen Selsdon, an archivist at the American Foundation for the Blind, where Keller worked for more than 40 years. "This is just a huge visual addition to the history of Helen and Annie."

For more than a century, the photograph has belonged to the family of Thaxter Spencer, an 87-year-old man in Waltham.

Spencer's mother, Hope Thaxter Parks, often stayed at the Elijah Cobb House on Cape Cod during the summer as a child. In July 1888, she played with Keller, whose family had traveled from Tuscumbia, Ala., to vacation in Massachusetts.

Spencer, who doesn't know which of his relatives took the picture, told the society that his mother, four years younger than Helen, remembered Helen exploring her face with her hands.

In June, Spencer donated a large collection of photo albums, letters, diaries and other heirlooms to the genealogical society, which preserves artifacts from New England families for future research.

"I never thought much about it," Spencer said in a statement released by the society. "It just seemed like something no one would find very interesting." Spencer has recently been hospitalized and could not be reached for comment.

It wasn't until recently that staff at the society realized the photograph's significance. Advocates for the blind say they had never heard of it, though after they announced its discovery Wednesday they learned it had published in 1987 in a magazine on Cape Cod and a half-century earlier in The Boston Globe. It is unclear whether there was more than one copy of the photograph.

D. Brenton Simons, the society's president and CEO, said the photograph offers a glimpse of what was a very important time in Keller's life.

Sullivan was hired in 1887 to teach Keller, who had been left blind and deaf after an illness at the age of 1 1/2. With her new teacher, Keller learned language from words spelled manually into her hand. Not quite 7, the girl went from an angry, frustrated child without a way to communicate to an eager scholar.

While "doll" was the first word spelled into her hand, Helen finally comprehended the meaning of language a few weeks later with the word "water," as famously depicted in the film "The Miracle Worker." Sullivan stayed at her side until her death in 1936, and Keller became a world-famous author and humanitarian. She died in 1968.

Jan Seymour-Ford, a research librarian at the Perkins School for the Blind in Watertown, which both Sullivan and Keller attended, said she was moved to see how deeply connected the women were, even in 1888.

"The way Anne is gazing so intently at Helen, I think it's a beautiful portrait of the devotion that lasted between these two women all of Anne's life," Seymour-Ford said.

Selsdon said the photograph is valuable because it shows many elements of Keller's childhood: that devotion, Sullivan's push to teach Helen outdoors and Helen's attachment to her baby dolls, one of which was given to her upon Sullivan's arrival as her teacher.

"It's a beautiful composition," she said. "It's not even the individual elements. It's the fact that it has all of the components."

Source Associated Press

Thursday, March 6, 2008

Buddhist Thought for the Day

The gift of truth surpasses all gifts;
the sweetness of the truth surpasses all sweetness;
joy in the truth surpasses all pleasures;
the destruction of craving overcomes all sorrows.
Riches destroy the foolish, not those who seek beyond.
By craving for riches the fool destroys oneself,
as one destroys others.
--The Dhammapada

China raps singer Bjork over Tibet protest

REYKJAVIK (AFP) — Icelandic pop singer Bjork was rapped by China's embassy in Reykjavik Thursday for apparently dedicating a song to the cause of Tibetan independence during a concert in Shanghai.

A video on Internet site Youtube shows Bjork performing in China's largest city last week and finishing the song "Declare Independence" with a chant of "Tibet, Tibet."

"What Ms Bjork has done in Shanghai has aroused strong resentment among the general public in China," the embassy said in a statement.

Bjork's support of the cause of Tibetan independence is not new -- she performed at a Free Tibet concert in San Francisco in 1996.

The song "Declare Independence", however, was originally written for Greenland and the Faroe Islands both of which belong to Denmark.

"China is a unified country with many ethnic groups, and Tibet has always been an inalienable part of China ever since ancient times," the embassy statement said.

"This is a common position of the international community, including the republic of Iceland, and not a single country in the world recognises Tibet as a 'independent country'."

"Any attempt to separate Tibet from China will definitely be opposed by Chinese people as well as those with a sense of justice in the world."

China sent troops into Tibet in 1950 and officially "liberated" it a year later.

The Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhists, later fled to India in 1959 after a failed uprising and established a government-in-exile in Dharamsala. He has been at odds with the atheist communist government in Beijing ever since.

He now calls for "greater autonomy" from China rather than fully-fledged independence.

China has complained after recent meetings between the Dalai Lama and President George W. Bush and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Source Agence France-Presse

Best Cheap Meal

Above: Polish Platter with pierogis, stuffed cabbage, mashed potatoes, hunter's stew, kielbasa

The Polish Slavic Center Cafeteria
177 Kent St., nr. McGuinness Blvd.,
Greenpoint; 718-383-5290

It’s not exactly the Google cafeteria, but what this community- center canteen lacks in steam-table style, it makes up for with cheap, delicious home cooking. Everything here is made from scratch, and no bulging plate of grub costs more than $9, with most dishes hovering around the $6.50 mark. Chef Monika Trznadel—who incidentally looks absolutely nothing like the beetle-browed women who traffic in junior-high tater tots—specializes in the kind of rib-sticking stuff you’d expect to find on the bill of fare at a Polish lumberjack camp. We’re partial to the white borscht, the pork meatballs, the Gorski mountain cutlet (thick breaded pork with a fried egg on top), and the cheese blintzes. Main courses come with mashed potatoes and gravy, a choice of salad, and a cup of the cherry-flavored juice called compot. There’s also enough offal here (tripe stew, pig’s feet, tongue with gravy) to feed a small army of Mario Batalis.

Here's the NY Mag review:

The portions at the spotless, skylit PSC (Polish Slavic Center) Cafeteria in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, are so much better than Le Cirque's that even the burly working men who congregate here wobble like tentative tightrope walkers as they carry their pierogi-packed trays back to their tables. Satisfying slabs of meat loaf, chicken cutlets, and beef-and-pork-stuffed peppers are a few of the hearty entrées heaped high with mashed potatoes and gravy, red cabbage, coleslaw, rye bread, plus a glass of compot (the room-temp fruit drink)—all for under seven bucks. Throw in a measly extra dollar and you get a big bowl of the soup of the day. Or splurge on dessert: perhaps the best cheese blintzes in Greenpoint served with a dollop of vanilla-sweetened sour cream.

Source NY Mag

The $48 All-You-Can-Eat Swedish Sunday Brunch

Aquavit
65 E. 55th St., nr. Park Ave.; 212-307-7311

In what universe, you ask, can a $48 brunch (even one including an ice-cold Carlsberg or a “Danish Mary”) be considered a steal? The one in which you claim a booth in the posh Sunday-afternoon serenity of the Aquavit dining room, strategize a plan of attack, and proceed to decimate the lavish spread in the room next door. Can you eat $48 worth of various herrings and sundry salmons; Västerbotten cheese and Swedish crispbread; Swedish meatballs, braised brisket, and leg of lamb; and all of the other goodies that the kitchen replenishes as quickly as you scoop them up? Well, you can certainly try. And if you need guidance, management thoughtfully provides each table with a handy primer that begins like this: “1: Think of the Smörgåsbord as a three- or four-course meal. 2: Don’t overload your plate.” Happily, these are just suggestions, not commandments.

Traditional Swedish Meatballs

INGREDIENTS:
6 tablespoons butter or margarine, divided
1 onion, chopped
1 cup dried bread crumbs
1 cup evaporated milk, divided
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 pinch dried parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon tomato sauce
ground nutmeg to taste

DIRECTIONS:
Melt 3 tablespoons butter or margarine in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and saute for 5 to 10 minutes, or until tender.
In a separate medium bowl, combine the bread crumbs with 2 tablespoons of evaporated milk and stir, allowing the crumbs to absorb the milk. Add the ground beef, onion, egg, salt, ground black pepper and parsley to taste. Mix well and form into golf ball sized meatballs.
Heat remaining butter or margarine in the same skillet over medium to medium high heat and add the meatballs. Carefully shake the skillet to turn the meatballs, as needed. Saute for 10 to 15 minutes, or until meatballs are browned on all sides. Transfer the meatballs to a serving platter, reserving the liquid in the skillet.
Add the flour to the skillet and stir until smooth. Then gradually add the evaporated milk, tomato sauce and nutmeg to taste; again stirring until mixture is warmed, smooth and creamy. Strain over meatballs.

Let Love Of Orchids Bloom Again

Orchids provide simple, elegant bursts of color to the household, and are increasingly a favorite flower.

Fans from around the world are now coming to the famed Orchid Show at the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx, to plant themselves in room full of orchids. The Orchid Show runs February 23 - April 6, 2008.

“Orchids are one of the largest plant kingdoms on the planet - there are about 30,000 different species and over 150,000 hybrids,” said Margaret Csala from “Shop in the Garden” in the New York Botanical Garden.

Orchids are known for their structural and unusually shaped blooms. Dancing ladies orchids have flared petals that look like the end of a skirt. The common Phalaenopsis is also called the moth orchid because its bloom’s broad shape resembles a flying moth.

“The Phalaenopsis comes in a variety of white and pinks, purples and even yellow with some spots or stripes. They are very easy to care for and very easy to get to re-bloom,” said Csala.

Their blooms can last up to 14 weeks.

Another easy orchid to care for is the lady’s slipper orchid, known for its shoe-like shape.

“The Paphiopedilum, or lady’s slipper orchid, is another one that’s becoming more popular in the market,” said Csala.

“This has an amusing history, because during Victorian times women were not allowed to look at this flower because its shape was considered too suggestive. It would be scandalous if a woman looked at this orchid,” continued Csala.

Some orchids are also fragrant like the Cattleya or corsage orchid. But don’t expect fragrance all day.

“Many varieties are fragrant only at certain times of day because they are attracting insects to pollinate them that only fly at certain times of day,” said Csala.

The multitudinous breeds of orchids need various lighting conditions, but their care is pretty much the same - a weekly watering with some orchid food.

A common misconception about orchids is that once the the flower dies, the plant has died. In fact, an orchid plant without flowers is lying dormant, and it needs the same love and care so it can bloom again.

Source NY1 News

http://www.nybg.org/tos/

Moondance Diner Set To Re-Open In Wyoming

The grill will soon be sizzling and the coffee will be flowing at the Moondance diner, but to get a bite, New Yorkers will have to book a cross-country flight.

The diner was uprooted last year and placed onto a flat bed, which then trekked 2,400 miles to its new home in LaBarge, Wyoming.

The diner's owner says renovation work is on schedule for a June opening, despite a January snow storm that caused the roof and some of its walls to collapse.

The Moondance Diner, formerly called the Holland Tunnel Diner, retains several
original &/or distinctive elements; chrome detailing, a barrel roof
ceiling, wrap-around windows, counter & stools, as well as a famed
retro revolving moon sign by the late architect/designer Alan
Buchsbaum & designer/signmaker Jim Rogers.

Before taking the road trip out west, the Moondance Diner spent nearly 80 years by the entrance to the Holland Tunnel.

The Moondance Diner's incandescent, crescent-shaped sign was a beacon for hungry visitors roaming north of Canal Street amid a Hopper-esque landscape not far from the mouth of the Holland Tunnel. The late-night watering hole has appeared in episodes of "Friends" and "Sex and the City," and it was where Peter Parker's girlfriend, Mary Jane, played by Kirsten Dunst, waited tables in the 2002 film "Spider-Man." In real life, playwright Jonathan Larson ("Rent") worked at the diner.

"There are not going to be any more diners," the owner of Moondance Diner, Sunil "Sunny" Sharma, said last year before it shut down business in NYC. Inside the narrow restaurant, black-and-white photos of Yankees stars greeted customers who came to enjoy milkshakes, handcut fries, homemade buttermilk onion rings, and burgers. The food was priced a bit higher than one might expect at a diner: Cole slaw was $2.95.

"Well, it's a marvelous night for a moondance
With the stars up above in your eyes
A fantabulous night to make romance
'neath the cover of October skies."

Source NY Sun
NY1 News
Van Morrison

Letters Under Scrutiny in NY Blast

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Police are investigating letters that arrived Thursday at Capitol Hill offices containing a photo of the Times Square military recruiting office before it was bombed and including the claim "We Did It."

The manila envelopes contained a photo of a man standing in front of the recruiting station, according to a Democratic aide who spoke on condition of anonymity because the matter is under investigation. The photo was the kind commonly sent as a holiday greeting card.

The message on the card: "Happy New Year, We Did It."

The envelope also contained a packet of approximately 10 sheets of paper that seemed to be a political manifesto railing against the Iraq war and a booklet. The aide didn't know what the booklet was.

A law enforcement official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the case is ongoing, confirmed the letter's contents and said police are investigating.

The Associated Press obtained a copy of an e-mail from the office of Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., to other lawmakers Thursday that reads:

"A few offices on the House side have received a letter today addressed to 'Members of Congress' with a picture of a man standing in front of the Times Square recruiting station that was bombed in New York today with the statement 'We did it.' He is standing in front of it with his arms spread out and he's attached his political manifesto."

Authorities advised the recipients to leave the letters alone and call police, the e-mail says.

The man was thin, white with graying hair, wearing a striped flannel shirt and jeans, according to the Democratic aide.

Sgt. Kimberly Schneider, a Capitol Police spokesman, said she had received media calls asking about the letter. She said she had made some initial checks but had not been able to confirm reports of the letter.

The small bomb caused minor damage to the New York military recruiting station before dawn Thursday and police were searching for a hooded bicyclist seen on a surveillance video pedaling away.

The blast left a gaping hole in the front window and shattered a glass door, twisting and blackening its metal frame. No one was hurt, but Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said the device, though unsophisticated, could have caused "injury and even death."

Source Associated Press

Small Explosion Rocks Times Square

A small explosion damaged a U.S. military recruiting station but caused no injuries in New York's Times Square before dawn on Thursday, triggering a Pentagon alert for other stations across the country.

"We're treating it as if it were an incident of vandalism," Army spokesman Paul Boyce said at the Pentagon.

Times Square -- the normally bustling "Crossroads of the World" with shops, restaurants, hotels, theaters and office towers -- was largely empty when the crude bomb went off at around 3:45 a.m. (0845 GMT).

Low-grade explosives packed in an ammunition box cracked the recruiting station's thick glass door and twisted its metal framing, police said. The blast also shattered a window encasing the classic poster of Uncle Sam saying "I Want You."

In Washington, the Homeland Security Department said there was no sign of an immediate threat to the United States from the incident and White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said there was no initial sign of any link to terrorism.

The Army sent a notice to its 1,650 recruiting stations nationwide to remind recruiters to be careful, Boyce said.

New Yorkers have been on alert since al Qaeda militants used hijacked planes to destroy the World Trade Center towers in Manhattan on September 11, 2001, killing more than 2,700 people. The Twin Towers were also targeted in 1993 by a truck bomb that killed six people.

Police Commissioner Ray Kelly showed reporters a security camera video of the blast and said police were looking into similarities to small explosions at the British and Mexican consulates in 2005 and 2007, also in the early morning hours.

The video was dark and grainy, but Kelly said it showed a person on a bicycle approaching a traffic island, dismounting and walking to the door of the recruiting station. The person leaves shortly before the blast.

A witness described the suspect as "fairly large" but could not say for sure whether it was a man or a woman, Kelly said.

TARGETS OF PROTEST

The one-story recruiting center in a traffic island in the middle of Times Square invites people to sign up for the U.S. armed forces and periodically attracts anti-war protesters.

The Granny Peace Brigade, an anti-war group that has frequently held protests at the site, denounced the bombing and disassociated itself from "mindless acts of terror."

The blast occurred before the fifth anniversary on March 19 of the start of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg said the attack was an insult to all military personnel serving around the world.

A witness told police of a hooded person with a backpack riding a bicycle "in a suspicious manner" in front of the station shortly before the blast, Kelly said.

The bomb was larger than those used in the grenade attacks on the British and Mexican consulates, Kelly said. He said it could have caused injury or even death.

In May 2005, the British consulate in New York was attacked by two small pre-dawn blasts from two "novelty" grenades in the shape of a pineapple and a lemon. Last October, the same types of grenades were used in blasts at the Mexican consulate.

In both incidents, a man was seen fleeing on a bicycle.

Kelly said he could not definitively say Thursday's blast was linked to the two consulate attacks but it was "certainly a possibility" given the similarity in the time of day, sighting of a person on a bicycle and size of the blasts.

He said forensic teams would investigate whether they were in fact linked.

Nino Reyes, 26, told Reuters he had just opened his coffee and snack stand when he heard an explosion and saw a plume of smoke shoot up.

Security footage of the Times Square blast and the possible suspect biking up to the building.

A small bomb goes off in front of a military recruitment station in New York's Times Square, causing little damage to the building and no injuries. Police say a witness reports seeing a man driving suspiciously on a bicycle before the explosion.

Source Reuters

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Buddhist Thought for the Day

Whether one believes in a religion or not,
and whether one believes in rebirth or not,
there isn't anyone who doesn't appreciate kindness and compassion.

Dalai Lama

PF Chang's China Bistro

P.F. Chang's China Bistro is a USA casual Chinese restaurant chain based in Arizona. The name is a combination of the Chinese restaurant's founders, Paul Fleming and Phillip Chiang. The decor is Asian and the average menu item is about $10. Some of the more popular menu items include P.F. Chang's lettuce wraps, garlic chicken, and Mongolian beef.

This past weekend I had dinner at PF Chang's China Bistro in Princeton, NJ...the food was good although not authentic Chinese and the service was good. A step above mall food court chinese but Chinatown NYC is still the best. Here are the recipes for some of the dishes we had.

P. F. Chang's Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients
3 tablespoons oil
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup water chestnuts
2/3 cup mushrooms
3 tablespoons chopped onions
1 teaspoon minced garlic
4-5 leaves iceberg lettuce
Special Sauce
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon hot mustard
2 teaspoons water
1-2 teaspoon garlic and red chile paste
Stir Fry Sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon rice wine vinegar

Directions

Make the special sauce by dissolving the sugar in water in a small bowl.
Add soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, ketchup, lemon juice and sesame oil.
Mix well and refrigerate this sauce until you're ready to serve.
Combine the hot water with the hot mustard and set this aside as well.
Eventually add your desired measurement of mustard and garlic chili sauce to the special sauce mixture to pour over the wraps.
Bring oil to high heat in a wok or large frying pan.
Saute chicken breasts for 4 to 5 minutes per side or done.
Remove chicken from the pan and cool.
Keep oil in the pan, keep hot.
As chicken cools mince water chestnuts and mushrooms to about the size of small peas.
Prepare the stir fry sauce by mixing the soy sauce, brown sugar, and rice vinegar together in a small bowl.
When chicken is cool, mince it as the mushrooms and water chestnuts are.
With the pan still on high heat, add another Tbsp of vegetable oil.
Add chicken, garlic, onions, water chestnuts and mushrooms to the pan.
Add the stir fry sauce to the pan and saute the mixture for a couple minutes then serve it in the lettuce"cups".
Top with"Special Sauce".

PF Changs Mongolian Beef

Sauce
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon minced ginger
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup dark brown sugar

1 cup vegetable oil
1 pound flank steak
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 large green onions

1. Make the sauce by heating 2 teaspoons of vegetable in a medium saucepan over med/low heat. Don't get the oil too hot or you'll get a major spatter when adding the other liquids. Add ginger and garlic to the pan and quickly add the soy sauce and water before the garlic scorches. Dissolve the brown sugar in the sauce, then raise the heat to about medium and boil the sauce for 2 to 3 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Remove it from the heat.

2. Slice the flank steak against the grain into 1/4-inch thick bite-size slices. Tilt the blade of your knife at about a forty five degree angle to the top of the steak so that you get wider cuts.

3. Dip the steak pieces into the cornstarch to apply a very thin dusting to both sides of each piece of beef. Let the beef sit for about 10 minutes so that the cornstarch sticks.

4. As the beef sits, heat up one cup of oil in a wok (you may also use a skillet for this step as long as the beef will be mostly covered with oil). Heat the oil over medium heat until it's nice and hot, but not smoking. Add the beef to the oil and sauté for just two minutes, or until the beef just begins to darken on the edges. You don't need a thorough cooking here since the beef is going to go back on the heat later. Stir the meat around a little so that it cooks evenly. After a couple minutes, use a large slotted spoon or a spider to take the meat out and onto paper towels, then pour the oil out of the wok or skillet. Put the pan back over the heat, dump the meat back into it and simmer for one minute. Add the sauce, cook for one minute while stirring, then add all the green onions. Cook for one more minute, then remove the beef and onions with tongs or a slotted spoon to a serving plate. Leave the excess sauce behind in the pan.

P.F. Chang's China Bistro Singapore Street Noodles
Singapore Sauce
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1/4 cup curry powder
1 pinch turmeric (optional)
1/4 cup lite soy
1 cup vegetarian oyster sauce
1/4 cup Sriricha chili sauce
1/4 cup ketchup

2 gallons water
1 pound rice stick noodles
4 tablespoons canola oil
8 ounces medium-size shrimp
8 ounces chicken, julienned
1 tablespoon garlic, chopped
1 cup cabbage, julienned
1/2 cup carrots, julienned
2 medium tomatoes, diced
1 bunch scallions, green parts, cut 2 inches long
1/4 bunch cilantro, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/3 cup fried shallots
1 lime, quartered

Combine vinegar, curry powder and turmeric; mix until powders are well dissolved. Add soy sauce, oyster sauce, chili sauce and ketchup; mix well. Set aside.

Bring water to a rolling boil. Place rice sticks in boiling water for 2 minutes; drain, then immediately rinse under rapid running hot water for 1 minute and drain well. Toss noodles with 2 tablespoons canola oil; set aside.

In a hot wok stir-fry shrimp and chicken in 2 tablespoons canola oil until just done, about 2 minutes. Add garlic, cabbage, carrots and tomatoes; stir-fry for 1 minute. Add noodles; stir-fry 1 minute more. Add 1 cup vinegar mixture; stir-fry until ingredients are well incorporated, about 2 minutes. Add scallions, cilantro and sesame oil; toss briefly.

Garnish with fried shallots and a lime wedge.

Makes 4 servings.

What's Food Got To Do With It

This recipe is from a Food Network episode dedicated to the food that Rock Stars eat on the road. It was titled Roadie Chefs 2. Speaking of dance, the following is a pasta recipe that Tina Turner indulges in on the road.

Tina's Show Pasta Recipe by Kate Paul

3 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus a bit extra
2 garlic cloves, peeled and lightly smashed, plus 1 garlic clove, peeled and sliced paper thin
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
4 Roma tomatoes, squeezed and roughly diced
12 ounces dry penne
1/2 pound arugula, washed and dried*
1 lemon, quartered
Shaved Parmesan
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper

*Substitutions: If arugula is not available, baby spinach or Asian greens would work as well.
In a deep saute pan or wok, place 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and the smashed garlic cloves and heat on medium until the garlic turns a golden brown and emits a deep odor. Discard the garlic and keep the pan warm on low.

Cook the pasta according to the package instructions (al dente), salting the water well. When cooked, drain the pasta, and keep warm in the saucepan, tossing the remaining tablespoon of oil through to prevent sticking.

Bring the heat on the saute pan up to medium, and when oil starts to sizzle, add sliced garlic and crushed red pepper flakes, and then the diced tomato. About a minute later add the cooked penne and start tossing or stirring to combine. Turn off the heat, add the arugula, and continue stirring, until it has started to wilt. Taste and season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper. Add more olive oil, if desired.

Divide the pasta among 4 large bowls and garnish with a quarter of lemon, for squeezing lightly over the top. Sprinkle on shaved Parmesan and enjoy! Enough to keep you dancing for hours...

Source The Food Network

French Parishioners Told They Are Forbidden From Dying

BORDEAUX, France (Reuters) - The mayor of a village in southwest France has threatened residents with severe punishment if they die, because there is no room left in the overcrowded cemetery to bury them.

In an ordinance posted in the council offices, Mayor Gerard Lalanne told the 260 residents of the village of Sarpourenx that "all persons not having a plot in the cemetery and wishing to be buried in Sarpourenx are forbidden from dying in the parish."

It added: "Offenders will be severely punished."

The mayor said he was forced to take drastic action after an administrative court in the nearby town of Pau ruled in January that the acquisition of adjoining private land to extend the cemetery would not be justified.

Lalanne, who celebrated his 70th birthday on Wednesday and is standing for election to a seventh term in this month's local elections, said he was sorry that there had not been a positive outcome to the dilemma.

"It may be a laughing matter for some, but not for me," he said.

Source Reuters

The Evolution of Dance

Maybe Bush should expand his repertoire and take it on the road :)

Tap Dancing As Fast As He Can

Mar. 5 - President Bush performs a tap dance while joking with the press corps and waiting for the arrival of Sen. John McCain to the White House.

Today, President Bush is met with Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) for lunch at the White House, where he endorsed McCain's presidential bid. He was so excited for the meeting that, while waiting for McCain to arrive, Bush stood outside on the North Portico and entertained the press corps by tap dancing, doing a goofy walk, winking, and smiling. Watch it:

MSNBC’s Tameron Hall was so distracted by Bush’s antics that she interrupted her guest to say, “I’m sorry, this alert just in. The President was tap dancing. … I don’t think I’ve seen him in a better mood.”

Here's another angle of it:

I hope he tap dances his way back to Texas....SOON !!!

Source Reuters

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Keef's Got a Brand New Bag

Above: Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards, seen here in February 2008, is to become the new public face of Louis Vuitton, the French luxury fashion house said on Tuesday.
(AFP/DDP/File)

PARIS (AFP) - Rolling Stones guitarist and rock-and-roll bad boy Keith Richards is to become the new public face of Louis Vuitton, the French luxury fashion house said on Tuesday.

For his first ever ad campaign, the 64-year-old Richards -- who has a rocky history of drug use -- is seen cradling his guitar on a hotel-room bed, the lights part obscured by skull-print black drapes.

"Some journeys cannot be put into words. New York. 3 am. Blues in C," runs the slogal of the ad, shot by US photographer Annie Leibovitz and due to appear in the magazine press next month.

Richards plans to donate the fee for the ad to the Climate Project, launched by Nobel-winning former US vice-president Al Gore and backed by Louis Vuitton.

Famous faces stars to have represented Vuitton in the past include former Russian leader Mikhail Gorbachev, French screen icon Catherine Deneuve, and US actresses Scarlett Johansson and Uma Thurman.

Source Agence France-Presse

The tagline for the Keith campaign, shot by Annie Leibovitz, is "Some journeys cannot be put into words. New York. 3 am. Blues in C." They could have done a little better, like 'Some journeys cannot be put into words. Ever snorted your dad? That's a trip.'

And after seeing the following video all I can say is "You don't tug on Superman's cape, you don't spit into the wind, you don't pull the mask off of old Lone Ranger and you don't fuck with Keef". I like the way he goes right back to playing "I Can't Get No Satisfaction" without missing a beat.

Buddhist Thought for the Day

The one who formerly was thoughtless
and afterwards became conscientious
lights up this world like the moon when freed from a cloud.
The one whose wrong actions are eradicated by good conduct
lights up this world like the moon when freed from a cloud.
--The Dhammapada

Deep in the Heart of Texas Primary Menu

Texas BBQ Beef Brisket

6 pounds beef brisket
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
3/4 cup paprika
2 tablespoons chipotle chili powder
1/4 cup black pepper
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1/4 cup salt
2 tablespoons onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

Trim the fat cap on the brisket to about 1/4 to 1/8 of an inch. Coat the brisket with a light coating of the yellow mustard. Mix the sugar and spices together to form the rub for the brisket. Apply the rub to both sides of the meat.
Place the brisket in a preheated 194 to 205 degree F smoker until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 185 to 195 degrees F, about 1 1/2 hours per pound. Once the internal temperature is reached, remove the brisket from the smoker and allow it to rest for at least 30 minutes before slicing.

Roasted Corn with Parmesan and Cayenne

8 ears fresh corn, unhusked
Mayonnaise
Grated Parmesan
Cayenne pepper
Lime wedges, for serving

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Place the corn, in its husks, directly on the oven rack and roast for 20 minutes until the corn is soft when you press on it.

To finish off the corn, peel down the husks, remove the corn silk, and tie the husks in a knot so you can hold on to it like a handle. Char the corn on a hot grill, over a gas flame, or under a broiler, until the kernels are slightly blackened all around and start popping, about 6 minutes. Rub the corn with mayonnaise, sprinkle with Parmesan and cayenne pepper so it's nicely coated. Serve with lime wedges.

Texas Toast

2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
8 cloves garlic, pureed
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 loaves good white bread, cut into 1-inch thick slices

Mix together the butter and garlic in a bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Brush both sides of the bread with the butter and place on the grill. Grill the bread for 1 to 2 minutes per side until lightly golden brown.

Texas Mashed Potato Salad Recipe

1 bag (28 ounces) frozen potato cubes with onions and peppers (recommended: Ore-Ida O'Brien potatoes)
2 hard boiled eggs, chopped
1/2 cup mayonnaise (recommended: Best Foods)
1/4 cup yellow mustard (recommended: French's)
2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish (recommended: Vlasic)
Salt and pepper
Paprika, for garnish

Place potatoes in microwave-safe bowl with 1 tablespoon water. Cover and cook on high setting for 8 minutes. Stir, re-cover and cook 10 to 12 minutes more. Drain and chill thoroughly in refrigerator.
In a mixing bowl, combine potatoes and remaining ingredients. Mash with potato masher until combined and small pieces of potato are left. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Serve scooped with an ice cream scooper and garnish with a sprinkle of paprika.

Red Velvet Bars

For Cake:
1 box (18 1/4 ounces) German chocolate cake mix (recommended: Betty Crocker)
1 stick butter, softened
1 egg
1 ounce red food coloring (recommended: McCormick)
For Cream Cheese Layer:
16 ounces cream cheese, softened (recommended: Philadelphia)
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (recommended: McCormick)

In a large mixing bowl, beat with an electric mixer on low speed, cake mix, butter, egg, and food coloring until combined. Press cake mixture into prepared pan; set aside.
In a medium mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar on medium speed until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla, beat to combine. Spread cream cheese mixture over cake layer.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 9 by13-inch baking pan lightly with cooking spray; set aside. Prepare bars as directed. Bake in preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until bars barely start to pull away from sides. Cool completely before cutting.

Source The Food Network

The New Macarena

Move over Macarena a new dance craze called the "Papaya" dance has taken over the Philippines.

It began as a gimmick on a television game show but is now performed by almost anyone, anywhere.

Several companies are even encouraging their staff to perform the dance while at work.

Maybe we should all meet at Gray's Papaya at 7:00 and have a go at it :)

Source Reuters

New Yorkers told to live a slow life

An Italian group spreads its gospel of "slow living" to fast-paced New Yorkers.

Many people on-the-go would not stop to receive the group's list of "slow mandments."

Source Reuters
Photo Credit Hiroko Masuike for the New York Times

Crazy About Coriander

The first all-coriander restaurant has opened in Tokyo.

Lucky coriander lovers now have a restaurant that caters for their love of the pungent herb. Coriander, also known as cilantro or "Phakchi" in Japan, is becoming ever more popular.

A Japanese restaurant owner started a community for coriander lovers on the internet and now has over 560 members. He has recently opened the Paxi House restaurant in Toyko which caters for the growing number of phakchi lovers in Japan.

Source Reuters

BBC: Hells Angels Sought To Kill Jagger

(AP) Rolling Stones singer Mick Jagger escaped an assassination plot hatched in 1969 by the Hells Angels, a new British Broadcasting Corp. documentary has claimed.

A program to be broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on Monday says the rock star was the target of the plot following a purported dispute with the motorcycle gang over concert security.

Jagger had vowed not to use Hells Angel members as bouncers following the death in December 1969 of an 18-year-old fan at a notorious free performance at Altamont Speedway in Northern California.

In return, gang members hatched a plan to kill Jagger at his holiday home in Long Island, New York, the BBC claimed.

"The Hells Angels were so angered by Jagger's treatment of them that they decided to kill him," Tom Mangold, the presenter of the program, was quoted as telling Britain's Sunday Telegraph newspaper.

He said the plan was disclosed during an interview with Mark Young, a former FBI officer, for the BBC's "The FBI at 100" documentary.

Mangold said the men tried to reach Jagger by sea. "The boat was hit by a storm and all of the men were thrown overboard," he was quoted as saying. They all survived but made no other attempt on his life, Mangold said.

It was not clear whether Jagger was ever informed of the alleged plot against him.

LD Communications, Jagger's publicists in Britain, did not immediately return calls requesting comment.

The Hells Angels have always denied any connection with the Altamont Speedway killing.

Source BBC via Associated Press