Girlfriend of the Week

Josh's mysterious new girlfriend here.  i am hijacking the blog for a minute to tell you all about how much i am sick of gotw.  there have been like a 100 girls already.  well i am here to say that this weeks gotw botw is sidney crosby!  thats right, can you think of sexier man?

oh and did i mention that i am the best girlfriend ever?  ask josh sometime what i got him for his birthday.  tickets to the pens opening game.  yes you should be jealous and josh isnt going to say crap about me posting pictures of the sexiest man alive.

well i am going to leave you with a few more pictures of 87.  hopefully josh will smarten up and make me his gotw soon!

RIP Greg Giraldo

Jokes.com
Greg Giraldo - 9/11 Bachelorettes
comedians.comedycentral.com
Greg Giraldo Stand-Up Greg Giraldo Jokes Hasselhoff Roast Videos


I always thought Greg Giraldo was freakin' hilarious.  A damn shame he had to overdose.  Yet Larry the Cable Guy is still going strong.

COX Cookies & Cakes! 13 Brewer Street

What a great addition to the streets of Soho and what a perfect name! Former shoe designer Patrick Cox has opened what has to be the sexiest cake shop I have ever seen. All black lacquer, sparkly walls and pink neon – with a specially created piece by Tracy Emin no less, hanging above the till! Not only are the designs cheeky and original but they're also delicious - the oozing cupcake centre's are really decadent. When drooling over their website I was particularly drawn to the COXXX selection, especially the Beef Cake…a praline flavoured bulging bicep,  so was a little disappointed to find that they don't stock it yet. I didn't come away disappointed though, after great recommendations from the helpful, leather aproned staff. Open until 11pm over Fri and Sat, this is the perfect place to pop into for something a little naughty (but legal) on your way home! 


Not just for Halloween...this triple chocolate sponge with blood red frosting was simply delicious. 

Lily Allen new Vintage clothes shop

Last week, I finally got round to visiting Lily Allen and her sister Sarah Owen’s new business venture, Lucy in Disguise. Right in the heart of Covent Garden on Kings Street, this is a must for all you vintage clothes lovers. Forget rummaging through packed rails, this is a high end, pain free experience. Housing a gorgeous selection of well-sourced pieces, from the likes of Alaia, YSL, Chanel, the wonderful Ossie Clark, as well as beautiful ‘un-named’ gems, you are sure to find your every want and need! I had to pull myself away from an Ossie maxi that was calling out to me, only to be drawn in by a beaded 20’s flapper dress! Prices aren’t cheap, starting from around £100 going into the thousands, but if you are looking for a one-off stunner then this is the place for you.

What’s lovely about the shop is that everything is accessible, so even if you’re not able to buy, it is just nice to get a real good look at these beautiful pieces and soak up the great shopping experience LID has to offer. The staff are super trendy, super friendly and also double up as personal stylists. You can then polish off your look with a trip to the blow dry bar and salon downstairs, 'et voila', you are ready for your close up! Go in and take a look…just be prepared to fall in love!

Trend Alert - Diaghilev, the Ballets Russes and its influence on fashion

The V&A’s major autumn exhibition, Diaghilev and the Golden Age of the Ballets Russes 1909 - 1929, celebrates the life and work of the legendary creative director Serge Diaghilev and his revolutionary dance company, the Ballet Russes, highlighting its enduring influence to this day. The exhibition showcases over 300 items including elaborate costumes, props, film clips and art work, as well as collaborations with major artists, designers and composers, such as Picasso, Matisse and Chanel. Billed as an inspiring, sensory feast, this is a definite must see!


An example of the sumptuous costumes featured in the exhibit.
 Images via the V&A website.

The Erdem SS'11 show drew on the Ballet Russes for inspiration (Erdem Moralioglu became inspired whilst spending time with the curator of the V&A's Summer show). This was clear to see in the silhouette of his dresses, Nicholas Kirkwood's delicate shoes and the accompanying music from the ballet Petrouchka by Igor Stravinsky.



 David Koma S/S'11 at LFW, continuing the ongoing influence of ballet in fashion. Images via Style.com

Another major ballet influence soon to hit our screens will be the release of The Black Swan, starring Natalie Portman, in January 2011. It looks fantastic...can't wait!

Experimental Food Society Spectacular

With the promise of jelly mongers, bread artists, butter sculptors and food landscapers, the man and me hot-footed it to The Brickhouse on Brick Lane this weekend, for this annual, edible, exhibition. An avant-garde celebration of food with the aim of challenging our preconceptions, whilst tantalising the taste buds. 


A number of interactive exhibits included, Stefan Gates promoting the virtues of 'bug burgers', a Marie Antoinette look-a-likey, fashioning a macaroon-adorned ball gown, and the opportunity to have your hand cast in dough...hmmm. The event culminated in a 5 course, multi-sensory, evening banquet with the opportunity to sample the day's exhibits, which I am told when down a treat. By lunch time the venue had started to get very crowded, with queues stretching around the block, so we decided to make a swift exit and indulge in a little food experimenting of our own, with some fantastic Ethiopian food from a stall next door! 

Suitable for vegetarians...the life size, suckling pig cake


Guess who...

One of the creative landscape photographs that I had wanted to see more of...

Live From Barnes and Noble!

Hey everyone, how are you folks today?  I am in Pittsburgh (to be a bit more precise, I am at the Barnes and Noble in Homestead, the Waterfront for those who have no clue).  I am sitting here, drinking a pumpkin latte (delicious) and basically killing time.  I figured I would bore you with the details of my last few days.

I decided to buy a new television on Monday.  I skipped out on going to Best Buy and followed my brother's lead and went to Wal-Mart.  I debated heavily between the 47" Vizio LCD and the 42" Vizio LED.  The second one was a little bit more expensive, but nothing ridiculous.  I looked at both for a good twenty minutes and then finally decided on the 47" (who says size doesn't matter?).

The problem with being spontaneous is that you do not think about things like "how will I get this home?"  At first I was afraid that it would not fit into the Yaris.  Fortunately, after sliding the seats all the way up, it just fit.  Sadly, I had to drive home with my knees in my chest and my head over the steering wheel.

I set it up and figured while it was scanning for channels that I might as well call Comcast and get the HD set up.  It turns out that I was already set to go.  I turned to a HD channel and sure enough, glorious picture quality.  I spent the majority of the day just watching baseball/football highlights. 

I am hoping to get a new TV stand soon.  The old one is just too high and old.  And ugly.  I think I want to rearrange my living room.  Maybe put the TV in the corner and angle everything.  What do you guys think?  You probably do not care, but whatever.  Since I have the laptop, I might as well get rid of the desk and chair.  Maybe get a recliner at some point in my life.  Apparently when you turn 30 you start thinking about interior decorating.  Weird.

Yesterday, my girlfriend and I went to the Robinson Mall.  I bought some clothes.  Actually I bought three shirts and a pair of jeans, and a jacket and shoes.  The jeans and dress shirt came from Banana Republic.  I bought two waffle shirts from Express and a fleece jacket from Eddie Bauer.  For those of you who know me, my black/gray Diesel shoes are about to fall apart.  So I bought a pair of Steve Madden shoes, they are also black and gray.  I got them at Macy's for like $45 less than the same pair at Journey's.  Sweet deal.

We then went to dinner at Bahama Breeze and she told me about my birthday present:  tickets to the Pen's home opener!  I have never been to a Pen's game, in fact the only hockey games I have ever been to were intramural games to watch my friend Jackson play.  Needless to say, I am excited.

Side note:  I do not watch reality television, but did anyone else see this promo during football on Sunday?  How the hell did she survive a watermelon to the face like that?

GIFSoup

Awesome!

Anyways, where was I?  Oh yes, my girlfriend.  Right.  Later we went out to Bar Louie's at the Waterfront.  We drank and had a great time.  And this leads me back to here.  She has my car, so I am spending the day at Barnes and Noble while she does a work thing.  No big deal.  Oh, what is that?  Yes, I have a girlfriend now.  You didn't know that?  My bad. Unfortunately, I cannot give many details about her because of some things pertaining to That Place That Shall Not Be Named.  Needless to say, I am quite happy.  Smitten is a good way to describe it.

Do you guys remember this post?  I hope so, it was only a month ago.  Since then I decided to join a gym with a guy I work with, Brent.  I have not lost weight, but I do look better and I feel much better.  The first couple days I was extremely sore.  Actually, I was sore because I kept trying to do what I could when I used to lift at Penn State.
I know I promised not to use that picture again, but I could not resist.  You can actually see that I was in decent shape, albeit a little bit scrawny and still very hairy.  I am not there yet, but now I actually have some bulk to me, and I might be able put on some muscle.

It would be nice to have some musculature and not look a thirteen year old Thai sex slave.  Ugh, I just remembered my childhood.  We will not talk about what I did when I lived in Bangladesh.  Wow, this latte is making me very hyper.  Deal with it people.

Just a quick reminder for all you  folks out there:  Saturday I turn 30.  As of now, all I know is this: (can you use two colons in one sentence?  I am not sure, but I am going to do it!  I am grammatical rebel!)  Penn State plays Iowa at 8:00 and my brother and his girlfriend want to take me out.  I am thinking the Pub at some point.  Maybe go to my mom's for a bit.  Anyone can come.  I encourage it.  I beg you.  I implore you.  I explode with excitement.  Okay, I think that is enough.



I realize this picture from my phone is terrible, but I circled what I want you to notice.

Those are not one, but two magazines devoted to Hi-Fi.  The fascinating world of speakers and music players.  Oh shit, never mind, as I lean back, I can see about six more magazines devoted to this subject.  Who subscribes to this stuff?  Sorry if I offended anyone.

The more I think about it though, why are there still specialty magazines?  If you are interested in that sort of stuff, why not just use the internet?  I am sure there are plenty of blogs and reviews written about different speakers.

This lady just came up to the counter and told the guy that she wants a regular Pepsi, not diet.  Good thing she specified.  I want to get a Mountain Dew and say "I want a Mountain Dew, not a Pepsi."  I wonder if the guy will get it?

People say idiotic shit all the time at work.  At least once a day I get someone to ask me if we have boxes for the pies.  My usual smartass response is:  Nope, you have to carry it around like that.  People also love to get change and there are very few occasion where I cannot figure out what they want.  For example:  if someone hands me a twenty, I usually give them a ten, a five, and five ones.  If they are just coming in, I might ask if they want quarters for the paper.  I love when people have to specify.  Can I get change for this ten?  A five and five ones.  No shit?  I was going to give you a roll of nickels, three ones, eight quarters, twenty dimes, and a gold dollar piece.  That would really mess with them.

I think I am going to finish up here and walk over to the movie theater.  I have no clue what I will watch, something good though.  Haha, what an idiotic statement.  I plan on going over and watching a bad movie.  I need to lay off the caffeine.




I have only had this laptop for like five months and I finally figured out how to take a picture with the webcam.  Oh yeah, me smart!  Have a great day folks.

Interiors Focus - Rainbow stairs at Benetton

How gorgeous is this rainbow staircase? It makes my mouth water just looking it. Definitely the thing to brighten a grey, dreary Monday like today. Pop into the flagship store at Oxford Circus, to see it in all its glory. Guaranteed to make you feel brighter!

CORRECTION: Turkey Hash Pie

Well, mea my culpa.


Dear friend Anne pointed out to me, correctly, that when I first posted the Turkey Hash Pie recipe yesterday the last step was left out. (Perhaps I was remembering my McSorley's days a little too well.) In any event, the recipe has now been corrected to include the final step. My thanks to Anne, and my apologies to all.


See you next week!

Selfridges shoe lounge opens at last!

Shoe heaven is finally open! At 35,000 square feet and holding at least 4,000 styles at any one time, this is the stuff of dreams!  It was like some kind of reverse Narnia...I went in there thinking I had only been 20 mins, only to realise it was more like an hour! That was without even trying anything on! With six shoe galleries and eleven bordering 'apartments', housing the best of the high street to designer must haves,  it is THE place to satisfy all your shoe cravings. Now, Selfridges is a great shopping experience anyway (apart from Saturdays when I get irrepressible crowd rage), but now with this shoe emporium it is a mandatory pit-stop. Check out these pics to get a feel for the inspiring shop fits...as well as the gorgeous shoes of course!




Wooden lasts...Part of the shoe tables in the high street section





Mulberry bow shoes..firmly on my wall of want!



Warm feet at Chanel


Nicholas Kirkwood for Rodarte, exclusive design for Selfridges

Part of the Alabaster and Silk display in the designer section

YSL...Fierce!

Another exclusive for Selfridges by Louboutin

Oh Miucca, we love you...the Prada boutique was gorgeous, with thick, beige carpet that put a spring in your step



... oh I will!

Turkey Hash Pie

My first exposure to the simple pleasure of a good hash was the corned beef kind I used to get at McSorley's - New York's oldest and most glorious ale house - during my senior year of college. Served hot with pickled red cabbage and some good rye bread, it quickly became my favorite item on the menu. (That I spent so many lunch breaks at McSorley's explains a few things about my senior year, but that's a story for another time and place.)

From that humble first impression, hash took on a new respectability for me years later when I learned chicken hash was served at Truman Capote's famous "Black-and-White Ball" at the Plaza Hotel in 1966. That was it; hash was now the big-time.

This week's recipe uses ground turkey, but using leftover cooked chicken or turkey would save a bit of cooking time and would work nearly as well. The list of ingredients looks long, but that's both the nature of hash and part of its charm.

You'll also need a 9" pie crust. Buy one if you like, but an earlier post on this site gave a recipe for a very good (I think) reduced fat pie crust. You make the call. This recipe makes one 9" pie, about four servings.


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. When the oven is ready, blind-bake the pie crust to completion, then set it aside. While the crust is baking, prepare the other ingredients, checking the crust periodically to keep it from burning. 
After the pie crust is finished, increase the oven temperature to 450 degrees. Toss four medium, cubed potatoes and ½ tablespoon of minced garlic with 2 Tbsp of olive oil to coat. Place the mixture on a baking sheet in a single layer, season with salt, and place in the oven for about 30 minutes till browned, turning occasionally for even browning. When the potatoes have finished browning, set them aside and lower the oven temperature to 350.
While the potatoes are baking, mix 1-1/2 pounds of ground turkey and ½ large grated onion, place in a large oiled skillet, add ¼ cup fat-free half-and-half and 1 tablespoon Worcestershire, and cook until the turkey is browned. When the turkey is done, set it aside.
Adding a little more oil to the same skillet, sauté ½ red pepper, chopped; ½ green pepper, chopped; 4 ounces of sliced mushrooms; and ½ cup diced celery. Add ½ cup dried cranberries, a pinch of cayenne, ½ Tbsp salt, ½ Tbsp pepper, ½ tablespoon paprika, ½ teaspoon dried sage, and the cooked turkey and cook until warmed through, about 4 – 5 minutes.
Add ¾ cup low-fat chicken broth and 1 tablespoon of chopped, fresh parsley, and simmer for a few minutes.
Place the turkey mixture into the pie crust and top with the browned potatoes. Cover the edges of the crust with foil and bake at 350 degrees until heated through, about 10 minutes. Serve hot.


As always, for a cookbook-style, notebook-ready copy of this or any other recipe on the site, just drop me a line and I’ll get it right off to you.


See you next week! Till then, stay well, keep it about the food, and always remember to kiss the cook. ;-)