Keeping it simple…
I can manage 3, maybe 4 types not the 22 types my Mom and Sisters still manage to knock out.
✔️ South African black pepper & chocolate cookies done.
✔️ Peanut Butter Blossom cookies done.
✔️ Polenta Parmesan cookie dough made and chilled
As some of you who follows me on social media (@FVSTRONA on that Twitter thing) know I tend to comment about the Hallmark Channels lack of LGBT diversity representation.
But given that my world is a bit crazed and working as I do in the government – both Paul and I tend to come home pretty stressed. So Lifetime and Hallmarks’ annual holiday overboard on the methodologic and campy “holiday love” stories do serve as a great escape from political commentary and faux leaders trying to pretend that they actually care.
It was this in mind, that when Paul mentioned a trip back east, I conspired to turn the front rooms of the house into our own “Hallmark” style, over the top version of a bnb called “EverQueer”.
Without telling him, I went through years of collected holiday decorations, managed to hit on a one day 70% off sale at Micheals, and rummaged through a few pals storage units. I even got to repurpose some ornaments that I rarely get to use now that we put up the slim line tree most years. The end result was precious and we couldn’t wait for Paul’s reaction! I think he may rethink traveling before Christmas any more… This also means I get to bring out some old favorites like angel tree topper that’s been in my family for over 50 years or the diorama I picked up a few years back.
While it was all for fun – it still doesn’t account they Hallmark refuses to address its lack of LGBT holiday love – short of it’s either afraid of its “mom and pop” conservative viewership or its simply run by folks with an overly conservative, homophobic streak. Gee, I wonder if they would respond if people started to hashtag #LGBTCelebrateTooHallmark with pictures of the loving and holiday celebrations we have. Just saying..
Our monthly book club is also about what foods we bring; what reading the book inspires us to bring and share. Many of us choose to find a way to bring an authentic or reinterpreted version of something mentioned in the book or from the time period.
Since this month we read David Grann’s Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI.
My take on the book was positive as a read. Finding it a well-balanced collection of research and storytelling that manages to remind the reader of the historical narrative of racism and white privilege at the heart of so many of this countries moments. But the subject did give me several layers of emotions.
I opted for a Bourbon Pecan Cornmeal cake with an edible gingerbread oil rig and chocolate “oil”. My unique challenge was that I have never made a gingerbread oil rig or any structure before. So choosing the right recipe and the structural challenges were quite the experience. But in the end, it all worked out.
I won’t even mention the stress of moving it in two parts then topping the cake with its “rig” caused.
I liked to cornmeal texture with the nuts. It is one I would remake. The recipe for the cake was from http://eclecticrecipes.com and used walnuts, but I had pecans laying around begging to be used.
It’s been a pretty busy few weeks so I haven’t been able to keep up with posting. This week will be a brief recap of highlights as we round the corner into the middle of October.
We tried to get ourselves motivated to do a few of the local street fairs – but we ended up missing the Folsom Sreet Fair but did head out on that Friday before or some fun at the Prime dance.
But continue to manage to get a few urban hikes in and as a treat, we included an unplanned meal at Dottie’s True Blue Cafe at its newest location, one afternoon and managed to get seats with any wait! (note- Saturday afternoon around 1:30 – no line). We definitely enjoyed all the food from the grilled cornbread, sweet roll and crumb cake to the different eggs dishes. Even the coffee is good. This is not some flash in the pan cafe – they have held court in San Francisco as a local and tourist favorite for years. Word on up Dottie’s – the pastries as well as the entrees are large and go fast. If you do get in a line, let the folks know at the counter what pastry you want so they can set one aside as once they sell out – it’s out for the day.
We did manage to check out some other local street fairs in September, including the Inner Sunset Street Fair which netted use some new food finds to try by local vendors including a new jam and a spicy garlic sesame spread.
A pal of mine collects this genre of art representing the African in American arts and when I travel and find some interesting finds for him I call him up. This set of stuffed dolls match in style two smaller ones I got at an estate sale some months earlier. For now, they sit in the living room, although a few folks have referenced the movie Annabel saying the dolls seem to follow them.
I also continue to go through boxes from our move that never was opened as well as boxes sent back from CT. This little guy was an odd character that I remember seeing while growing up. My dad used to have him in different places so now he watches over us.
Knocked out a bunch of new dishes this month including a baked ham with pan stewed apples, For book club in October – I went with a new recipe for Scalloped Potatoes meet Potato Gratin. I liked this modified version for its cheesy taste and less liquid than in regular scalloped version.
Paul and I also managed to score big at the Timbuktu outlet sale with a few new bags. One we had been looking at online we got for less than 25% of the original price.! After the sale, we stopped by a corner Mexican place called San Jalesco we hadn’t tried before but had been around forever. We liked the food so much, we ended up back there a few weeks later to try it for dinner. Well worth the money and the folks working were a lot of fun.
I also found a new fun find at Costco. I rarely have purchased the prepared food at Costco, except for the roast chickens. But the stuffed peppers with ground meat and rice looked great and are a reasonable price. So I figured I would take a risk. My suggestion – do it. They are good, easy to heat up (just add some water to the bottom of the pan first) and are pretty well flavored so no need to “almost homemade” it. Except maybe some more cheese on it, they require no work.
Had some fun with improvising a recipe for Monkey Bread. Which to be truthful, is really just an excuse to east chocolate, sugar, and cinnamon. But it works! Let’s face it – most foods that are this good – aren’t going to ever photograph that way.. so simply imagine how good it tastes. 🙂
Paul really likes Oatmeal and chocolate chip cookies – but they don’t really connect with me – so I decided to whip up a bar (pan) version. This adaption has all the same ingredients with the addition of chopped nuts. Making them thick, chewy and crispy – while rich, they tasted great. Perfect for a office party as they can be cut small but pack a punch of flavors.
We tool a quick trip to PS for a long weekend and managed to grab some perfect weather. Since it was last minute – we didn’t make many plans with anyone, but did grab dinner at Grand Central which recently opened ( and yes – go!) and got a peek at Arlan’s newest Daddy’s Barbershop.
Now, did you know – that in Palm Springs – they actually have a station on TV for dogs? Serious. DOGTV is a real thing an pretty much is hours of outdoor nature seems with natural sounds.
More to come this week including our “On The Train to Reno” weekend
To be continued…
I am proud to have been able to address body shaming, invisibility and love beyond limits as part of the TEDxProvincetown program to audiences that extended beyond just gay men, including people of all types, ages, genders and orientations.
I want to spread the word spread. I am asking for your help in getting this talk out. Helping me share the message to all audiences. This talk is one of the first licensed TEDx talks that actually addresses body shaming, sex, inclusion, and visibility from a bigger-bodied gay man’s experience. Because of this, it has the potential opportunity to reinforce that desire and love can blossom no matter the body type. The more views the talk gets, the higher it ranks and the better the chances that it gets picked up for wider distribution. I’m asking that you include the link below in any announcement lists, email, newsletters or websites in an attempt to get the widest scope.
You have worked so hard on sticking to a strict eating plan such as the paleo diet. However, it can prove challenging when you need to leave your house, especially when it is time to go to work. At the office, it can be even more tempting when your co-workers bring in special food to share that may not be on your meal plan. Here are some helpful tips for managing these temptations while staying on track with your progress.
It is more than likely that you will not have enough time to pack your approved meal when getting ready for work.
Therefore, make sure you have all of your meals, snacks, and drinks packed the night before so that you can grab it as you run out the door. You are more likely to stick with your eating plan if you have your food on hand to eat at lunchtime.
Back in April, we posted about some ways to eat better specifically when on the road and I mentioned that the right food containers make all the difference. My love of the Lock and Lock line always makes for some great handy food options. But other essentials make sense. A new favorite is the Yeti brand Rambler. This 18-ounce container is a perfect fit for most briefcases and bags, keep temperatures perfect and with the extra accessories, like the Rambler Chug Cap you can both the option of an open mouth container and the removable smaller cover. Great for beverages, soups, stews etc.
If someone passes you a slice of cake at an office birthday celebration, you can help pass it along onto another willing candidate. Make sure to practice an answer such as, “Thank you, but I’m all set,” ahead of time so that you are not caught off guard. There is no need to mention your eating plan at this time. You can also give an extra congratulations to the special person that is being celebrated. Sometimes it also means the “fake out”, grab a small plate fork, a napkin and put some food on it.. then as you work your way around the party, you can dispose of it. But in peoples eyes, you will have “had something” and allows you to maneuver out of those more pushy folks.
Portion out some small amounts of your favorite meal plan food that are shelf stable that you can keep at your desk or car. These can be eaten when you are stuck late at the office and get hungry. The last thing that you do not want to do is raid the vending machine out of convenience. Wherever you store these treats, whether in a drawer or in your car, make sure that they are in a sealed container. The last thing that you want to do is to attract ants, bugs, or mice to your workspace. I do this a lot, it may mean spending a few dollars more on some prepackaged snacks – but they keep longer that way.
Have a tangible reward in mind when you reach your goal weight. If you plan on going somewhere special, you can print out a picture and stick it in a spot on your desk where you can see it frequently. You have worked this hard to stay committed, and this is one assignment that you can see through to the end.
Sources:
Dino has it rough
Picnic panic defense! With us, both being on vacation for two weeks and then Paul had to work in Baltimore right after it’s been a busy catch up with on my end. Paul then reminded me that it as his annual office picnic on Saturday too. So I managed to get into the kitchen and make some of my favorites to being with. Of course, Dino was hoping I would spend more time with him after his two weeks at Hightail Hotel, than my being in the kitchen while Paul was away – but he got plenty of snuggle time later.
Perfect for a picnic as it is for dinner is one of the favorites of his office is the variation to the Black Pepper Biscotti Ifrom Valerie Bertinelli. I have made this a bunch of times and its become a perfect goto not to mention is a great based to change it up from. In today’s version, I made one with chopped walnuts and almonds (because that’s what I have handy). I also used a bit of lemon extract in place of the peel that is mentioned in the previous post since I didn’t have any handy. But go easy on lemon extract, a little goes a long way. The second version is essentially the same but without nuts or almond extract. For this one, I amped up the vanilla, added some powdered ginger and a bit of homemade ginger syrup (see the recipe below). The third version was a Spicey Chocolate Biscotti with dried cherries. This was a made up recipe, so is in draft form but I liked the version enough to bring. I think next time it needs more cayenne (most likely 3/4 tablespoon in total). Once it gets done I will repost the final version recipe.
This was an easy one Summer + Picnic+ Fruit Salad. I have been making this cool watermelon chili, but on a recent episode of Sara Moulton I saw this new version that uses Watermelon, Cantaloupe, Feta Cheese, and Procuitto. I have made it now for several potlucks and news this one would be perfect. She adds paprika which gives it this sweet smokey flavor for a different twist. Sara’s version of Two-Melon, Proscuitto and Feta Salad is really good as is. Try it first then change it up for your needs. At times I have swapped in smoked ham slices and or pepperoni in place of the prosciutto. I change up the nuts from time to time.
For this weekend version, I kept it pretty much the same but swapped out 2 tablespoons of olive oil with 2 tablespoons of a local Habanero infused olive oil. You will notice that this shot has a lot of extra marinades. That is on purpose. I like to much that I save it and use it as a salad dressing base or as we did on vacation when I made it. Just add more melons.
This is one from my childhood I revamped. its quick and easy to make – tastes better the longer you let it chill. But equally as good with a 30-minute marinade. Unlike the Pickled Carrots and Jalapeños I did before, these require no heating. Just chop, pour, season and chill. This one I eyeball for measurements – eventually, I will try to measure it out. Slice up some 2-3 English cucumbers on an angle, toss in come carrot slices (or buy them already fancy sliced), add 1/2 cup of white vinegar, juice of 1/2 lemon, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, add chopped parsley or cilantro, 1/2 cup of sugar and 7 or 8 ice cubes (1/2 of chilled iced water works too if you are short on time). Mix well and leave in the refrigerator 30 min to overnight. Taste to flavors. You want a tart, sweet, herbed crunch. Most fresh herbs work. As does add sliced raw peppers (hot or sweet), radishes, even celery.
In a saucepan – cook the ginger, water, and sugar first to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 10-12 minutes. Remove from the heat to cool 5-10 min. Once cool, strain out the cooked ginger into a clear glass jar. add a few uncooked peeled pieces of ginger and refrigerate.
Note: If you want some extra zing, add cinnamon sticks or rosemary to the simmer and strain out.
From the classic paper-based books I still buy, collect and read, to the digital versions on various e-readers that travel so well.
But even with an Amazon Amazon Unlimited (What is Kindle Unlimited? Kindle Unlimited is a service that allows you to read up to 10 books at once for one low fee of $9.99 a month and you can cancel anytime. They offer a “Try it free for 30 days.”) and an account with Scribd which offers a similar plan (but with an $8.99 per month for unlimited reads of from what they have in inventory), and has a great blog at https://literally.scribd.com/ buying books add up.
So I started to give a few of the newsletter membership based book lists a try. The two that I seem to find the most offered from; one is BookBub. with a simple sign up, you get emails every day with reduced and free reads for most of the available e-readers. Members also have access to the BookBub blog which I check out on a regular basis.
The other list I get daily is from The Fussy Librarian which is also based on interest, and provides me with several suggestions that link right into the e-reader of my choice. You can also find out more details on its website thefussylibrarian.com .
As I get ready for the annual vacation I always go back and review lasts years post to make sure I am packing the right tools for the trip and multiple e-readers make sense. When out on the bike, I tend to want my smaller Kindle Oasis with its small format and expanded battery. Poolside or on the bear I tend to use it as well. The rest of the time, I use my trusty Ipad Pro 9.7″ which does the job perfectly. Truth be told I also keep an older Ipad mini at my bedside too!
I have never been a big fan of audiobooks. I find that they end up putting me to sleep (even when driving – so not a good combination for me) but earlier this year I fell back into podcasts with a few new genres that really caught my fancy. Since I tend to be Apple product based. I use its native app for podcast listening but also recently downloaded Stitcher as an app alternative.
Note: Make sure you check your device features and settings – and know when you are streaming and downloading versus already have downloaded it via wifi or you will hit some pretty big data jumps as you get engrossed.
Prepping for vacation meant a search for more creative, provocative, compelling and thought-provoking listens. My tastes range widely which is definitely is reflected in my playlist and why am always on the listen for new ones.
From my exploits in the kitchen, travel, teaching, and the infamous bookclub adventures. For several months, I have been spending more time walking Dino while Paul was laid up and decided to get on the Podcasts bandwagon. I had done some podcast work during my time in DC in 2016 while on detail to one of the federal agencies who needed some communications support. So was more accustomed to listening to work or political themes shows. But they don’t keep my after-hours attention for long. I needed something that hit close to my own style of storytelling.
So what podcasts am I listening too?Several podcasts have captured my attention of late. My first opportunity came up because I wanted to catch up with the lovely Dixie and her Bawdy Storytelling series that also has its podcasts and Youtube page. (I recently had the honor to tell one of the stories hosted in San Francisco and truly enjoyed all the work that goes into her shows.)
From time to time we all find innovative and interesting work being done in the arts that need some support. We don’t live in a world where all art forms and content gets access to funds to keep them vibrant. Especially those that are related to the promotion and activism of healthy sexual expression. If you want to help invest some of your monies into keeping sex and art vibrant. Here is another way! Dixie De La Tour‘s Bawdy Storytelling has it’s own Patreon account. For the cost of a few cups of coffee each month – you can help keep storytelling accessible for those who can’t get to a live show!
Patreon is a great way to support the podcasts that you love!
Then a pal from Atlanta turned me on to true crime podcasts and one in particular, Up and Vanished; a true crime “pod-u-mentary” series set around the cold case of Tara Grinstead from Atlanta. Here is a peek at episode one: Listen
The gravestone which still stands spitting distance where I grew up.
Well, that set the hook in deeper. After finishing it, I was hungry for more podcasts that inspired me to imagine, think, and do more than be just “lectured” at which some of the more news-based shows tended to be. So was searching around for suggestions on some of my other favorite themes such as Horror stories, paranormal, sex, the unexplained and of course one of my old time favorites; The Winchester Mystery House.
One of the suggestions was Hillbilly Horror Stories.
Hillbilly Horror Stories is hosted by comedian Jerry Pauley and his own bright star of a wife, Tracy. Together they bring the perfect balance of sarcasm, intrigue, storytelling and no-nonsense “you are shitting me” humor that I so appreciate myself. Because I can be a bit “linear” I had to start with episode 1, and they have been keeping me company now several times a day since.
I have finally hit the newer 2018 episodes and can see how they really take pride in making content and technical changes based on feedback from viewers and reviews but still stay true to what the vision of the show is. On more than one occasion I have been caught laughing or getting that “chill” at the back of my neck, as I listen with wireless earbuds on- looking like quite the fool myself.
Now don’t get me wrong – the Hillbilly Horror Stories show doesn’t use humor to poke fun at the paranormal. Instead, they use it to give new life to often told stories that many of us had heard before and entice you to look up more on those you never heard before. Do they get it right all the time? Nope. But seems to me, they will be the first one to tell you that and then get an expert on the show to be guest!
Hillbilly Horror Stories can be found on most of the common venues for podcasts, has a great website (and store for those of you fans that like your swag) with older episodes listed as well as a Facebook Group page and Youtube page and can even be found on twitter under Jerry’s @TheRentDaddy profile. Like many other podcasts – they also use a Patreon account as a way to keep fans supporting it and offer lots of great extras to those folks.
