I’m putting together a new “Fun Photos” page for the website. I have quite a few unique pictures that area screaming for a caption, especially this photo of me. So I’m looking for ideas. And don’t worry about hurting my feelings.
Sticks and Stones, baby! Bring it!
The new section should be up in a week or two.
My newest pet peeve is when I’m watching a show on TV, focusing on the storyline, and just when it gets interesting all of a sudden some guy pops up at the bottom of the screen, walkin’ around down there waving his arms like he has an urgent message I need to know, and then here comes the name of the show, what time it’s on, and blah, blah, blah. Who cares? This is so annoying! I refuse to watch any show that I see promo’d like that. I’ll show them. I guess they’ve figured out that no one is watching commercials any more so now I am being forced to endure these rude interruptions to my favorite shows. And they’re not tiny – they take up half the screen! So now I’m forming a new coalition called B.A.S.T.A.R.D.S (Boycotting All Shows That Are Run Down-Screen). Who’s in?
Here’s one of three new Mystery Photos I just added to my “My Photography” page today.
It’s something you probably have at home.
Yours may look very different.
My stepmom’s husband’s daughter, Alex, came to town yesterday and had never been to Beverly Hills. She had always heard about Spago and it was her dream to go there some day. So we went. We had lunch in the patio and it was everything a place like Spago should be. Valet parking, gracious service, and fantastic food. She had the lobster club and I had Wolfgang’s famous schnitzel. We shared a dessert that looked like an art display on a plate – something with a sheet of chocolate, cherries, pistachios, and sorbet. It was too beautiful to eat but that didn’t stop us. After lunch, we went down Rodeo Drive for the full Beverly Hills experience. There was even an armored truck in front of Van Cleef & Arpels. Oh, and back at the house we had a 5.4 magnitude earthquake so she had the full SoCal experience.
The bees are finally gone and my agapanthus flowers are opening up. Life is good. I’m taking pictures and baking cookies again. My cookbook got delayed the last few weeks but I’m back on track, hoping to get the recipes all done, tested, and written up by the end of the year. I still get emails from people who really liked my first cookbook but one email jolted my ego a bit. “I bought your cookbook for a dollar at a garage sale and love your recipes. It’s my new go-to book.” Huh??…. Oh no you didn’t….. A dollar??…. A garage sale??…. How is that supposed to make me feel? Is that a compliment or was this hate mail? I’m still trying to decide how I feel.
Last night I was craving Mexican food so we went to El Torito. We’ve been there over the years and it was always dependable so this time, I was even going to have a margarita. That was my first mistake but I’ll get to that later. They fry their own tortilla chips and brought those first, so greasy they had a sheen. They should have served them with latex gloves. The main reason for going to El Torito is they make guacamole at your table. The guacamolier put in too much salt, so now we have bad guacamole on an oil-slicked chip. But my margarita (I rarely drink alcohol) was keeping my standards low as I awaited my crispy tacos. Did I say crispy? Imagine the greasy tortilla chips only bigger. And heavier. I picked one up and the weight & viscosity caused the bottom to fall out into a greasy mess. The Gulf of Mexico came to mind. Was it the Mexican food, or was it the oil slick on my plate? By the end of my margarita, I imagined the kitchen staff washing pelicans in the back sink. When we got up to leave, I felt a bit dizzy (of course – alcohol on an empty stomach!) and only wanted to take a nap. Or eat. The next time I crave Mexican food and see an El Torito, I’ll make like that west Texas town… el Pass-o.
The bees are back. The exterminators have been here three times, they removed the hive from the attic, they sprayed inside and out, and they came back a third time just to say “good riddance.” So last night I went in my bathroom and there were a dozen bees flying around. Actually, there was a dead one on my toothbrush!! Yughkk!! My bathroom is directly below that section of the attic and when you turn on the ceiling lights, it draws the bees. They are mocking me and I don’t like it, but I will win this one.
Website News: There’s a new video in the Skincare section! I get asked about my skincare routine all the time so Damon (the best assistant on the planet – no, in the universe!) used his creative skills and put together a great video so anyone can do a facial at home. All I did was take the photos and then keep saying, “Is it ready yet?” Well, it’s ready and available to view. You’ll see that great skin is about more than using the right products. “Junk food has to go……. if you want your skin to glow.”
I’ve been taking my stepmom to the VA Hospital every day to visit her husband, who’s doing extremely well, by the way. I enjoy going there just to be around so many veterans, knowing how much they have given to all of us. As I was driving away, I looked up and saw one of the many American flags that fly there, as it proudly waved, almost as if it knew that this was a very special place. I was so moved at the sight, I pulled over to take this photo. I just wanted to share that moment… and this beautiful picture.
CANADA
CALIFORNIA
U.S.A.