The Church Hill Irish Festival

Images from The Church Hill Irish Festival...............











At 10:30AM Sunday Steve and I bundled up (it was sleeting) and walked a block up the street to the Church Hill Irish Festival. One of Steve's bands was playing and I looked forward to a day of food and music and fun. It was cold but worth it.
I thought it was hilarious that they didn't start serving Alcohol until after mass let out at 11 AM. You should have seen the folks scurry out of the church and get right in line for Jamison's, or Harps or Guinness.
We ran into some old friends and ate a lot of great food. There was Corned beef and cabbage and potatoes and mac and cheese and hot dogs and sausages and cookies. I couldn't help but wonder why the Irish wouldn't have funnel cakes - there was an obvious lack of fried food at this festival. Not at all like the State Fair where EVERYTHING was fried. Apparently, Robyn O told me, they had corn dogs there. I don't know how I missed those and I am not ashamed to say I am a bit heartbroken. I really really really love fresh homemade corn dogs.
After about 6 hours or so Steve and I had decided that we had spent enough time in the very very cold weather and headed back down the street. At the very end of the festival there was a man holding a funnel cake. I did a double take - grabbed him by the arms and asked (more like pleaded) "Where did you get that funnel Cake??" He was kind enough not to be too frightened by me and told me where the funnel cake cart was. How I missed it I have no idea. It wasn't a corn dog but it was very good.
I hope the weather is better at next years festival but it was a great time anyway.
(Sissy, I looked for Leppy but I think it was too cold for him.)

My first attempt at homemade bread - And a sweet Easter story.

I want to share a story from little Muffin Face's childhood. The year was ....maybe 1974? We were living in Texas. It was Easter. I was just old enough to realize what A BUM deal the Jewish kids got on Easter. I saw Baskets of eggs filled with chocolate and stuffed animals and jelly Beans and chocolate bunnies and every other kind of candy you could picture. I didn't know what this Easter was but I was sure ready to sign up. I was over at a neighbors house admiring their pretty pretty basket when I noticed they got a baby bunny too. A real live baby bunny! Is there no end to this madness? She asked me if I wanted to hold it. Of course I did - I wanted to eat all her candy too. I wanted it all.

After holding the Bunny very briefly I handed it back to her brother. He was looking at it strangely and noticed its neck was bobbing around its shoulders real strange like. He keep shaking its little head around and saying "what is wrong with it?"
Well, why anyone would buy their little child a real rabbit is beyond me. You know those things are small and you have to hold them just right. It was then I excused myself and went back home. Easter was over for that poor bunny and it was over for me. Some say I killed that bunny out of jealousy (or even by accident) but I swear to this day that bunnies head was bobbing when he handed it to me. Still, I got over my basket and Bunny envy that day.

It is kind of strange for me to have so much "downtime" on the weekends but I am not in a show so I get to relax and try to find productive things to do with my time. I have always wanted to make bread from scratch.

It was Easter and I pictured all my none Jewish friends having an amazing party somewhere, eating chocolate eggs, wearing huge pretty hats and saying things like "No one invited JB, right? Good, the bunny is safe."
Once I found out they were actually all in rehearsal, I didn't feel any less jealous.
So I decided to put my time to good use. Sure - they could go do their rehearsing- or celebrate the rebirth of their Lord and Savior, but I could make bread.

I made a simple Italian bread. No butter or eggs. It was fun watching the yeast dissolve and getting the first whiff of bread smell. After mixing the ingredients together I started kneading like a crazy woman. I won't lie to you, this process was rather painful and seemed never-ending. Kind of like watching an Easter Parade.

You are supposed to kneed the dough until smooth and shiny. I am not sure how shiny dough gets. Mine got smooth and ...well...almost shiny. My arms and hands got real tired. I set it aside to rise and eventually divided it into 3 loaves. After they rose I cut slits in the top of each loaf and brushed a light egg yoke wash over them and sprinkled them with kosher salt.
Steve made a hearty batch of beef and vegetable soup to have with it.
I was pleased with the way the homemade bread turned out, considering it was my first attempt and no bunnies were harmed.

Three Cheers for The crew at White Dog Restaurant!

last night at the White Dog Restaurant - there was some head shaving for a great cause. They participated in the St. Baldrick's fight against childhood cancer. In order to raise money, Barry Pruitt (owner), Tim and Ralph all shaved their heads!! A good time was had by all.


Roslyn Pruitt sandwiched between two former members of their waitstaff.

Tim and Barry, the before picture.

Ralph's wife, Melissa (beside Tim in the famous White Dog T-shirt) gears up to watch her hubby lose his hair.

She was not thrilled.

But Ralph was.

Tim looks like he might be crying.

Ralph shaves Barry.


Admiring each others bald head.

Roslyn checks out her new man.

Barry can't talk Steve into shaving.

The after picture. Great job guys!

food I made up

OK - so I didn't know what I was in the mood for and I had a bunch of leftover veggies. I mixed them all together - added a little cream cheese and folded them inside Pillsbury crescent rolls. Then I had some mixture left over so I baked it inside puff pastry. I have been eating these all week. I supposed you can put lots of things inside dough and It will taste good.

Happy Spring everybody!

On a Role..............

I know I said I would start posting food again and I promise I will. I made some great things last week that I am excited to share with you (even homemade bread!) but I keep getting great new suggestions on this movie / TV topic that really excite me. Do you remember the six degrees of Kevin Bacon? My BF, Steve, who is a master at TV, music and movie trivia decided to play this game to try and link obscure TV actors Ala 6 degrees. I gave him what I thought would be impossible. This TV version is different than the movie version and because of its difficulty you only need to mention the characters name but it is - of course - extra credit (and bragging rights) if you can also name the actor who played him or her. I asked him to link Mel Cooley - (Richard Deacon - Dick Van Dyke's boss) to Fred Sanford (Redd Foxx, Sanford and Son)
It took him maybe 5 minutes!

Mel Cooley (Richard Deacon) to Dick Van Dyke

Allen Melvin (AKA Sam the butcher or Sam Franklin from Brady Bunch) played one of Rob's army buddies in a flashback scene on Dick Van Dyke (his character name was guard Jenkins and according to IMDB he was on 8 episodes.)

Allen Melvin was on the Phil Silvers show with Phil Silvers

Phil Silvers was honest John on the Beverly Hillbillies with Jane (Nancy Kulp, Mr. Drydesdale's secretary)

and she was on an episode of sanford and Son with Redd Foxx.

He did this with out the help of a computer so I checked it out today and it is all true. That's how I know how many episodes of Dick Van Dyke Allen Melvin was in. I added that - but the rest was from Steve.

who wants to try one? You can even make up your own or try to stump me ( or Steve) with one.

Favorite lines from a movie.

This topic was suggested to me by Dave T. Great idea and it got me thinking.

So here is my list. Some of these may be familiar and some are my favorites because they stood out to me as beautiful lines or funny lines.

Warning - these may not be word-for-word but close enough.

"...All I want is for you to come here and get in my bed!" - Nicolas Cage to Cher in Moonstruck. That entire monologue is fantastic.

"Lets meet at that place where we went that one time." - Albert Brooks to Holly Hunter in Broadcast News.

" I was a short, fat, slut?"Goldie Hawn to Kurt Russel in Overboard I also love it when she says to herself "I guess I belong here in this hovel...I didn't marry very well, did I?" and there are a million more from that movie...

"So I will always know where it is". (she says this after throwing the bracelet he gave to her in the ocean.) from Harold and Maude. there are too many to count from this movie.

"To my brother, the richest guy in town" - from It's a Wonderful Life. That line never fails to make me cry.

Jennifer Tilley:"Masochistic....what is that?" "

Tracey Ullman:"It is someone who enjoys pain."

Jennifer Tilley: "Enjoys pain! What is he, retarded?"

Very funny exchange and one of the Hilarious moments in Bullets Over Broadway.

"Because of G-d." Meg Ryan in response to why they don't have Sunday in days of the week underwear from"When Harry Met Sally".

"Well, love is a gift, lot of people don't remember that. So you two better brace yourselves for a whole lota ugly comin' at you from a neverending parade of stupid." Motormouth Maybelle (Queen Latifa) in Hairspray.

"By the authority vested in me by the German Reich, I pronounce you husband and wife. Proceed with the execution. " The African Queen.

"I don't want to hurt you. I just want to make you Kosher." - Gene Wilder in Frisco Kid. This should have definitely been on my Favorite movie list. Picture Young Gene Wilder dressed like a rabbi and speaking in a thick Russian accent traveling across the wild west from New York to San Fran. Not to mention a very young Harrison Ford as a cowboy and his reluctant side kick.

BONUS: a great exchange from that movie:

Chief Gray Cloud: [in reference to Avram's god] What does he do?

Avram (Gene Wilder): He... He can do anything!

Chief Gray Cloud: Then why can't he make rain?

Avram: Because he doesn't make rain. He gives us strength when we're suffering. He gives us compassion when all that we feel is hatred. He gives us courage when we're searching around blindly like little mice in the darkness... but He does not make rain!

[Thunder and lightning begin, followed by a downpour]

Avram: Of course... sometimes, just like that, he'll change His mind.

I could go on and on but now it is your turn.....

OK - Just One More! How about..............

Worst movies you have ever paid to see.

You know what I am talking about. The ones where you prayed to G-d for those 2-3 hours back. Sometimes it might have been the company you were keeping - but sometimes you wanted to cry to the heavens and say "Why, oh why have you forsaken me?" or "Don't the studio heads know there are starving people in the world?"

The only rule here is you had to pay to see it. That is what makes it sting.

Liar, Liar (somebody lied when they said this was good.)
King Kong (the newest one, of course - not only was it terrible but I was on a HORRIBLE date- talk about adding insult to injury!)
Friday the 13th, Part IV, A new Beginning (I know, what was I expecting?)
Hostel (on pay-per-view, but still...)
Eyes Wide Shut (I really wanted to like this. I really didn't.)
9 1/2 Weeks ( worst movie I ever saw 3 times!)
Highlander 2 ( I can't even talk about it.)
Pay It Forward (every second of this movie is contrived and then after watching the whole bloody thing the kid dies!!! Sorry if I just ruined it for anyone but trust me, it doesn't matter.)
Star Wars - Episode 1: The Phantom Menace (waited half my life for a new Star Wars movie and then wanted to throw up.)
The English Patient (I am sure no one agrees with me here but , first of all it was boring as all hell and for the life of me I can't understand why in the world anyone would rather be with a Nazi when they could be married to Colin Firth?? This movie never should have been made.)

Bonus: worst two movies I never saw - Magnolia (Ask Steve P. why)
Battlefield Earth (L. Ron Hubbard)

I am sure there are many more I have blocked out.

Your turn!

We will come back to movies ...and food

But first - Guilty pleasure TV shows!!!!!


When not in a play I watch a lot of TV. I am omitting the good shows I watch, like Family Guy and Colbert Report and Lost and The Medium and Ace of Cakes and ...well, you get the picture. the following list is truly bad TV - unquestionably embarrassing.

These are in no particular order...they are all bad.

Gilmore Girls (like a lifetime movie on crack)

American Idol (what will Simon say next?)

Any Lifetime movie (usually named things like "the Widow on the Hill" or "Daddy Drinks because you cry." or my personal favorite: "Mother, May I Sleep With Danger?" - good stuff.)

The Girls Next Door (I seriously love those girls- I like to pretend we are all friends)

Hannah Montana (like watching a train wreck - I just can't stop)

7th Heaven (so bad it is funny good- In one of my favorite episodes the husband almost leaves his wife because she admitted to smoking pot...once....in College....and someone died as a result, of course. Hey - maybe my Mom wrote that episode?)

Good Times (JJ Walker is DYNAMITE)

Walker, Texas Ranger (Steve likes to stop on this while channel surfing just for a good laugh - I love the episode when he wrestles with a bear)

E News / Entertainment Tonight (Gotta see what my peeps are up to)

Guiding Light (after 25 + years, Reva never dissapoints)

Variations on a theme

Their eyes are scaring me..........

Guilty pleasure top ten

go ahead and admit it..............

Overboard

Better Off Dead

Life Of Brian

What a Girl Wants

While You Were Sleeping

Titanic

Angus

Parent Trap (with Linds)

Killer Bees (not sure if the title is correct)

Frisco Kid

Favorite Movie List

This will not be easy but I thought it would definitely be fun, possibly controversial and hopefully gather some good comments. I made a top ten favorite movie list. I challenge you to do the same.


Citizen Kane
To Kill A Mockingbird
It's A Wonderful Life
The Godfather I and II
Moonstruck
Life is Beautiful
Sophie's Choice
Harold and Maude
Schindler's List
Juno

OK I cheated a little on the Godfathers but if I had to pick one it would be the second. After making this list I want to make another one for foreign films. Life is Beautiful is so good it could be on both lists. It's my made up game so we will play by my rules. Kind of like Calvin Ball.


Life is Beautiful
Eat Drink, Man Woman
Babette's Feast
Cinema Paradiso
Strictly Ballroom
Kolya
Metropolis
Il Postino
The Bicycle Thief
Au Revoir Les Enfants

OK - so that was much easier than I thought it would be.

Your turn................

Picture from a previous post

Well, the picture is torn and worn (just like me) but as promised- a pic of me and my first boyfriend, Davey Webber. Thanks for finding this pic mom!

Happy Birthday BFF

Usually - when a family member or very close friend has a Birthday I feature it here on the 'Ol blog. I am a day late but yesterday my BFF, who I refer to all the time, had a Birthday.
I neglected to mention it because I had a very busy day.
He is not a big fan of blogs and might not even read this post but I love him anyway.
I met my BFF about 12 years ago and now I can't remember not knowing him. Over the years there have been more times than I can count where I have felt proud and fortunate just to know this person, much less share the close friendship we do. He is a great listener, smart advice giver, generous with his time and space, amazingly talented, hilarious, fun and much respected person. I wish him a happy Birthday and an awesome year.

Welcome Guest Blogger Lisa K!

So, I thought you would be proud. I actually used a pan and the stove this morning, instead of a box and a bowl. Jamie had a tough night with a little fever and headache, so I made him something my mom usually spoils him with. Nothing exciting, but tasty. I wish it had some clever name, and maybe you can challenge your readers to invent one. But it really is just "an egg in a hole." I use a juice glass to make the hole in the bread and fry it up. The trick is to get the heat just right, so the bread doesn't burn before the egg is done. And it's not for dieters. You have to use butter (or fake butter like we do).

Shabbat Shalom, y'all

Now here is something you don't see everyday:




A Rabbi carving a ham.

(My Sissy told him it was roast beef - I think she was getting him back for years of telling bad jokes. That wasn't very nice, Sissy. I think I just secured my spot as "favorite child" because that is something I would never do.)

Cheenon Gig Saturday night

Where: Poe's Pub
When: 10PM - ish
Don't miss the party

www.cheenon.com

What ever happened to Davey Webber?

random pic of me and my sissy and a few girls I don't know. I don't have a pic of me and Davey but I think my mother has one. Mom, Can you scan that pic and send it to me? At least this picture was taken around the same time I speak about below. Who can pic out me and my sissy?

Last weekend I was playing a board game with a few friends. At one point we had to say what age we were the first time we had a boy / girl friend. Some people had to think about it for a bit but I knew right away.

I was 5 (maybe 6) years old. We were living in Corpus Christi. A few times a week I went to Ella Elsie dance studio to take tap, jazz, ballet, and modern dance. They must have sold my mother some kind of crazy package. There was one boy in our classes. His name was Davey Webber and in my memory he looked just like the Little Prince. White curly hair and little red lips. He had a great laugh too. This was my first boy friend. You could say he was the first in a long line of "dancy" boyfriends. (if you know what I mean)

It occurs to me at those times when I conjure up the memory that Davey Webber and I had the perfect relationship. After class we were given a Carmel and then our parents would pick us up. Davey and I stood behind the open class room door and kissed each other goodbye before we left the room. Even though it was just a peck, we thought we were doing something devious.

Once we went on a date. Our parents took us to McDonald's - probably after a recital or something- and we got to sit alone at a table. I remember how exciting that was. I remember being 6 and wanting to feel like I was an adult.
One time Davey got really sick and couldn't come to my Birthday party. Apparently I didn't want to come out of my room I was so upset. Davey was funny and sweet and talented and we got along like gangbusters.

There is a picture of the two of us in the front row at a recital. His hair is blond and wavy and he is smiling with his whole face. I sit next to him in a sparkly, light blue ballet costume with my hair professionally piled on my head like a ballerina's hair should.

Here is why I see it as the best relationship ever. I rarely thought of him if we weren't together. We went to different schools and there was never a moment of me thinking " I wonder who he is talking to in his kindergarten class?". We were too young for Jealousy and envy to effect us. It never occurred to me that he would do or say anything to hurt my feelings. It just didn't happen. It was all fun and spontaneous. When you are 6 years old you aren't thinking many negative thoughts. You are living in the moment and simply enjoying yourself. I try to remember that now. How well that worked then.

By the time I was heading into 3rd grade we moved away from Texas and I had a very tearful goodbye with Davey. I wish I remembered more about it but I do remember feeling deeply sad. We wrote for a bit but eventually it stopped.

It is the rare occasions that he comes to mind now but whenever he does it is a warm, nostalgic feeling that often makes me wonder if he ever thinks "What ever happened to Jill Bari?"

From Heather

This letter is from Heather's friend, Karen Hardison. Please take a moment and read about this very important vigil and participate if at all possible. The links work if you cut and paste them.


Dear Friends,

Last month, a 15 year old junior high school student named Lawrence King was shot to death while he worked in the computer lab of his junior high school. His killer was a 14 year old fellow student who apparently shot Larry because Larry was "different", Larry was gay. This tragedy has effectively ended the lives of both children and devastated their families, friends, and the town in which they lived.

While a graphic incident, it is not an isolated one. Everyday, young people are subjected to verbal, emotional and physical violence because they are somehow "different". Whether they are gay or perceived to be gay, the result is the same. We are, sadly, living in a society where the message is being communicated that the lives of gay & lesbian persons are of lessor value; where it is somehow "okay" to commit violence against them because they are "less than". Perhaps more frightening still is the fact that it is all too often the case that this communication is coming from the pleaders of faith communities, thereby somehow legitimizing the fear and hatred and the ensuing actions.

I feel very fortunate to be affiliated with a parish that says no to such as this. St. Mark's Episcopal Church is one of the sponsors of an upcoming Vigil for Lawrence King. The vigil will be held on Wednesday, March 12th, 6:30 - 8:00 PM at the Gay Community Center of Richmond located at 1407 Sherwood Ave. in Richmond. (This is the Diversity Thrift building in Northside...it is near the Diamond, the SPCA, Children's Hospital, my house, etc.)

The vigil will provide the community an opportunity to pray for all those touched by this horrible tragedy and for safety in our nation's schools. It will also afford us the chance to bear witness to young persons and let them know that we are committed to helping insure that the community in which they live will become one where verbal, emotional, and physical violence directed against them will be utterly unacceptable whether it is in their schools, neighborhoods, or homes.

I invite each one of you to attend this vigil. These children and all children deserve nothing less of us. And we ourselves need one another's strength and support in days such as these. If you are unable to attend, I urge you to take a moment of silence wherever you are and lend your strength to those who are gathered.

Please feel free to share this information with others. I am including links to 2 postings from ROSMY about the vigil. One is a poster which I hope you will print and post in your faith community, office site, etc. The second includes a couple of brief video clips about the Lawrence King tragedy.

http://www.rosmy.org/vigil.html

http://www.rosmy.org/supporter.html.


My deepest gratitude to you for your concern and support.



ROSMY - Vigil for Lawrence King