Too quick to judge

Last week was the start of a new season of Top Chef and I started out by selecting the chefs that I thought would make it to the finale. I would like to apologize to Fabio ... he is defiantly one of the strongest competitors and I failed to include him in my top picks. So I am rectifying that right now. "Fabio I am picking you to make it to the end!" , there I said it. If you do not know Fabio well ... Fabio is the guy who speaks in a fantastically thick Italian accent and in addition to his good looks and cooking talent he seems to be a team player. For those of you who do not watch top chef...well you should, and next week the chefs will be cooking for the Foo Fighters in a special Thanksgiving challenge.

Twilight & Christmas Trees

So this has been a great day for me. I have been in love with the Twilight series ever since I read the first book, and today I went to see the movie with my mom, Lauren and Brittany. We started out at lunch at Atkins Park and then went to a viewing of Twilight! I must say the book was much better than the movie but nevertheless the movie was great! I felt that they did they best they could to squeeze the key points into a 2 hour movie but I still would have loved a 5 hour movie to get it all in there. I must say that Edward Cullen is the hottest vampire ever!

(Lauren, Brittany, Mom and Me @ Atkins Park)

(My ode to Twilight)

So earlier that morning my mom brought over a Christmas tree that her and my Dad bought me for my first home! So Brittany came over to help me decorate it and I love the tree! It is decorated in gold and red tones and it sits in all its splendor in my sun room. Its a good tree!

(Trimming the Tree)

(Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree)

Pop the Champagne!

Well my friends the art is hung. History was made today! Eric came over and hung my artwork over my couch for me. My friends and I all toasted with some fine champagne to my artistic accomplishment. The living room is finally finished being decorated and now I move on to my guest bedroom which is in dire need of a little TLC. What will my next art project be?

(me and the art)

(Jeff, Eric and Me)

(Eric seeing how far the cork will go..it flew an impressive 15 yards off the balcony)

Martinis & Imax ... make mine a double!

Fernbank Museum has this great thing they do called Martinis & Imax. For $15 dollars admission you can see an Imax film and sip martinis (the martinis at $8.00) on a Friday night. My friends and I decided to take our friend Brittany there for her 24th Birthday. So we all got dressed up and headed down Ponce. I rarely get dressed up so this was a little stressful for me but I put on my new hooker boots and went. Let me just say that Steve Madden (designer of said boots) evidently hates women. My feet are still sore a day later, but it was nice to be taller than 5ft 3'' for a few hours. We sipped on our sweet tea martinis and watched a film about Antarctica on the humongous screen and then headed back to Lauren and Jeff's for Birthday cake and presents. A fun way to spend a Friday night I must say. Happy Birthday Brittany!

Top Chef Wednesday!

"I'm not your bitch, Bitch!"
-Dave Martin (Top Chef Season 2)

Here it is folks, the long awaited 5th season premiere of TOP CHEF taking place in New York. So my favorite thing to do is to pick the person who I think will make it to the top chef finale and then pick out the people that will make a total asshat of themselves. Sad to say that girlie from Atlanta got kicked off in the quickfire challenge, not even making it to the elimination challenge. The characters on this show are insane. From Finland dude arguing what a vinaigrette is to Charla who is lets her "spirit guides" show her which ingredients to use and then the blond good looking guy (jeff) who announced that he carries a comb in his pocket and asks his busboys how he looks. So here we go .. Will Tom Colicchio get a culinary boner this season? Lets hope so.

So here are my picks for the finale.

HoseaStefan (also gets my vote for asshat)So we will see how this season unfolds. I must say it was nice to see Jean-George on the show as a judge (one of the best chefs in New York). But I will be more excited when Anthony Bourdain makes his appearance.

-Auf Wiedersehen

Forever in Blue Jeans

"My voice is unadorned. I don't try for perfection. I try to be honest and truthful and soulful with the voice I have. If I make mistakes in notes, or there are cracks in notes, I don't fix them. Thats the way it is."
-Neil Diamond



Today on my favorite oldies station 106.7 I heard a great story of an elementary school principal who plays Neil Diamond songs over the loud speaker for his students every Friday calling them NEIL DIAMOND FRIDAYS. He then proceeds to hand out a teddy bear coincidentally named Neil to the class that showed the best spirit that week. Is this Genius? ... I think so! Being the Neil Diamond enthusiast that I claim to be I am sad that I didn't think of this first, and more importantly why didn't I attend this elementary school in northern Iowa. In further Neil news the principal went on to say that since the start of Neil Diamond Fridays suspensions are at a record low.
As a child I used to play my mom's record Hot August Nights...my favorite of all Neil Records and replay Cracklin' Rosie and Cherry Cherry over and over again. I really believe that this principal has the right idea, I know that I can't think of a better way to bring the masses together than through the music of Neil Diamond...known to many as the Diamond Cutter or the Jewish Elvis.
I encourage all my readers (all 2 of you) to think back to your favorite Neil memory or even your favorite Neil Song. The world would be a much happier place if we all succumbed to Neil Diamond Fridays. I leave you all with my favorite Neil song.

Cherry Cherry

Oh Picasso where Art thou?

Tonight I glazed my very first professional painting. I say professional painting because I had the assistance of a professional artist. I have always loved art and my art career was a series of Bob Ross painting classes at a local Michael's craft store; I have since been learning from my friend Eric how to paint and I am so excited to finish my first work of art. I wish I could say that the painting I just finished was something I came up with but it is a replica of an Eric White original and its amazing. My condo was in desperate need of some artwork on the walls so I can not wait to hang this series of paintings above my couch. Hooray for art! Here is a preview to what will soon be hanging in my living room.