Patio EXPLOSION!!

And so... not only have the bulbs I planted become flowers, but things I planted last year have flowered and bloomed, too!! I am almost giddy with excitement! God Bless Mother Nature...

She's a single woman, too!

"Don't Kiss A Pig!"

Nail? Head. Head? Nail.

A Life Lesson

So, last night... after the show and drinks with the fabulous Bobbi at a very loud Mercury Lounge (Lounge is clearly a misnomer... Mercury Sports Bar with Really Loud Music. Much better) (Though they did play both Poison by Bell Biv Devoe and My Prerogative by Bobby Brown) (and for those who this sentence matters to... I did the routine in my chair for Bobbi who was suitable impressed with my memory. Oh, and my chair dance skills)...

I was walking to the N train and spied Geoffrey Rush (who smiled at me) and Orlando Bloom walking from Exit The King which stars Mr. Rush. Bloom was mobbed with people. He was on the phone and people were swarming him like No See Ums on a golf course in CNY in August. Not paparazzi, just normal people trying to get his picture and Orlando just carried on as if they were not there.

Geoffrey was completely alone. I think he smiled at me because I, realizing who he was, smiled at him. He also STANK like patchouli. This is not a smell I enjoy and it was swarming him like No See Ums on a golf course in CNY in August.

And there is your life lesson, folks.... If you are a celebrity who wants to be left alone, swim in patchouli first. I really think Orlando would have benefited from this lesson. Maybe after he reads this (Hey Orly!), he will know better!

Seriously, Watch This!

I love scary movies. I think most people know this about me. But turns out... I also love scary TV shows!! True Blood? No brainer. But this Harper's Island?! I love it!!! It is incredibly well paced. The story hooks you. They are excellent at the cliff hanger episode ending. Sure it has flaws but so far? An AWESOME ride!! Thursday nights, people! Check your local listings for showtimes! You are 3 behind but they catch you up quick at the beginning. Or watch them on ye olde world wide web. Or my DVR- which is what I did last night, post-performance!

TONIGHT!!

See you there! I'll be the white chick on stage!

Call me... Mother Nature!

I got Green Thumbs and I cannot lie...

Hey Ladies!!

"Enter Single GNOME Female. Funky fresh dressed to impress ready to party. Breasts placed at the appropriate height. Make-up, flawless. Nails, done. Hair, a thing of wonder. Sweet, smelling perfume dancing through the air. A girl from around the way who had the whole room's attention, and she knew it."

Gnomette from my Mom. I love her! (both Hers actually!) Words from AMERICANBLACKOUT by Robb Leigh Davis. I love him! You can see it at The Tank this week!! http://www.thetanknyc.org/ for more info and tickets! I'll be the white chick on stage. Maybe I will bring the Gnomette? (Course she is busy with all them Gnomes on the patio... I think Ozone is already in love!)

Really???

Someone took the time to tie their garbage to my patio fence?? REALLY?!

I didn't realize it was my turn to take care of that, Douchebag.

The flowers were pretty, too....

Up to My Neck in Pretty Princesses!!

On Thursday, I got to see Susanna in action- and BOY, is she cute! SuperCute, in fact... like I should make her a (felt) cape! And then Annalee played Supermodel... She struck a pose and batted her big, blue eyes and was pretty as a picture! I am so lucky!

This is a Pupa Cu L'Ova!

We didn't just go Danish on Easter, Peeps, we also went I-talian! Why? Because we ARE!! And so, for the first time since my Nona passed, my Mom & I made pupa cu l'ova. And not just my Mom & I... but thru the magic of Facebook- my cousin MaryPat made them and I think my cousin Rachelle did, too!! Clearly, our Nona was shining down on us and inspiring us as beautifully as ever. And now that my Mom is a Nona, it was only right for us to make them together!

Pupa cu l'ova is Italian for Eggs in a Basket. Traditionally, this recipe is made with anise seed but I am just not a fan of seeds in my cookie/bread. Or nuts. Or onions. These treats almost become a sweet bread, wrap basket style around a colored hard boiled egg. And I don't just mean the brown ones... When I say colored I mean DYED! That was the part I rememer doing. Coloring the eggs. And then Nona would wrap the egg in the dough and bake 'em up nice and we would hunt for our eggs and then break off the cookie and eat, eat, EAT!

And so, because everyone needs to feel Italian sometimes (and they are friggin' GOOD)... make some Pupa Cu L'Ova! Hell, serve 'em with Ebelskivers... I did! (We also had Canadian Bacon- It was a very International House of Easter!)

So... Oven 350*

Now mix up 1lb of lard (if you actually are in Italy) or 1lb can of Crisco- melted and cooled

10 Cups of flour

3Tbls of baking powder

2 Cups of sugar

Then add 1/2 Cup melted orange juice concentrate (like the ones in the freezer)

1/3 Cup anise seed (as discussed, no seeds for me! I went with 3Tbls-ish of almond extract)

1 Cup warm water

Get your hands in their and mix it up nice!

You roll out pieces of dough to form a rope and then coil the rope around itself, making a basket. Put the egg (not lotion!) in the basket. Make a handle! Remember- you need some pre-dyed and hard boiled eggs!

Bake on lightly greased baking sheet until lightly brown (about 15 minutes)

When cooled, drizzle with a glaze frosting (a little confectioners sugar, some vanilla, a little water or milk. My Mom stirred in some of the orange juice concentrate... YUM!) Sprinkle with sprinkles! (unless you are without sprinkle and then, don't)

Oh, and if you get sick of making baskets, they also make lovely cookies!

Just roll them into little balls. (I said balls.)

Now... Mangiare!!

TwoCanAnne Can Canon!

Diamond Don & Hershey in da 'hood!

(as shot by TwoCanAnne)

He Came. He Saw. He Conquered!

Well, look what was new in the neighborhood... Easter weekend brought my parents to the BFG (which was just wonderful) and my parents brought HERSHEY! Their 78lb, Lab/Weimaraner mix, 4 year old dog! Sure... he crushed some of the patio flowers, scared a neighbor or two and farted like he ate all the Easter eggs but he also charmed my friends, slept next to me (with the occasional lick to remind me he was there keeping us safe), and flirted with many a passer-by... One fell so under his spell that she shared her burger and fries with him as she walked past! Bite for Hersh. Bite for her. So cue the slow, Dream Weaver-esque music (I keep hearing Warrant's "Cherry Pie", Jim suggested Etta James, maybe Barry White?)...

And get ready for everything else to fade into b&w, because THIS is

HERSHEY!

Happy Easter!!

The Lord Giveth...

...and the Lord taketh away. We here at the BFG Apartment are very sad to announce the loss of our newest treasured friend- Pocket. In the wee hours of Holy Saturday, I came out to the kitchen to get a drink and found Pocket, belly up at the bottom of his bowl. Flush with tears and sadness- we, well, flushed our friend out into God's keeping. He was a most awesome fish.

That being said, if on the third day he rises again- I hope it is not I sitting on the throne, Pocket trying to take his seat at the right side.

This is an Ebelskiver.

I first had me an Ebelskiver in Solvang, CA. I also bought a mug. They were delicious little bursts of filled pancake goodness, dusted with confectioners sugar and ejoyed with love! Later, in the same trip to CA, I bought a boxed mix at CostPlus World Market which Jason and I enjoyed with even more love. These were deep fried in oil with jam ON THE SIDE though so not the traditional sort I got in Solvang.

Since then, I have tried making them twice more... though from scratch this time. Yeast, flour, the whole kit and kaboodle. Moonwhile- Williams Sonoma sells an Ebelskiver pan. I have coveted it for some time and finally, my coveting has become acquired!! The Ebelskiver will be the center piece of my Easter brunch despite our complete lack of Danish-ness. I, of course, wanted a test run and thankfully, Jim is always on board for those!! So this morning- I made apricot jam Ebelskivers, raspberry jam Ebelskivers and then, just for shits and giggles, I made a cheese and bacon Ebelskiver!! Friggin' delish!! Get yourself a pan, people, because the Danes were really on to something here!

Gizmo Dresses For Passover

Dance moves that rock II.

Happy Spring!

YUM!!!

So, my eating habits yesterday were OUTLANDISH! And as one high school pal put it on Facebook, "like college"! And she had only one piece of the proverbial pie to work from!

I had a banana at like 1, a Snack Wrap (ok, 2- they're small!) at 5, coffee (which in my head IS a food group) all day and got home at 8 to find Jim had made mac-n-cheese and put hot dogs in! And not just any hot dogs but CHEESE dogs! (Now, THAT'S the cheesiest!) God bless him. Very anti-Passover but ridiculously YUMMY!!!

And then, with the iron will I am famous for.... I ate half the Easter Bunny I HAD JUST BOUGHT FOR MY MOTHER!!! Who does that??? Sure, it was delicious. It was Dove. Thank God, that the odds of me having information useful to baddies is slim because I would cave faster than that delicious hollow chocolate bunny! It was a real hop of shame this morning past it's remains... Needless to say, I will be in the Easter aisle today! Confession. Good for the soul. (Stolen chocolate? Bad for the ass.)

WHAT?!

Racist? Pulled from the shelves??

Oh, Walgreens...

Ch, ch, ch, CHIA!

In Case You Are Unaware...

...this is my favorite band right now. Not of all time. But they are so on their way! I could listen to this song (and their whole clucking album) over and over and over! Frankly, there is no "could" about it. I do. Listen to his voice soar in the final chorus, I love it. And the lyrics? Don't even get me started... "What am I supposed to say when I am all choked up that you're ok?" Yeah. Exactly. The Man Who Can't Be Moved. Before The Worst. If You See Kay. LOVE!!!

Check the iTunes, peeps. You won't be sorry. Now if they would just get their sweet Irish asses stateside... I could go see them live! Who's in?!

I Adore Graham Norton.

Adore, people. Adore. And on this past Saturday's episode with the yummy to gay men and teen girls, Zac Efron and the ever HIlarious, David Walliams... they play Mortified! Inspired by Zac's new flick, 17 Again, and horrified by the plot that at 37, Chandler's life is OVER and thus he must do it again... they take a little trip down audience memory lane!

Levi Johnston Makes First Post-Break Up TV Appearance...

...on TYRA!!!!

(Today, people. I am not making this up.)

Once Upon a Patio...

...there was a girl and her fish, Prince Pocket. Along came another handsome Prince (from his bedroom) to join her and Prince Pocket and her minions, The Gnomes, on the patio. Then came a lovely Princess friend and her cat, Princess Doodle. And oh, how they laughed and ate and drank and sunned. It was a delicious way to spend a sunny Sunday. And the day ended happily ever after!

Dumplings, Anyone?

Dumplings + Awesome Peeps = An Evening FULL of Fun!

Ummmm....

....so spring has sprung and baby animal pics abound on ye olde internet! The Houston Zoo has one cute baby giraffe! But as a dedicated fan of FU Penguin (lots of language- which some people don't like but cluckin' funny which I do like!!), some of these pics have "ripe for a blog that tells cute animals what's what" written all over them! Like this as yet unnamed gorilla baby. Born January 10 at the Smithsonian Zoo- he has pink fingers, enjoys long walks on his Mom, Mandara and is a quite frankly, creepily old man looking! He's no Pocket. I'm just sayin'....

It's time.

...even though there is a part of me that will always be saddened by my loss, that will always hold an empty bit of space, that I am still sad... I decided today it was time. Time to move on. To find someone new. And it didn't take long. He is handsome and steadfast. Willing to have only me. And best of all, he has to stay. He can't leave me. He can't change his mind.

By all accounts, he only remembers stuff long enough to make it around the bowl...

Peeps. Meet my new love, Pocket. Pocket- welcome to the blog!

Isn't he pretty?