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March 30, 2004
Not enjoying Her Racket
I don't care if it's long standing tradition or not, if you are an agent in this government your FIRST priority should be to the people of this Government...and not political pundits. If Ms. Rice is going to try to explain herself for propoganda and media bullshit the least she can do is talk to the people Americans have elected. It might be a different animal if she weren't blabbering for Bush all over the news shows. We deserve an explanation...not just Chris Matthews...but everybody.
Posted by mermu at 09:23 AM | Comments (2)
March 29, 2004
Enjoying my "Rac"
Last night four of my good friends came over for what could soon become my favorite way to entertain. We enjoyed quite an ample sampling of my "rac" with boiled red potatoes, a wide assortment of fresh vegetables, salad (which we never actually ate), sausages and chorizo, and various bottles of white wine. My BIL was correct. He told me that most sources have you buy way too much cheese per person and I overdid it thoroughly. By the end of the party, approximately 2/3 of the cheese was leftover. I didn't even open one of the portions. I could be having Raclette parties quite a bit in the next few weeks.
And I love my little Raclette grill. It comes with 8 cheese shovels and a topside grill which is great for grilling the vegetables. I pre-cooked the sausage as I thought that would have been a huge hassle...but next time I may just cut them in pieces and have the guests grill them on the Raclette Grill as well.
I got many accolades for my potato boiling skills. This may not seem like much, but two of the guests were Irish (from Ireland). They said they could see my Irish roots in how well I boiled a potato. I was well-pleased by that.
I had forgotten how good that melted cheese could taste. Ooh. On those potatoes, with a little salt. Melted Raclette on fresh bread....scrumptious! The Gherkins and the pickled onions were also good but I'm not sure I get why those are served with the meal. It's a traditional part of the party. Some of my friends were intrigued by the pickled onions. They had never seen them before. And just so you know, the cheese does taste better when you can melt it yourself.
The coup detat of the evening was my Strawberry Shortcake by Emeril for dessert. Since everything about this party was prep, I had to make something to show off my culinary skills. This recipe is actually really simple...especially if you have a kitchenaid mixer. :-) It looks quite impressive and tastes really good. I highly recommend it to anybody who needs to throw together a quick dessert.
So in the end, everyone enjoyed my "rac" thoroughly. I look forward to serving it again soon.
Posted by mermu at 11:54 AM | Comments (4)
March 28, 2004
Partying For Art: Fundraiser for OFF OFF Broadway "9th Street Water"
I hope you will join me and the rest of the cast of "9th Street Water" on Wednesday, March 31st for a fundraising party for our Off-Off Broadway Production in May 2004.
I've recently been cast in the lead of this original drama about four women who grew up together in a humble neighborhood in Secaucus. Less than friends, but not quite enemies these girls have something in common that is more than just the street on which they live.
The party promises to be a blast with cocktails, raffles, music, and dancing. There's even complimentary "specialty" cocktails from 7:30pm to 9:30 pm. So bring your party boots and come and have a blast. Who knows, maybe you'll find out just what's in that "9th Street Water".
The party's at:
Loisaida
153 Rivington St., New York, NY View Map
When: Wednesday, March 31, 7:30pm
Complimentary Specialty Drinks from 7:30-9:30pm.
Raffle at 10pm.
$20 Entrance Fee benefits the Off-off Broadway production of "9th Street Water"
If you can't attend the party, but would still like to make a donaton, email me here.
Posted by mermu at 12:59 PM | Comments (4)
March 27, 2004
The Cheesiest
On Sunday night, I and a few of my swankiest New Jersey friends are going to dine the the Swiss way at my swanky Weehawken apartment. I am really looking forward to this event as all of the work is in the preparation. The cooking is part of the party. Thanks to my BIL and sis for the proper accoutrement for the event.
Posted by mermu at 12:54 PM | Comments (2)
March 23, 2004
Horseshoes and Handgrenades
Well, it looks like I might not have been a total loser in the Bush in 30 Seconds commercial. I just clicked on this sight that lists the top 150 commercials and I am listed at number 119. So out of roughly 1500 submissions I made the top 150. Not bad when you consider I did if for the cost of feeding the camera man and getting the actors coffee.
I know the voting process was pretty much bullshit but I still feel like I accomplished something. I'll feel the same way when I win this or this and everyone knows those awards are more politics than process.
Posted by mermu at 12:15 AM | Comments (2)
March 22, 2004
Lighting the Corners of My Mind
A few days ago I posted an entry about my Grandma L and her famous homemade tortillas. The story brought back alot of memories for me and some of my readers. So this is a long distance dedication to our Grandparents. Do you have any special memories of your Grandparents? I'd love to hear them.
Posted by mermu at 04:14 PM | Comments (5)
March 18, 2004
Whew! That was a Close one.
Well, it seems I dodged a bullet. Last night whilst toasting St. Paddy with some Irish friends and My Pal Prudence, she informed me that this week
"Handbags are the new Babies."
Wow, that was fast. Just as I suspected, I would have wound up with an outdated fashion accessory had I jumped the gun and actually gotten pregnant.
This handbag thing I can really get behind, but I've already informed Pru.
If you ever see me spend $500 on a BAG, shoot me down with percosette, remove me to an undisclosed location and de-program me!!!
Posted by mermu at 10:08 AM | Comments (1)
March 15, 2004
La Tia
Now that the cat's out of the bag with the family, I can sing to the rooftops.
She's having a baby and I'm going to be an aunt for the first time!
I cannot wait to teach mi nina poquita how to roll amazing torillas (assuming of course I learn in the interim), sing "Shortnin' Bread", and creatively rebel against her parents who will never understand her the way her Tia does. :-)
Posted by mermu at 05:38 PM | Comments (2)
Pruisms
I was hanging out with My Pal Pru this weekend and we discovered she is quite the source for insight and sage wisdom. Maybe it's all that hard livin'. In any case, Pru is going out on a limb and calling it as she sees it.
In a spirited conversation amidst pints and prose, Pru blurts out:
"This is 2004 in New York City and babies are the "new black".
Damn. Now what am I gonna do with that saucy black dress I just bought thinking black was still the new black? I suppose I can put it away until black comes back. In the meantime, where can I get some suitable sperm? And what if babies are the old black by the time I actually have one?
Wow...being a fashionista is hard work. I think I'll skip it for now.
Posted by mermu at 05:31 PM | Comments (1)
March 10, 2004
She's Laughing at me!
Last weekend in remembrance of the 5 year anniversary of my Grandma L's death, I hosted a Mexican Breakfast for my friends who live in the area. It was a fantastic time. I served eggs, chorizo, refried beans I "fried" myself (both times), hash browns, and, um, homemade tortillas. The night before as I was making them I swear I could hear my grandmother laughing. If you've never made a tortilla before let me explain. It's not so much the mixing of the ingredients or the preparing of the dough that is tricky; it's the rolling out perfectly symmetrically, same size tortillas every time. Using anything but a rolling pin would technically be cheating. I made approximately three dozen oddly shaped discs.
When I was a child, one of my fondest memories of my Grandmother was of making tortillas. With a rolling pin, my grandmother was like magic. She barely had to touch a ball of dough and it would succumb to her every whim like an obedient puppy praying for a treat. At the end of every batch of dough she would prep two small dough balls so that my sister and I could make our very own tortilla. At 7 or 8, this was the most fun, difficult thing ever! We would try and try and try to get that beautiful roundness. Finally after what seemed like seconds (but was probably about 10 minutes), Grandma would say, "Okay, that's enough." She would take our little dough and make us each our very own perfectly round tortilla, place it on the old cast iron stove lid atop one of the boring old electric burners, and turn it over and over until we had our very own perfectly round, with little brown bumps tortilla. With a little butter, sugar and cinammon, it was the most tasty thing in the world for an 8 year old.
This was the first time I've tried to make tortillas on my own since my first disastrous dalliance with the recipe at 11. I did not know that tortillas needed lard, and salt and baking soda. I thought it was just flour and water. Unfortunately for my father, for whom I was making this Father's Day gift of tradition and love, I did manage to make a few tortilla-like hard cakes. Yuck! After so many years, I thought I deserved another go.
My Grandmother's death has been a great lesson to me in just what exactly death is. She was really the first person I knew well enough to still be connected to and affected by even after passing on. At moments, mostly when I was rolling the same tortilla AGAIN, after failing dismally the first time, I couldn't help but erupt in giggles and laughter. My Grandma was over me, watching the product of my labor. I think she really enjoyed the fact that I was actually trying to make them as much as the comedy of my efforts. She would be very pleased that traditions and rituals are being remembered.
On that score she need not fear. I am determined to become an A-1 tortilla roller so that I can produce some of that same magic to my children, nieces and nephews. So siblings you better hold up awhile. This is going to take some time. Otherwise I may have to do some fancy marketing. Do you think Mission would ever sell "Mexican Amoebas"? How do you say Amoeba in Spanish?
For the record, my last tortilla was a smaller dough ball, rolled (NO. Not round), and pulled right off the griddle and lathered with a little butter, sugar and cinammon. Go figure. It is still the most tasty thing in the world!
Posted by mermu at 11:53 AM | Comments (11)
March 04, 2004
Why a Karl should never vote Bush
Based on a recent quote from George Bush in an article where he pretends he has helped our economy, I don't see how a single person with any Karl or McCollough genes in their body could even consider voting for GWB. Look at the following:
"The economy is getting stronger," Bush said from an outdoor stage at a family-owned company, Rain for Rent, an irrigation system business. "One of the reasons why I think we're doing so good here in America is because of the tax relief we passed, is because people have more money in their pockets."
Good is an adjective and can't modify a verb you dope! My Grandma taught me that when I was 3. So much so that when I hear people use good or well incorrectly I have to correct it in my head because it so wrong!!!
Come on, Kathleen. Margaret. You know what I'm talkin' about.
Posted by mermu at 05:35 PM | Comments (5)
Texas has an Oscar Winner in it!
Congratulations to Renee Zellweger on finally winning an Oscar that she deserved last year. Her performance in Cold Mountain was riveting. She definitely deserved it.
As far as the Oscars this year go, here are my thoughts.
Dull. Dull. Dull. There was only one half-surprise in the Oscars and that was when Sean Penn won for Best Actor. Other than that, it was the same award show as the Globes, as the SAG Awards as the blah blah blah. I think moving it up a month really takes the drama out of the event.
HOW COULD THEY MOVE IT UP A MONTH?!!! I normally pride myself on having an informed opinion at the Oscars. This year I managed to see "Cold Mountain", "Monster" and "Whale Rider". I didn't realize it was a month earlier until 10 days before the event. ARGH!!!
Are all the Bushes idiots? With inane banter and an atrocious disrespect for the English language, Billy Bush looked like a real dope. In general, all the red carpet harpies were pretty stupid and dimwitted, but I thought Billy was especially annoying. I suppose those people are supposed to be pretty stupid. Their only job seems to be to look pretty and gawk and prove that you don't have to be intelligent to be on camera. Hmm. Perhaps Billy's uncle Jr. can get that gig in Jan 2005. I hear he'll be looking for a job....
Posted by mermu at 05:17 PM | Comments (6)