Foodie Fieldtrip Friday: Moon Juice and Fun in the Sun

February 13, 2016November 18, 2016 ~ Harper220

So very grateful my Hubby flew in to L.A. from London to spend Valentine’s Day with me!!

It is wonderful and simultaneously strange to be in L.A. as a tourist. Having spent most of my life in California (though born in Chicago) growing up and then raising my own kids here, I thought I had a pretty good handle on the So Cal lifestyle. But living abroad the past 8 years, I feel like I am now navigating it for the first time. So much has changed. Yes there is more traffic and smog, and indeed some of my fav places have gone out of business or moved. But there are so many cool places that have opened since I left and I have been enjoying exploring them all.

One of the aspects of Los Angeles I’ve always admired is that it is certainly on the cutting edge for the latest and greatest health fads. Because of the hot and sunny weather nearly 365 days of the year, people dress accordingly. And when you are in shorts and tank tops, you do want to look your best. Since health comes from the inside out, Angelenos (as they are called) are always finding ways to nourish their human tank with clean eating, exercise and various stress busters. I mean, think Raw Food, Hot Yoga and deep tissue massage and that is the embodiment of many in “LA-LA Land”!

So for this week’s Foodie Fieldtrip Friday, a nice visit to a trendy place called Moon Juice fit the bill perfectly! I hadn’t heard of it before, but a lovely snapchat note from Melanie Morris peeked my interest and I decided it was a great one to check out along with a lil tour of Venice Beach (always a hoot with the various things going on down there). And of course, my snapchat buds came along for the tour (username: blissbakery).

While I am quite familiar with juice bars, as Jamba Juice was a hit when I still lived here, Moon Juice is another whole ball of wax. With two locations (their other store is in Silver Lake), they sell totally organic products. Their juices are also cold pressed. However, according to the founder Amanda Chantal Bacon, Moon Juice is actually a lifestyle shift. A way to use food as a healing element. With beauty foods and high powered natural remedies, this isn’t your average stop for a quick O.J.! They even have glass vials of detoxifying minerals from the sea that you crack open and throw down like a shot of Tequila (only better for you, duh).

Yet one look at Amanda and her incredible glow and you feel like you want some of that in your life! Gwenyth Paltrow and other celebs seem to as well! But when I saw the price of one juice from the Rose Avenue flagship store I wondered, is this really the nectar of the gods or just hype? One sip and I was hooked. No joke, this was the most incredible green smoothie I have ever tasted!

Though I love, love, loved my Greens Shake smoothie (with celery, kale, spinach, parsley, dandelion and a frozen banana), Hubby opted for a Vanilla, Fig and Almond smoothie. And since I was doing some research I just had to help him with it! It was like a dessert it was so good, but the description sounded like it was miracle worker: Alkaline/Mineralized Oxygenated water, Turkish figs, unpasteurized activated California almonds, Lukuma, honey, vanilla bean, and pink salt. Each of our smoothies promised their own perfect prescription. In a nutshell, mine was meant to be an energy provider, joy promoter and a detoxifier. Hubby’s was an alkalizer and mineralizer. Both oozed “good for you” gorgeousness, but they weren’t easy on the pocketbook. I’m talking $10 and $14 respectively! Ouch! But as the saying goes, “your health is your wealth” and better to spend your money on good, clean healthy food now then on doctors and meds down the road.

The other thing on offer at Moon Juice is an array of little snacks. They even had a taster to help whet your appetite. And I love my tasters! Remember on one of my other Foodie Fieldtrip Fridays I went to Costco and that place is taster heaven. But THESE tasters at Moon Juice are nearly medicinal because they are so healthy! This one had “Activated Hazelnut, Mulberry and Cacao”. They also have a wide range of dehydrated fruits and veg which make great lo-cal, high nutrient nibbles. The menu is brilliant as it outlines which elements in each juice or snack are meant to help what areas of your well being. I like to think rather than a menu, it is a map through a gourmet galaxy to Moon Juice Heaven!

I left with a lil treat besides my smoothie, some chocolate candy! Hey before you judge, remember this place is healthy! Not only did they taste AMAZING, these chocolate treats are also good for you! They are made with coconut oil and nut butter! Like a healthy Reece’s Peanut Butter Cup! Yummy!

With so many things going on in L.A. over the President’s Day holiday weekend (Valentine’s Day, the L.A. Marathon, the Grammy Awards and a PGA golf tournament), Venice Beach was buzzing! Sure it is a tourist destination, but it is also favored by local basketball players (and was featured in the movie White Men Can’t Jump), surfers, artists and lately, LA headquarters of tech companies such as Google and Snapchat. But it is probably best known as the birthplace of Muscle Beach which started the weightlifting and fitness craze in California in the mid 1930’s. Former California Governor and action film star Arnold Schwarzenegger used to work out here as well! Besides the weightlifting area there is a stage and grandstand that serves as the body building competition arena. And some passers by like to have a pic there, but uh not me. Nope, not on the workout train at the moment! LOL! Just the foodie train!

The crowds on the boardwalk (the ones not whizzing by on bikes or rollerblades) were treated to a fun music and dance show. And this one particular dancer not only busted a move, but was also a contortionist. He twisted his body into all sorts of positions whilst keeping up the beat to a Michael Jackson song! And of course besides all the tattoo and piercing shops scattered around, there is also a bit of shopping available, though nothing caught my fancy.

After all the vitamins (the ones in the smoothie and the vitamin D from the sun) my Hubby decided a real decadent treat was in order! But it was sweet because it was getting us in the mood for Valentine’s Day! All in all, it was a wonderful day of exploring a new place, and reconnecting with a corner of our old home town.

Love you to the moon and back,

YDP

Recipe: Woman Crush Wednesday

February 10, 2016November 18, 2016 ~ Harper220

It’s here! Yes today is Woman Crush Wednesday and it is coming to you from Los Angeles! It is not even the middle of February and while most places in the world are dealing with winter cold, it is 80 degrees and sunny here in L.A. And who is the epitome of L.A. sunshine and smiles? None other than Gaby Dalkin of What’s Gaby Cooking!

When it is this hot, who feels like cooking? Yet, hello, we still need sustenance! Gaby is the perfect one to provide fab recipes that are light and healthy, full of flavor and super easy to make. So when I popped over to one of my oldest and dearest friends, we teamed up to make Gaby’s super delish Asian Chicken Slaw. My friend Traci is a vegetarian. So her husband and I had the slaw with the chicken. But it is simple enough to toss together and then add the chicken for the meat eaters!

It is a little dark, but Traci’s dog Stella is doing an awesome photo bomb there below!

The great thing about this dish is that it holds well even for the next day. If you remember from my Salad Scentral Week, I am a salad nut. And yet most salads, once dressed, need to be eaten straight away. This salad is just as good the next day as the cabbage and peppers are hearty enough and hold up well. Not to mention the dressing is to die for, literally! It is so moreish I could eat it on its own! Though Gaby doesn’t specify how to cook the chicken, I had an idea. Using skinless boneless chicken breast, we just put some freshly squeezed lemon juice and a generous splash of soy sauce and baked them in a 350f/180c oven for about 20 minutes. It kept the meat nice and moist. But leftover roasted chicken would be great too.

INGREDIENTS

1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
3 tablespoon soy sauce
1 lime, juiced
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 head Napa cabbage, thinly sliced
1/2 head Red cabbage, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 large carrot, shredded
6 green onions, thinly cut on the bias
1 avocado, thinly sliced
fresh basil, thinly sliced
fresh cilantro
1-2 cups shredded chicken breast (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS

Whisk together the rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, lime juice, peanut butter and garlic until smooth.
Combine the Napa cabbage, red cabbage, sliced bell peppers. carrot and green onion and toss together. Add in a handful of avocado, sliced basil and fresh cilantro along with the shredded chicken.
Pour the liquid mixture over the vegetables and chicken and toss to combine. Season with extra soy sauce if needed and serve immediately.

This was the perfect dinner and really hit the spot. Totally guilt free! And considering I had picked up some Sprinkles Cupcakes for dessert, this meal was a balance of nice with the naughty. But just because this Asian Chicken Slaw is healthy doesn’t mean it lacks anything in the way of taste. It was really satisfying and we all had seconds!

Though I have never met Gaby, I feel like I have. She was actually at my son and daughter in law’s wedding back in 2013. She and my daughter in law Koko were working for the same person and became friends. I remember seeing her from a distance at the wedding reception with her gorgeous smile and bright red lipstick. She was dancing with her husband and having a great time. So when deciding who to choose for this week’s edition of the popular #WCW I had to shine a well deserved spotlight on the effervescent Gaby. She embodies love of food, clean eating, and yet enjoys her treats too.

She is probably most known for her love affair with avocados. So much so that she even wrote a cookbook about it. Originally from Arizona, she likely grew up eating Mexican food on a regular basis and perfected her guacamole game! Today Gaby is one of the most well known food bloggers sought after by many culinary companies such as Williams-Sonoma to promote their products. She has partnered with another of our #womancrushwednesday’s the Pioneer Woman Ree Drummond, and has guest posted on her website as well.

And Gaby is one of my fav snapchatters! That’s right, she is a Snap Sista! I look forward to her cooking tutorials each Friday (she calls them “Snapisodes”) as her natural easy going style is so refreshing. She engages with her followers even asking them to help choose which dish they would like her to demonstrate! She is very active on Instagram as well and shares selflies with loads of her famous and talented friends. I just love her and if you aren’t already following her I really encourage you to do so. She makes cooking seem effortless and is great at both savory and sweet recipes. In fact, Koko was the one who told me about Gaby’s infamous “slutty brownies” which she would make for the staff at their job. It is a triple layer decadent treat that you too will want to make ASAP.

Thanks Gaby for being a gorgeous gourmet gal inspiring so many of us in the kitchen! Thanks for bringing sunshine into my life. Not just when I’m here roasting in L.A. and making your refreshing salad. But when I am back home across the pond in the rainy cold weather too. Because your recipes are a bright light like you!

Shining love,

YDP

ps. If you are interested, I have more of the Gaby lovefest on my snapchat story (username: blissbakery) as my friend and I recreated her colorful salad. But fair warning, though it is a great recipe, there is some bad singing by me on there! LOL!

Recipe: Super Bowl Sunday Slow Cooker McRibs

February 7, 2016November 18, 2016 ~ Harper220

The Super Bowl is 50 years old, which is hard to believe. In fact I am actually one year older than the U.S. Football Championship! Yikes! But since I am a sports fan, and I love to cook and eat (both essential aspects of viewing the most watched sporting event in the world) I figured I needed to honor this special day. And what better way to do so, than with a recipe. This isn’t just any recipe, this is a slow cooker recipe. Often known as Crock Pot Cooking, it is the perfect way to make a meal since you just put in the ingredients and let them do their thing. Leaving you more time to watch the game (or match if you are from across the pond) and visit your family and friends.

I actually don’t have a slow cooker at home in London. I had one for years when I lived in the States, but when we were moving to Dublin 8 years ago I gave it away. Since the electrical wattage is different I thought I would get a slow cooker over there. But I haven’t done that yet. Anyway, being with my family here in America for a visit I have been reunited with the awesome way of cooking. It really gives food a chance to ease into itself releasing flavors generously and retaining the moisture. My daughter recommended a recipe for ribs, which she makes for her family. I gave it a go last week and did a snapchat tutorial (username: blissbakery) unfortunately the 24 hour post is long gone. But I took a few pics that will hopefully whet your appetite. Trust me, if you are a meat eater, this will become your new go-to recipe!

5-SPICE SLOW-COOKER PORK RIBS
Prep 2 min. | Cook 6-12 hours in slow cooker |

INGREDIENTS:

3-4 pounds baby back or St. Louis pork ribs

salt and ground black pepper

2 teaspoons Chinese five-spice powder

3/4 teaspoon coarse (granulated) garlic powder

1 fresh jalapeño, cut into rings

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 tablespoons coconut aminos or homemade substitute

1 tablespoon tomato paste

DIRECTIONS:
Cut the ribs into pieces that will fit standing up in the slow cooker. Lay the ribs on a cutting board and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, mix the Chinese five- spice and garlic powder together, then massage onto the meat to coat the ribs.
Toss the jalapeño rings into the bottom of the slow cooker, and add the rice vinegar, coconut aminos, and tomato paste. Stir until the tomato paste is combined with the other liquids. Add the ribs, standing up so they’re not lying in the liquid – or use a roasting rack inside the cooker so the ribs are not lying on the bottom – cover, and cook 6 hours on high or 8-10 hours on low.
When the ribs are fall-apart tender, remove them from the cooker. Pour the liquid into a heat-proof container and refrigerate until the fat separates from the juices. Remove the fat and bring the remaining liquid to a boil, then simmer for a few minutes. Use as a dipping/drizzle sauce for the meat.

(recipe from Mel Joulwan)

Served with some sweet potato rounds and steamed broccoli, this rib dinner was a winner!

I love the Super Bowl and enjoy every aspect of it. And since I had the pleasure to be included in two Super Bowl halftime shows, feel even more invested. One of which was with James Brown and I shared the story here on the blog. Another halftime involvement came back in 1994 in Atlanta Georgia. It was a country music theme and the acts were Travis Tritt and The Judds. But my role was to walk arm and arm on to the center of the field with Hall of Fame Quarterback Joe Namath. Tough job! Haha! What a treat that was though. He was lovely guy and still in great shape even though his NY Jets “Broadway Joe” moniker had long since expired.

But my best Super Bowl experience was the opportunity to star in a famous sixty second McDonald’s commercial that premiered during the game. Advertisements shown during the Super Bowl are the most expensive air time sold on television. And it is every actor’s dream to have one play during the game. Most of the time, people tune out or switch stations during commercials. But not during the Super Bowl. In fact, some people only watch the game to see the commercials. And media outlets are swiftly measuring and ranking which commercials were the best.

The McDonald’s commercial that I was honored to be in (I played a McDonald’s counter girl) went on to win a Clio Award (the equivalent to the Oscar’s but awarded for the ad agency’s work). The premise is about an elderly man coming out of retirement to work at McDonald’s. While his friends are going fishing, he is getting a reassuring hug from his wife who tells him he is gonna be great. And by the end of the commercial (most commercials are 30 seconds and this story unfolded in a 60 second advert) he comes home to tell his wife, “I don’t know how they got along without me.” Tears in the eyes guys! This was when McDonalds was opening up employment to seniors and those with disabilities. The man who played the role was a retired bee keeper from Oregon named Lowell. He won the role after a nationwide casting search. So adorable! And the director, Rob Lieberman, (who later filmed the Jif peanut butter commercial I was in) is a well respected director of film and television besides directing numerous memorable commercials.

At one stage, McDonald’s did sell ribs, called “McRibs” and though the recipe here is nothing like them, I couldn’t help call them that because of my wonderful Super Bowl/McDonalds’ connection. You can call them what you want, but trust me, you’ll be smakin’ your lips when you taste them!

Happy 50th Super Bowl!

Love,

YDP

Foodie Fieldtrip Friday: Double Header

February 5, 2016November 18, 2016 ~ Harper220

When I lived in Los Angeles, we had a tradition of attending at least one L.A. Dodgers baseball game each season. I often heard of the phrase “Double Header” but never actually went to one. Well, for today’s Foodie Fieldtrip Friday, I got the chance to do so. Even if there wasn’t a baseball in sight, I got to experience double the foodie fun while taking my snapchat buddies along with me (my username is blissbakery if you want to check it out for yourself).

On this typical hot and sunny day, I braved the per usual traffic and unearthed two cool places that weren’t yet opened when I lived here. The first stop on the tour was Fo-nuts a donut shop with a twist. It opened five years ago and carries only baked donuts, nothing fried. And bonus they also have gluten free and vegan donuts as well, hello healthy friends! Not only that, but they are known to have some of the best coffee in all of L.A.! Though it was so warm I opted for iced coffee to accompany my two tasty treats.

Strawberry Buttermilk and Red Velvet Fo-nuts!

I have never seen savory donuts and they make them as well. On offer today was a rosemary fonut and also a chorizo one as well. The selection of fresh fonuts was so massive I had a hard time choosing which one to get. There was even a sweet/savory combo fount of Maple Bacon with actual pieces of bacon on top! Yum! But you know me I like the sweet stuff, so in the end, I opted for one of my all time favorite flavors, red velvet. And I took the recommendation of another customer who said the Strawberry Buttermilk was to die for, and indeed it was! So moist!. You don’t miss that frying oil at all with these healthy baked goodies. Apparently, though this location is their only store front, Fo-nuts sells to many other food establishments. Hence their name, product and brand have seen much success, especially with Hollywood types that want a treat without the guilt! The lovely staff member that served me was super friendly and helpful and they offer free wifi. Very handy when you are trying to snap along the way!

It may seem a bit random to say, but I love the whimsical nature of the shop. Not only the name, but also the fact that they have decor pieces (like a large white old fashioned oven just when you walk in the door) and fun wording on signage that brings a smile to your face. It is nice in an often stressful world, that we can find a slice of sweetness (literally and figuratively) in a bakery as fab as Fo-nuts!

The next stop was literally across the road on 3rd Street in West Hollywood. The Sweetgreen salad shop is a fast food joint turned upside down. Yes, it is fast, yes it is a well oiled machine. But it is absolutely clean, real food, put together by hand in clever and creative ways. If you remember from Salad Scentral Week (where I made a different salad recipe every day) I shared with you how much I love salads. But Sweetgreen, had it been opened when I still lived in L.A. eight years ago, would have been my uber fav place. And like Fo-nuts the selection was massive. The menu at Sweetgreen is seasonal, and even in hot and sunny L.A. where you think you can get anything anytime of year, they are mindful of airline miles on their ingredients. I had considered ordering a “Hollywood Bowl” Salad with organic chicken and kale. Instead, I got a Grapefruit, Avocado and Shrimp salad to go (as I wanted to continue the sightseeing) but it made for a fun picnic in the rental car later in the day.

It was an outstandingly fresh and vibrant salad and I loved the creamy chunks of avocado (perfectly ripened) and the zingy grapefruit expertly segmented with no trace at all of the white pithy bit. It was served on a bed of arugula (called rocket over in Ireland and the U.K.) and the server asked if I wanted my dressing applied light, medium or heavy before she whisked the salad up in a big bowl. Wow, my kind of service. And PS they even had tasters. As I mentioned in the Foodie Fieldtrip Friday two weeks ago when I visited Costco, tasters are proven to be an effective way to get people to purchase the products! Not that I needed any help mind you!

A while back I did a post on YDP’s best of short list of Los Angeles. It is interesting to go back over it again, myself, now that I am here in L.A. I am kind of getting to be a tourist in what was once my home. And though I am pretty darn happy with all the recommendations on this list, I think I might have to add Fo-nuts and Sweetgreen to the list now too! Nice satisfying food for the belly, without the guilt! Which means more energy to bop around Hollywood for some sightseeing!

Healthy Happy Love,

YDP

Recipe: Woman Crush Wednesday

February 3, 2016November 18, 2016 ~ Harper220

Welcome back to the fantabulous Woman Crush Wednesday, the most fun and delicious day on the calendar. Each week we shine a well deserved light on a female foodie in the culinary world and recreate one of her recipes for a snapchat tutorial (username: blissbakery). And today is especially wonderful as my granddaughter was able to assist me in the kitchen! Normally I am apologizing for my bad singing and dancing, but Harper is not only a great singer she can also bust some moves. A fun cooking adventure indeed! This week’s honoree is the gorgeous and oh so talented chef Rachel Khoo. Though Rachel is English, she studied pastry at Le Cordon Blue in Paris, so we figured why not make one of her tasty desserts!

But this isn’t just any dessert, this is a decadent hot chocolate and banana caramelized taste explosion wrapped in a buttery and flaky puff pastry. While Rachel certainly has the skill to make homemade puff pastry, she actually chooses to use ready made pastry for this recipe. I love that someone so accomplished in her field, is still down to earth. She helps the rest of us with a little short cut in the kitchen. That way we can spend more time with our guests having the old chat or two. Certainly something she would have done during her years living in Paris. But just because this recipe is simple doesn’t take away from the complexity and perfection of flavor combinations. Quite honestly, it is heaven on a plate! Especially with a side of vanilla ice cream! Now we are talkin!

Hot chocolate and banana rolls

Serves 4-6

Preparation time 10 minutes
Baking time 30 minutes

Ingredients

Good quality ready rolled puff pastry, roughly 215g
2 bananas
50g Dark chocolate
Handful chopped hazelnuts or other nut of your choice (we used pecans)
2 tbsps golden or light brown sugar
1 egg, beaten

Serve with ice cream, frozen yoghurt, or freshly whipped cream

Method

Preheat the oven to 180c.

Place the sheet of puff pastry in front of you and brush with egg wash. Sprinkle with nuts and a tablespoon of sugar.

Add the bananas in a row followed by the chocolate broken in pieces.

IMG_5602-2 — Harper has them nearly ready for the oven!

Roll up and brush with egg on the top. Sprinkle with the remaining nuts and sugar.

Cut into 2 pieces and squash down the ends. (the pastry sheets I used were already in two pieces)

Place on baking tray and bake for 20 – 30 minutes or until golden and puffy.

Best eaten warm and extremely delicious with ice cream or freshly whipped cream!

As if Rachel isn’t busy enough with cooking, writing, and filming, she is launching a life style magazine. But it isn’t a surprise really. She studied art at university in the U.K. and worked in fashion PR. She is a world traveler and shares her adventures on her Instagram account. So in essence it is the likely next step. The sky is the limit for Rachel. Her uber popular The Little Paris Kitchen Book let the novice into her tiny culinary corner in the mecca of French food to tackle traditional recipes with a twist. The fact that when she moved to France she didn’t even speak French says volumes about her tenacity and courage.

Wow, Rachel you are a shooting star and we are so happy to have you as our #WomanCrushWednesday! We wish you the best in your new endeavors and thank you for being an inspiration and role model. You are beautiful inside and out and we are so eager for more of your culinary creations!

Avec amour chocolat banane,

YDP + granddaughter Harper too!

Foodie Fieldtrip Friday: Rocky Mountain Style

February 1, 2016November 18, 2016 ~ Harper220

It is so exciting to finally share my long time love of the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory. I took my snapchat friends on a tour of one of the local franchises in Washington State while I am here visiting my family. For years I have enjoyed the fruits of their labor. Going to Mammoth each year for a skiing holiday, we would often stop by the local RMCF there and pick up some gourmet chocolate apples. It was a slightly less guilty pleasure because, hello, an apple a day, right?

These apples are ginormous. You can buy them as is, or the will slice them for you to make them easier to eat. Their flavors range from traditional (apple on a stick dipped in some caramel) to the glorious gourmet fav of mine, snickers! Yep, an apple on a stick dipped in caramel, then chocolate then rolled in chopped up snickers candy bars. Wowza! But they have some with M&Ms on them, or nuts, or chocolate chips. Everything and anything you can think of. They even have an apple pie caramel apple. It is dipped in caramel then dipped in white chocolate then rolled in a lovely powder consisting of cinnamon and apple pie spice. Now I see why they offer to slice up the apples. This way, when you go with a friend, you can each have tastes of the others, which makes it easier to share the love.

Which brings me to the point, some people like to just bite their caramel apples with their teeth tucking in with gusto. Others prefer to eat it after it has been cut into slices. Which camp are you? I asked that question on my Istagram this summer when I was here visiting my family. I picked up some of the gourmet apples from RMCF for the 4th of July and sliced some and the others, well let’s just say I tucked in with full gusto!

Even though my fav are the apples, they also have loads of other chocolatey treats. They make chocolate dipped strawberries, chocolate dipped marshmallows on a stick, chocolate dipped Twinkies, chocolate dipped pretzel sticks, a variety of chocolate truffles, chocolate bark, and caramel and nut clusters called turtles. They make great gifts for Valentine’s Day of course (hint, hint it is just around the corner folks), Mother’s Day, Graduation and my personal fav, Wedding Day Favors. How cute would it be to have either chocolate covered strawberries or chocolate covered apples on your special day? Surely your guests will leave feeling the sweet love!

Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory is no longer just in Rocky Mountain territory folks! Though founded in 1981 by Franklin Crail in Durango, Colorado, it is now an international and publicly traded company. With franchises as far as the Middle East and Asia, I think it is high time that there is one in the European Union! Judging by the response to my snapchat Foodie Fieldtrip Friday, I think my Irish friends would especially appreciate a location there! They were drooling on their mobile devices watching all the gorgeous treats I showed them. Some of the products are made at the 53,000 sq ft factory in Durango and then shipped in refrigerated trucks. Yet, some items are indeed made at the individual stores, such as the apples. Using traditional methods and tools like copper pots and marble slabs and only with premium quality ingredients it is a feast for the eyes. Here is a before and after, and though I love me some shiny green apples, I think these dipped ones are really up my alley! Yummers!

I really admire Mr. Crail’s business ethos and this short article which you can read here gives you a little glimpse into his sweet success. What strikes me the most is the notion of giving the customer an experience. When they walk into a Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory Shop not only do they smell the gorgeous chocolate, they are often treated to a free sample, and they get to watch some magic happen. People do enjoy seeing the process of how the products are made. And this is what sets RMCF apart from other “candy” stores. Mr. Crail did initially think about opening a See’s Candy store when he moved from California to Colorado. But since they didn’t do franchising, he started his own chocolate heaven. And it seems to me that he is savoring that savvy decision.

Well done to everyone involved in Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory. It has been one of our family traditions for years. Now I just need to win the lottery and open a franchise in Dublin and chances are, all my friends will be out the door enjoying the tasty treats!

Chocolate Dipped Love,

YDP

Screen Actors Guild Awards

January 31, 2016October 23, 2017 ~ Harper220

As a card carrying member of the Screen Actors Guild now for over 43 years, I take my privilege seriously. The Screen Actors Guild began having their own awards show twenty two years ago, and I feel honored to be able to vote each year. I also get the benefit of receiving movie screeners and my Hubby and I enjoy our at home cinema binge nights. But this is the first time I have ever documented it on social media.

For the past month each time we’d watch a film, I posted a pic for snapchat of the movie we were about to watch. Obviously for legal reasons, I didn’t post any video or any other pics besides an initial shot just to establish which film we were viewing. Then, yesterday when I did my due diligence and voted online, I included my snapchat friends in the process (btw, my snapchat username in case you want to follow along is: blissbakery). I didn’t show who I voted for, but they did see what the ballot looked like and the final “you’re done, voting complete” page.

I have always loved awards shows. The pomp and circumstance, the fashion, the anticipation, the emotion, the speeches, they all enthrall me. Wow, I get teared up just thinking about it! I have been lucky enough in my lifetime to have attended several awards shows. I went to the Grammys in 1984 the year Michael Jackson took home all the awards for the Thriller album. Then in 1985 I attended the 57th Academy Awards and witnessed the infamous acceptance speech by Sally Field when she said, “You like me”. I went to the 68th Academy Awards in 1996 when a paralyzed Christopher Reeves bravely got on stage and from his wheelchair gave the most incredible speech ever! Finally, I was able to join my dear friend Quincy Jones at the Emmy Awards in 1996 as he was nominated for an award for producing the just mentioned Academy Awards show. True story, our limo broke down on the way there!

Watching the SAG awards tonight was a thrill! It is more engaging because I feel vested in the outcome. It was a fab show and is always a great precursor to the Academy Awards. Many of the winners go on to get the coveted Oscar! But what is different this year, is that many of those who won tonight, aren’t even nominated in the Academy Awards. Thus the controversy of lack of diversity, or as some call it, #OscarsSoWhite. Even in this LA Times’ winners recap article, the subject was blatantly broached and nothing held back. As if to say, “Hey Motion Picture Academy, what’s your problem?”

Besides shouting about it, when we have the right to vote, which is a privilege, we can quietly show our voice through that medium. Which is why voting in the United States political elections is also important to me even though I have lived abroad for eight years now. Absentee ballots are the way to go folks, no excuses! And being able to vote online for the SAG awards is an honor too which I don’t take lightly. Even if it is “entertainment” I believe it is food for the soul as we humans need a bit of fun too! And it is lovely to recognize the achievements of those that have truly captured an emotion, a character and an essence of a triumph of spirit.

I will do a complete analysis of the films for another post, but I just wanted to highlight a couple of individuals that received awards tonight. These actors truly touched me with their performances and left a haunting impression that is still palatable.

Brie Larson first caught my eye in the gripping independent film Short Term 12. But when I watched the inspiring mother son love in the powerful film Room, I knew this lady was going to take home some hardware this year (code for heavy awards statues). She underplayed the role of Ma with such nuance that it made me forget I was watching a movie. The mark of a great actor is to reel you in, take you on the journey and then leave you utterly transformed. Yes Brie, you did all that and more! Congrats on your well deserved SAG award and likely many more to come. Footnote, the film was based on a book by Irish writer Emma Donoghue (who also wrote the screenplay) and directed by Irishman Lenny Abrahamson! NO performance happens in a vacuum and Brie got plenty of support from Jacob Tremblay who played her son, and Lenny Abrahamson! P.S. You gotta love the Irish influence in cinema. Would be great to see more of it!

Leonardo DiCaprio has been a Hollywood darling for years. He is my darling for one reason only, because he is my younger brother’s doppelgänger. I must admit, I haven’t ever been that much of a fan. Sure he gives solid performances, but none of his films have tugged at my heart strings (though I have heard that his performance in What’s Eating Gilbert Grape would do just that). However, The Revenant, not only tugged at my heart strings, it tore my heart out, ate it up and spit it out! Sorry to be so descriptive, but if you see the film, my sentence will seem tame. I don’t know if I have ever seen a more gut wrenching film! It is harsh, both on the nerves, and also just watching the frigid weather on the screen made me cold. And poor Leo trudged through it all, whilst bleeding, starving and mourning. Without giving away the film, his character Hugh Glass, is practically reincarnated before our eyes. Very little dialogue, but so much emotion in this film. When people say Leo should win this Oscar as a gesture for such a long career without any accolades, I say no can do. Leo will win the Oscar for this film because he deserves it.

I hope you have garnered a little more insight into the SAG awards and check this space as I will give an analysis about the films nominated. Until then, thanks for reading!

Awarding you LOVE,

YDP

Yankee Doodle Paddy

America + Ireland = LOVE

Author: Harper220

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Screen Actors Guild Awards