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You've downed the Kool-Aid and you don't even care because some restaurants in town deserve the obsessive following you give them. That might mean constantly checking a joint's Facebook page to find out the week's market specials or it might mean stalking your favorite local chef's Instagram. Ain't ... More >>
Because deep fried Kool-Aid wasn't enough, a southern California fry fanatic is now making a Krispy Kreme Sloppy Joe doughnut sandwich. That's right, a glazed doughnut with Sloppy Joe meat and cheese in the middle. Gotta love America. See also: - Piggly's at the Fair Opens in Mesa, Deep Fried Oreo ... More >>
If you don't frequent Arizona Mills Mall, I can't blame you. With five or six different blaring types of music within earshot, pushy sales people prowling the halls, and the exposed blue-light-flooded mouth of a stranger who fell for the very public "20-minute tooth-whitening," the place is an overl ... More >>
No doubt many moms enjoyed breakfast in bed, flowers or some chocolaty goodness today in honor of Mother's Day. But, as New Times' blogger/reporter Matt Hendley has extensively documented, not all women deserve such special treatment. We can think of a few things these women -- some of the worst mo ... More >>
Ring the bell, it's time for Last Call, where JK Grence, bartender at Shady's, serves up booze advice and recipes. Got a burning question for your bartender? Leave it in the comments and it might be answered in a future column. New Orleans is a town with a storied past. Most tourists' tales are of ... More >>
No food scores with sports fans quite like wings. Whether hot, spicy, sweet, all wings, all drumsticks, or a little of each, we've listed ten of our favorite spots for wings in the Valley (plus a few honorable mentions) that are sure to leave you cheering. Teakwoods Tavern & Grill At this casual ba ... More >>
See Also: Chicken & Waffle Warfare: Lo-Lo's vs. Louisiana Fried Chicken Falling somewhere between mac & cheese and chocolate chip cookies, fried chicken is near the very top of our favorite comfort foods list. And even though we can't eat this culinary treat very often, that doesn't stop us from d ... More >>
Welcome to Vine Geeks, where Brian Reeder and Pavle Milic of AZ Wine Merchants take the drinking game quite seriously. Pay attention -- you might just learn something. Many times, I've needed to crack a bottle of wine and found myself without the means to do so -- or so I thought. In reality, ther ... More >>
Larry White, Jr. Lo-Lo's Fried Chicken & Waffles 10 W. Yuma Street, Phoenix 602-340-1304 and 2765 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale 480-945-1920 www,loloschickenandwaffles.com This is part two of my interview with Larry White, Jr. (Lo-Lo), the owner of Lo-Lo's Chicken & Waffles. In case you missed it, ... More >>
I was on the fence about seeing Polyphonic Spree, the pysch pop, one-time MTV 2 darlings, this week at Crescent Ballroom, so I sat myself down to watch some videos in preparation. The band is entirely clad in white choir robes, and the of members grows from twelve to thirty depending on the night. ... More >>
San Franciso Giants: Scottsdale Stadium Seeing a game at Scottsdale Stadium? Lucky you. Not only is it a beautiful little stadium (not the newest, not the biggest, but a sentimental favorite), you are without a doubt in the best ballpark 'hood when it comes to drinking and dining options. We could ... More >>
Why are non-loony Republicans always on the outs in the county and state GOP, with the insaniac Mexican-haters firmly in control?In her blog on Sunday, moderate Republican Paula Pennypacker described one of the main tactics of GOP county chairman Rob Haney's nativist cult: The gaming of the proxy sy ... More >>
With the Arizona State Fair headed our way at week's end, we at Chow Bella decided on our latest challenge: Create a "fair food" that kicks it up a notch. No one dared to cook with bugs, but we did have some creative entries. Check back later this week, when critic Laura Hahnefeld will choose ... More >>
dineanddish.net Hungry for your early morning serving of food news, with no preservatives or additives?Wino ShowdownCowboy Ciao owner Peter Kasperski is at it again -- this time the self-proclaimed wino is going head-to-head with former cellarmaster and Thomas George Estates operations manager Se ... More >>
Another week has come and gone leaving us to ponder the upcoming events that will shape our lives and, more importantly, our dinners out. But before we move on, let's have one last look at the blog posts from this week. Ncounter To Open in Tempe in July Deep-Fried Kool-Aid Kicking Deep-Fried Ass a ... More >>
Jonathan Horn, SOSDNote to the folks at the Arizona State Fair: Get "Chicken" Charlie Boghosian back to the fairgrounds in October, and this time, tell 'em to bring his deep-fried Kool-Aid. Boghosian, whose Chicken Charlie's set-up is a staple of fried goodness at fairs nationwide, is the cr ... More >>
notthe1s via Flickr"Do you have a legal prescription for that?"Cheba Hut, the cannabis culture sub-shop chain founded near Arizona State University in 1998, isn't asking. In celebration of 4/20 -- the day pot-smokers come together and often lobby for total decriminalization of the wacky weed -- C ... More >>
Hanover SignsPoor Olive Garden. First the Italian food chain got tagged for accidentally serving a child sangria ("Mom, dis Kool-Aid makes my sgetti bwurry!"), now it's the target of recent internet buzz with tales of what really goes on at its infamous Tuscan cooking school. You can almost hea ... More >>
Golden Graham Marshmallow Treat, Hemp Brownie, and Gooball Munchies from Cheba Hut.Staying in? We've got you covered -- both on the culinary and entertainment fronts. Now presenting Dinner and a Movie -- a guide to a do it yourself evening of food and film.In less than a week, Arizona's ... More >>
Pinal County Sheriff's OfficeThat weed-filled truck to the left crashed into that house (center) moving that couch (right) off the wall.Imagine sitting on your couch, relaxing, and having a truck full of weed come crashing through the wall like the Kool-Aid guy. It may sound too good to be true, ... More >>
Drank, the "extreme relaxation" beverageIt's been called "weed in a can" and "a can of drag ass" by media, but does Drank really offer a mellow buzz? We must admit, we were skeptical of the powers within this purple aluminum can. When somebody told us about Drank, the "extreme relaxation" b ... More >>
Soon, the East Valley might get a taste of Postino's famous bruschetta. Yes, it really is that good.Phoenix is already drinking Postino's Kool-Aid, er, wine, but soon, the East Valley might get a taste of the popular wine bar action as well.Owner Craig DeMarco says he is 99 percent certain that t ... More >>
drinkrelentless.comThe cans for Relentless Energy Drinks say "Conceived in the U.K., Born in the U.S.," and the can of orange "Fire" flavor we tried included this quote from Benjamin Franklin: "Energy and persistence alter all things."It's an interesting use of the quote, especially since we can' ... More >>
The taste of Euphoric Energy's watermelon/kiwi energy drink could be described as similar to sucking on watermelon Jolly Ranchers. It could also be described as similar to blending some kiwi flavored Kool-Aid, carbonated water, watermelon chunks, and a ton of sugar, then sipping it.It's not an al ... More >>
Just when you thought corporate marketing goons, er, "geniuses" couldn't stoop any lower, this little gem shows up in local Fry's grocery stores: Build-a-Bear Workshop gummies! They're just like soft gummy bears, but cut in half so that you can mix and match tops and bottoms. Pair a cheer ... More >>
E. GrovesThe latest in a line of cheap, super-sugary energy drinks, Vegasfuel provides a quick kick and a bit of dehydration. The packaging includes a tag line that says, "Put a little Vegas in you," and the effects Vegasfuel are a lot like its namesake city -- a quick sensory rush, followed by a ... More >>
How well do you know your favorite cookhouse contraptions? See if you can guess today's gadget and check back next week for the answer. Here are a few shots at the answer, add yours to the comment box below: - Alien Chalice - "Topsy" the Topple Vase - Crocodile Muzzle What the he ... More >>
In the 24-hour news cycle it can be difficult to keep up. We have the solution. Check back on Valley Fever every evening for highlights from each of New Times' blogs. Today's entries: Feathered Bastard: Joe Arpaio Partners with Nativist Extremist Kris Kobach, Arizona ADL Blasts Both Up on t ... More >>
Charles Buschs troubled beauties make their Phoenix debuts
BY SARAH VENTRESarah Ventre I have to admit, in a quiet, whispered voice, that I actually don't like Halloween. Trust me, I've tried. I've had no traumatic experiences around the event, or anything that should conceivably prevent me from enjoying the holiday that everyone else so loves. Sure, ... More >>
Sloane BurwellSupermercado's super meat selection. As recently as a decade ago, grocery shopping in metropolitan Phoenix a la Mexicana was pretty limited. A carniceria here and there, and if you were lucky, your local grocer would stock a few spices and treats from south of the border. Now that sa ... More >>
The dumbing down of society has reached a new depth: The Associated Press reports this morning that a daycare worker in Arkansas accidently served 10 kids bright blue windshield wiper fluid, believing it was Kool-Aid. And we thought turning on the dryer with your kid inside was bad.
Jolt Cola, created in 1985, was the first soda to contain obscene amounts of sugar and caffeine, well before the first "energy drinks" started to hit store shelves. So it's not unrealistic to expect Jolt's new Endurance Shots to offer a high-octane rush superior to other energy shots, such as the "5 ... More >>
Jimi Hendrix died 38 years ago, but his music lives on -- and his merchandising does, too. Caffeine fiends can now drink a real "rock star" energy drink -- the "Jimi Hendrix Liquid Experience." The flavorful brew was introduced l ... More >>
By Jonathan McNamara Be not free of worries when you face the inebriated monk statues that stand guard in the various sections of Papago Brewing in Scottsdale. Behind their calm exterior lies a secret: they brew beer not with tender love and care but with a balls-to-the-wall sense of the extreme. ... More >>
Hey, I love Kool-Aid. I just don't wanna drink the 9/11 batch. I don't want to start asserting that there's a conspiracy on the part of the 9/11 conspiracy theorists to get me. You'll figure I drank the Kool-Aid, or went native. Or maybe that they left the pod beside my bed! But this Friday, ... More >>
Slumber arty
Here comes tribal
Bobby C's Lounge and Grille
"Bobby C's serves the tastiest catfish in Maricopa County"
James and Stacey McDevitt lay a sweet egg at Mika.
Book passage immediately for Herberger's trippy American Safari
Mothers Write
Writers Voice
602-252-2530, extension 16
Despite media reports of their death, the rave subculture, house music and the joy of X live on, roughly from midnight 'til dawn. In, of all places, Phoenix, Arizona.


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Photo Caption: Dr. Ralph Smedley pictured in his office in the late 1950's.
I attended my first Toastmasters meeting back in 1965, with the South Denver Toastmasters in Colorado. That night, we started the session with a few moments of silence in memory of Dr. Ralph C. Smedley, the founder of Toastmasters International, who had passed away the week before. The South Denver club was eventually renamed the Bob Ord Toastmasters in honor of longtime member Bob Ord, who often quoted Dr. Smedley when urging new members to take risks and try out ideas:
"Your Toastmasters club is your laboratory in which to try experiments in better communication," Smedley wrote in a 1955 issue of the Toastmaster magazine. "You can try anything once [in front of] this frank but sympathetic audience, and you can learn by listening to their comments."
When I served on the Toastmasters Board of Directors from 1970 to 1972, a fellow director, Al Burlingame, gave me the book Personally Speaking. Published by Toastmasters International the year after Smedley passed away, the 114-page volume is a collection of excerpts from Smedley's writings in the Toastmaster magazine over the years. Al had known Dr. Smedley personally and greatly admired him.
Although I never had the opportunity to meet Smedley, his words in this book have served as a great source of guidance and inspiration to me. I have belonged to nine clubs in three different cities, and my Toastmasters journey has been one of self-discovery, enjoyment and confidence-building.
The organization's 85th anniversary is a particularly fitting time to reflect on the principles, ideals and goals of Ralph Smedley. In that spirit, here are some of my favorite excerpts from Personally Speaking:
"Let's 'keep it simple': Many…have written about public speaking in the intervening centuries, but they have not changed the simple basic principles, nor have they added very much to them." (pg. 1)
"Toastmasters is a 'do-it-yourself' activity…Don't be afraid to use your imagination and initiative…Listen to others and evaluate their thinking – then form your own conclusions and speak for yourself." (pg. 1)
"Toastmasters is based on belief in the individual…Many organizations ask the individual to subordinate himself to the group. Ours is the only organization I know that is dedicated to the individual." (pg. 2)
"The personal touch, in all levels of our work, is one of [Toastmasters'] distinguishing features. We are working together." (pg. 6)
"The simple fact is that we grow or learn or work better when we enjoy what we are doing, and this is essentially the secret of success in Toastmasters. Our meetings are made enjoyable by a fine, helpful fellowship, in a pleasant, social atmosphere, with activities carefully planned…" (pg. 11)
"The ability to approach an audience in [a] friendly style is partly a gift of nature, and partly a cultivated art. It is worth cultivating if you want to be as effective as possible in your speech." (pg. 78)
"It is always the speaker's responsibility to make his speech effective. If he does that, applaud him, commend him, vote for him, even though he violated all the rules in the book… The test of the speech is not in following the textbook, but in making the sale." (pg. 80)
"The first result of speech training is self-discovery." (pg. 109)
Editor's Note: The book Personally Speaking (Item B63) is offered by Toastmasters International at www.toastmasters.org/shop.
Watt Pye, DTM, is a member of the Timberline and Gates to Excellence Toastmasters clubs, both located in Denver, Colorado. The longtime journalist was a member of Toastmasters' Board of Directors from 1970-'72. Reach him at firstname.lastname@example.com.
© 2014 Toastmasters International. All rights reserved.Privacy Policy | Conditions of Use | Browser Compatibility | Legal | Site Map
23182 Arroyo Vista, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688Phone: 949-858-8255 Fax: 949-858-1207 Contact Us

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Engineered Floors by the numbers
* Size of new plants in Whitfield and Murray counties: More than 1 million square feet.
* Dalton plant size: 800,000 square feet
* Calhoun plant size: 650,000 square feet
* Chatsworth plant size: 185,000 square feet
* Current staff: Almost 1,400 workers
* Planned hires: Between 2,000 and 2,400 over five years
Source: Engineered Floors
A quick look at Engineered Floors
* Headquarters: The historic city hall building in downtown Dalton, Ga.
* Chairman and CEO: Bob Shaw, former head of Shaw Industries
* Key to growth: The company combines two steps in its carpet manufacturing process, dying the yarn as it is made rather than as a separate step. The move saves water, energy and labor, allowing Engineered Floors to sell better carpet for less than its competitors.
* Latest move: The company will build two new plants in Whitfield County and Murray County for $450 million, creating as many as 2,400 jobs over five years. It received $70 million in tax breaks, not including exemptions on sales tax for construction and energy use.
Source: Engineered Floors
If you go:
Is Engineered Floors hiring workers right now? Yes
Where? 112 Enterprise Drive, Dalton, Ga.
Source: Engineered Floors
The coming jobs explosion in the Chattanooga region is no surprise to Bob Shaw, chairman and CEO of carpetmaker Engineered Floors.
"What we are doing is continuing with our expansion, really the same thing we've been doing since we started," Shaw said Thursday.
Engineered Floors, which announced on Wednesday that it will spend $450 million to build two manufacturing complexes over the next five years that could employ up to 2,400 workers, has been on an upward trajectory since its founding in 2009.
"This is simply an ongoing effort," he said, resisting efforts by politicians and media outlets to label his latest expansion as an isolated event.
Shaw came out of retirement to found Engineered Floors at the height of a recession, at a time when competitors were closing plants and laying off workers. His plan was simple. Instead of refurbishing the dusty old carpet mills that dotted the Dalton, Ga. countryside, he'd start from scratch with private money, new plants and cutting-edge technology.
It paid off. He began by targeting high-volume customers who supply carpet to apartment complexes. He built a plant in Calhoun, Ga., then another one in Dalton, Ga. He bought residential carpetmaker Dream Weaver Carpet in 2011 which allowed him to sell carpet to retailers. He expanded his manufacturing floor space to more than 1.5 million with nearly 1,400 workers. Today, Engineered Floors has gained the Holy Grail: a big chunk of space at big box stores like Lowe's and Home Depot. For flooring manufacturers, these are the big leagues.
The rise of Engineered Floors is a highly unusual development in an industry that for years has been dominated by just a few big names. One of those names belongs to Shaw Industries, which Shaw sold to billionaire Warren Buffett in 2000 before stepping down as CEO in 2005.
Buffett paid about $2.35 billion in cash and stock for the company -- money that is now being used against him, as well as fellow large competitors Mohawk Industries and Beaulieu of America. Shaw's noncompete agreement with Buffett appears to have run its course.
Just a few years after he walked off of the golf course and back into the boardroom, Bob Shaw's Engineered Floors has grown big enough that state governers issue news releases on his behalf. Engineered Floors even secured $70 million in tax breaks for the project and an end to sales taxes on energy use and construction at the new sites.
"But this isn't new," Shaw said. "We've been creating jobs in Georgia for three years."
Some of his success is thanks to the special technology he uses that eliminates the step of dying the yarn before it is turned into carpet. Instead, the yarn is dyed at the same time it is made, saving millions of gallons of water used to dye the yarn, millions of dollars in heat energy used to dry it, not to mention the money saved on labor. He runs the whole operation in-house.
New locations
Engineered Floors' current growth spurt will include two new plant complexes: one in Murray County and one in Whitfield County.
While the company has not announced the specific locations, local officials say privately that the one site will be located in Whitfield County's Carbondale business park next to I-75. The Murray County location is still under wraps, but won't be linked to the Chatsworth, Ga., plant that the company acquired when it purchased Dream Weaver Carpet.
There's no doubt that some of Engineered Floors' growth will come at the expense of competitors. But that's not necessarily a bad thing for Northwest Georgia, said Robert Culp, assistant professor of economics at Dalton State College.
"Obviously it's a very large investment so there will be a benefit from that, but also it'll be updating the area with better technology to make sure we remain competitive," Culp said.
The additional carpet jobs in Dalton help stabilize a flooring industry that has been shaken to its core by the housing recession, he said.
From its peak in 2006, metropolitan Dalton has shed more than 20 percent of its employment, losing 16,700 jobs over the past seven years, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
"One of the things I'd say about our job market is that we need to preserve the current market, preserve what you're good at," Culp said. "You don't want to, on top of everything else, lose the carpet business here."
Though new technology always means fewer jobs in the long run, that opens the region up to new industries that require a similar labor pool, such as chemical manufacturers, Culp said.
The immediate need, however, is gearing up more than 2,000 workers to handle next-gen carpet production. It could be a challenge, but not an insurmountable one, said Jim Catanzaro, president of Chattanooga State Community College.
"In some wonderful ways the world has changed and jobs in manufacturing are very enriched positions," he said. "They're challenging, they're exciting, they're positions typically where one works on a team. But on the other side, that takes an entirely new set of skills."
On projects this large that could require a large amount of training, Catanzaro said that multiple institutions will often work together to fill a company's need for skilled labor.
"It's always a stretch, and it's always a challenge, but it's one of those challenges that as a community, in a coordinated way, we can definitely meet the challenge," he said. "Our community's work to support business and industry and build our economy, that's what makes us a desirable place for people to locate."
Contact staff writer Ellis Smith at esmith@timesfree press.com or 423-757-6315.
Ellis Smith joined the Chattanooga Times Free Press in January 2010 as a business reporter. His beat includes the flooring industry, Chattem, Unum, Krystal, the automobile market, real estate and technology. Ellis is from Marietta, Ga., and has a bachelor's degree in mass communication at the University of West Georgia. He previously worked at UTV-13 News, Carrollton, Ga., as a producer; at the The West Georgian, Carrollton, Ga., as editor; and at the Times-Georgian, Carrollton, ...


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A kiss isn't just a kiss – see which couples are nuzzlers, nibblers or full-on lip smackers when it comes to putting their love on display
Credit: Evan Agostini/AP
Updated: Wednesday Jan 22, 2014 | 05:20 PM EST
By: Brooke Showell
More from PEOPLE
See More News
Find out which star unions have stood the test of time as long as these iconic touchstones
See Photos
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The nose knows! And it's the secret to a good snuggly smooch for Lambert and Shelton, who go sweetly sniffing around at the Country Music Awards.
Copyright © 2014 Time Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.


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Keeping in touch
|Mobile / Cell Phones in Japan & 'Pocket Wi-Fi'
|You can arrange phone rental on arrival at Tokyo Narita Airport, Tokyo Haneda Airport and Osaka Kansai Airport. Do note that phones are subject to availability and do sometimes run out at the very busiest times.
PuPuRu Mobile Phone
If you want to guarantee a mobile phone and / or mobile internet for the duration of you trip we recommend reserving in advance. We have teamed up with PuPuRu mobile phone rental through whom you can arrange mobile phone rental and mobile 'pocket' wi-fi*. Please see visit the liks below for more information and to book your handsets:
Mobile / Cell phone rental: http://www.pupuru.com/affiliate/J13/10
Pocket Wi-Fi rental: http://www.pupuru.com/affiliate/J13/14
Travelcell (US only)
Exclusively for our US clients only we have teamed up with Travecell. They can provide a cell phone and mobile wi-fi data card for your Japan vacation which can booked in advance and delivered to your address in the US prior to departure.
When placing an order either use the custom link above or please mention InsideJapan Tours code (IJT28).
* What is 'Pocket Wi-Fi'?
|Mobile coverage is very good in Japan meaning you can have wi-fi internet with you almost wherever you travel. Of cours eosme rural areas might not have such a good signal but in the cities you will be connected all the time. Even on the Shinkansen 'Bullet' Train you will find you are online all the way.


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You don't stop breathing after the game, and your muscles don't stop working. They need oxygen too. It's why we recommend stepping into your SKINS RY400 Long Tights after a workout - to enhance the circulation in your abused legs and reduce recovery time.
Wearing your SKINS RY400 Long Tights after a workout can help eliminate delayed onset muscle soreness and improve recovery. You can even wear SKINS while you sleep, so you wake up with fresh legs, ready to do it all again.
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COMPRESSION + ICE FOR HAMSTRINGS & QUADRICEPS Transformer Shorts combine the benefits of compression and...


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|Make: Sea Ray Boats
|Model: 340 Express Cruiser
|Year: 1989
|Length: 34 ft. 0 in.
|Location: Fort Worth, TX
|Type: Express Fisherman Boats
|Price: $45,900.00
|Listing: 1438157
This 34' Sea Ray 340 Express Cruiser 1989 is located in Fort Worth, TX.
"Serenity Now" is a very low original hour Sea Ray 340 Express showing 255 hours on her 7.4 liter 454 cubic inch fresh water cooled Blue Water Direct Drive Inboards with 195 hours on her 2006 Westerbeke 5.0KW Low Profile low RPM (1800) Generator. Her owner upgraded the electrical system to include along with her '06 Genset, a ProSine 2.0 2000 watt inverter/charger/maintainer and Xantrex monitoring system coupled with dual starting batteries switched and a separate 3 battery series deep cycle bank. She is a fine example of one of Sea Ray's finest and sure to please with her low freshwater hours, full canvas, windlass, remote spotlight, hot water heater, 12,000 BTU digital AC/heat, Ice maker, Hummingbird 727 GPS enabled fishing system, iCom VHF, Standard Speed and temp log as well as a uniden depth sounder/alarm. This Sea Ray 340 EC also has a fresh water pressure water system with a cockpit wash down and built in microwave, a three burner electric stove, refrigerator/freezer, built in coffee maker, deep sink with single lever faucet and separate ice maker in her cabin's separate bar area. Her sound system has also been upgraded with a Sony marine system. This Sea Ray 340 Express is a must see and a rare opportunity to own such a well-kept and upgraded low-hour freshwater express cruiser at such an affordable price.
She is available by appointment and the owner will consider all reasonable offers. Contact us today to make an internet offer or arrange to view.


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Sorry, product no longer available
This product may have sold out or been removed from our catalogue.
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"Jackie Gendel: Fables in Slang" Houston-born Jackie Gendel paints portraits and people in a style that recalls a number of late-19th-early-20th-century French painters, but with cranked-up distortion. Her people are constantly obscured by a surface abstraction, or they retreat into the background, virtually faceless with the furniture and decor surrounding them. Chaty and Marthe in the Kitchen is perhaps this series's most striking work, and it demonstrates Gendel's anti-narrative approach. Two women sit at a kitchen table looking epically bored. Their faces and hair are the most detailed parts of the painting, which is brilliantly colored as well. In fact, its brightness is in direct opposition to the malaise depicted. In Calloway, a 1930s-era man is surrounded by wild abstraction that is threatening to envelop him. In a trio of small gouache-on-paper works, Gendel's subjects turn noir-ish, suggesting an unknowable evil in the characters' black-and-white eyes. Field of Mars III looks like a scene out of Greek Myth updated by the presence of a woman in a 1980s outfit and hairdo. Gendel challenges our notions of art and history with mischievous and dreamy flourishes. Through July 2. Bryan Miller Gallery, 3907 Main, 713-523-2875. — TS
"Nathan Green: Fill the Sky" Art Palace is one of our favorite galleries, but we just don't get Nathan Green's current show "Fill the Sky." Some of the 25 abstract, mixed-media works score on their own, like Gradients, a conglomeration of black-and-white cylindrical forms that has a real sense of action in its composition, and Migration, a similar grouping of shapes with frenetic energy. But taken together, it feels like too much is on display. Abstract works can veer into embarrassing, this-is-bullshit territory, and some of the stuff here unfortunately does. It should have been edited. One wall is cluttered with paintings of various sizes with no discernible method or structure in its installation. Another entire gallery wall has been painted in columns of gradient green and blue stripes with a few paintings hung to it. It looks good, and it's a puzzling technique, but there's a messiness to it (as well as in several other works) that gives off a slapdash, kindergarten-chic vibe. It's a strange hybrid of a conceptual installation and an everything-must-go blowout sale. Through July 2. 3913 Main, 281-501-2964. — TS
"Perspectives 174: Re: Generation" This biennial exhibition organized by the CAMH's Teen Council showcases the work of Houston-area teens, and it features some wonderful stuff — you'll want to take down some names of artists to watch. The flagship image of the show is Alyssa Hansen's digital photograph Princess, a closeup on a teenage girl's lower lip, which she reveals to be tattooed with a crown. It's a generational line in the sand, an example of a phenomenon that makes perfect sense to those of a certain age, and yet it represents total absurdity to their elders. Another photograph, David Garrett Marsh's Fading Away, depicts an overweight girl sitting cross-legged at the side of a road, smoking. Next to her is a fuzzy gray cloud in the shape of another person, perhaps a friend. And the girl's face is strangely blurred — on closer inspection, her face is pixelated and raised off the surface of the paper. Ava Barrett's Deconstructed Hymnal: Wall of Sound is a hanging matrix of hymnal pages that walks a line between provocative and reverent. But Temin Adelaide Eng's Twilight doesn't pull punches on how it feels about its literary subject: Stephenie Meyer's series of vampire novels. Eng has constructed a miniature coffin, lined with pages from the novel, which she has burned. Its charred remains lie inside with only a portion of the cover and spine intact to identify it. And continuing the impressive photography on display is Brittany Nichols's Strange Manners, a scene of macabre domestic violence. A man wearing a rabbit mask lies dead on a kitchen floor, apparently stabbed to death by a woman, also rabbit-masked and bloody-handed. It's a coolly composed, lit and staged piece of narrative photography. Through June 26. Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, 5216 Montrose, 713-284-8250.— TS
3907 Main
Houston, TX 77002
Category: Art Galleries
Region: Downtown/ Midtown
3913 Main St.
Houston, TX 77004
Category: Attractions and Amusement Parks
Region: Third Ward
5216 Montrose Blvd.
Houston, TX 77006
Category: Museums
Region: Montrose
1953 Montrose Blvd.
Houston, TX 77006
Category: Art Galleries
Region: Montrose
"Voodoo Pop: Mary Hayslip and Trey Speegle" This retrospective exhibition embodies three decades of Trey Speegle and Mary Hayslip's friendship, featuring items from their personal collections, paintings, collage, textile works, bits of correspondence and photos. After bonding with Hayslip in late-'70s Houston, Speegle relocated to NYC in 1980, but he and Hayslip remained friends for over 30 years while continuing their art careers. Speegle's work dominates the show, especially selections of his poppy paint-by-numbers pieces, which re-purpose vintage paint-by-numbers canvases to imagine hidden messages embedded within them — like You Who (self portrait), an image of a clown with the title text spelled in the exposed numbered outlines of the painting's surface. Other standout work includes Gold Carolyn, a portrait of Carolyn Farb from a 1981 Speegle show called "RePOP," which was a kind of Warholian take on Houston celebs including Marvin Zindler, Lynn Wyatt and Dominique de Menil; Hayslip's laminated magazine-paper flowers; and a display case with postcards, small sculptures, jewelry and photos of the two artists during the '80s. It's a sweet selection of artifacts from a friendship in art. Through June 24. Art League Houston, 1953 Montrose, 713-523-9530. — TS


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I recently moved to San Francisco and signed up for an Urban Hike to become better acquainted with my new hometown! On this hilly walk, I explored some of the city's famous spots (like Coit Tower and Lombard Street), as well discover hidden gems (such as Jack Early Park and Macondrary Lane). Our tour guide, Alex, was really friendly and shared some engaging stories about the locations we visited. The hike isn't too strenuous, you'll definitely get a good calf workout. I'd suggest wearing comfortable walking shoes and bringing a bottle of water. Whether you're a local or here on vacation, I highly recommend this tour!
Doing what: San Francisco Urban Hike: Coit Tower, Lombard Street and North Beach
It was awesome! We had the best tour guide, she was knowledgeable, friendly, and patient. The walking tour was timed perfectly. I wish we would have had more time to enjoy the views from Coit tower. Alcatraz is a must see and has beautiful views of the city.
Doing what: Walking Tour of Fisherman's Wharf and North Beach with Cable Car Ride and optional Alcatraz Ticket
We enjoyed the wonderful view from this tower and the great murals painted around it gave a picture history that was very interesting
the tour of fishermans wharf was very informative, the walking tour thru the north beach area and up the hills to coit tower, all wonderful but very tiring for an older traveler, Alcatraz was incredible and the audio tour hauntingly real.
Doing what: Walking Tour of Fisherman's Wharf and North Beach with Cable Car Ride and optional Alcatraz Ticket
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Disney / Orlando Cottage Rentals with Outdoor Grill(10)
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The best kept secret ever! Let me start by saying that the owners saw to our every need! My husband is a cancer patient and the cottage was spotlessly clean for our arrival. Comfy, cool and fresh! Quiet and restful situated in the serenity of trees just off 192 and easy travel to WDW. Every picture is a true picture of the cottage with special touches. Thank you so much for a much needed rest and peace of mind. We will continually stay and encourage others to stay. They have gone to such great lengths to make you feel at home with beautiful décor. I hope that others who stay will respect and maintain the beauty and love that we experienced!


text: Shaun Suisham Archive Today Is Deadline For Tendering Offers To Restricted Free Agents Posted in Cowboys Posts by contributing Today is a big day for the Cowboys as they must tender offers to their 13 restricted free agents by the 11:00 pm CST deadline tonight. You can be sure that both wide receiver Miles Austin and safety Read More Folk Gets the Boot and Suisham Gets the Nod Posted in Cowboys Posts by Kelly Horn As reported by several local sources, Nick Folk has been cut by the Dallas Cowboys. Shaun Suisham has been signed. You might remember him from a few years back. Redskins recently cut Suisham after he missed a Read More


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Canadian filmmaker Guy Maddin has created his own cinematic language from the discarded aesthetics of the past. His beguiling The Saddest Music in the World had the watery color, melodramatic story arc and ratcheted editing prevalent in the 1920s; at times, the whole picture jumped and warbled as if the film had become stuck in the projector. These backdated touches helped create an otherworldly ambience, enhancing the dream-like quality of his tale about a Depression-era Canadian beer baroness (whose glass legs are filled with her brewerys beer) and her contest to find the saddest music in the world. Maddins 2006 feature, Brand upon the Brain!, is a further progression in his unique language. A silent film (albeit with sound effects and narration by Isabella Rossellini), Brand upon the Brain! reveals the tale of a young Guy Maddin in a serialized, twelve-chapter story: He and his teenage sister lived quietly on a Canadian island dominated by a lighthouse that doubled as the orphanage run by his overly attentive mother and scientist father. The discovery that all of the orphans have identical head wounds brought the famed, teen sibling detectives known as the Lightbulb Kids to the island in search of an answer to the chilling question, What, exactly, is Dr. Maddin doing to those orphans down in that basement laboratory? Weird, funny and darkly beautiful, Maddins work sticks with you long after the film is over. The Webster Film Series presents Brand upon the Brain! at 8 p.m. Friday through Sunday (October 26 through 28) at the Moore Auditorium on Webster Universitys campus (470 East Lockwood Avenue; 314-968-7487 or www.webster.edu/filmseries). Tickets are $5 to $6.
Oct. 26-28, 2007


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I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say that this is the greatest cake I have ever made. Not only does it look like a hilariously over-sized Girl Scout Cookie, it also tastes insanely amazing. Practically the same as said cookie. Continue reading "Samoa Bundt Cake" »
Thanksgiving recap and a Caramel Cream Pie
I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving! We hosted our friends, and this year's crowd was one of our smallest yet. Only 9 adults and Miss Leila
We did our usual potluck style. The Hubs deep fried a turkey, and smoked another turkey, and I made my award winning stuffing, a red velvet cake for Courtney's birthday, and the caramel cream pie shown below. We kept the decor classy
Oh yes, that is candlelight and the "good" silver salt and pepper shakers. The company was equally classy
Leila kept us entertained with her new "trick". Which is titled, "show us your cute face!" and she does this
Hahahahahaha! Love her.
Friday we gals went out for brunch to celebrate Courtney's birthday, and Val and Stefan came over on Saturday to help us decorate the Christmas tree.
Seriously though, I know I'm getting old because I still think the best part of the weekend was just being able to sleep! I'm feeling relaxed, but totally not ready to go back to work! I've got all sorts of great stuff planned for the 'ol blog for December, so I guess I'd better get to it.
Caramel Cream Pie with Crispy Rice Topping recipe from Food and Wine
- 3 ounces blanched hazelnuts (3/4 cup)
- 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Caramel Pudding
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 4 cups whole milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 large egg yolks
Crispy Rice
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 teaspoon light corn syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/2 cups puffed rice cereal
- Lightly sweetened whipped cream, for serving
- MAKE THE CRUST Preheat the oven to 350°. Spread the hazelnuts in a glass pie plate and toast for about 8 minutes, until lightly golden and fragrant; let cool. Transfer the nuts to a mini food processor and coarsely grind. Pour the ground nuts into a medium bowl and add the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and butter; mix until evenly moistened. Press the crumbs over the bottom and up the side of the pie plate in an even layer. Bake the crust for 8 minutes, until barely set. Transfer the pie plate to a rack to cool.
- MEANWHILE, MAKE THE CARAMEL PUDDING In a large, heavy saucepan, combine the sugar and water and bring to a boil over moderately high heat, gently swirling the pan until the sugar dissolves. Cook over moderate heat, undisturbed, until a deep-amber caramel forms, about 8 minutes. Remove from the heat. Carefully add 1 cup of the milk, then cook over moderately low heat, whisking gently, until smooth, about 5 minutes.
- In a small glass bowl, combine 1/4 cup of the milk with the vanilla; sprinkle the gelatin on top and let stand until softened. In a large glass measuring cup, whisk the remaining 2 3/4 cups milk with the cornstarch and kosher salt. Pour the milk mixture into the caramel and bring to a boil over moderately high heat, whisking constantly until thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the egg yolks, one at a time. Return the mixture to a boil and cook until thickened once again, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the gelatin mixture.
- With a rubber spatula, gently spread the caramel pudding in the cooled crust. Tap the pie plate gently on a work surface to settle the pudding. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pie and refrigerate overnight.
- MAKE THE RICE TOPPING Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and coat with vegetable spray. In a small, heavy saucepan, bring the sugar, water and corn syrup to a boil over moderately high heat. Lower the heat to moderate and simmer undisturbed until a deep-amber caramel forms, about 5 minutes. Remove the caramel from the heat and stir in the salt and rice cereal. Scrape the caramelized cereal onto the prepared baking sheet and let cool for 30 minutes, until it is hardened.
- Break the crispy rice into shards; transfer to a sturdy plastic bag. Using a rolling pin, crush the topping into small pieces.
- Spread the whipped cream on top of the chilled pie, making deep swirls. Top the pie with the crispy rice and serve.
Seasonal Potluck: Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
I went all out this weekend making these cinnamon rolls. This is the classic example of a food I DO NOT eat. I like sweet stuff, but never for breakfast. I'm totally savory food gal when it comes to breakfast, but every once in a while, I make an exception. The Hubs, being a true southerner, loves stuff like this, and he was thrilled to see me busting out the sugar before noon.
I'd never made cinnamon rolls from scratch before, but The Hubs worked at Cinnabon in high school, so his two cents were helpful. Honestly though, I really hate rolling out dough. Whether it's for cookies, cinnamon rolls, pie, anything…..it's really something I despise. I can never get it to roll in the shape I want, and I always either get a rip in the dough, or its too thick. Maybe I just need more practice, but I really dread it.
It took a couple tries to get this rolled into a nice rectangle, but I managed, and these turned out great. A wonderful brunch option for a gorgeous fall day in SoCal.
Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls recipe from The Girl Who Ate Everything
1/3 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Seasonal Potluck: Caramel Apple Crunch Pie
I promised you another pie this week, and here it is! Another fabulous find from Pinterest! That site is just chock full of so-bad-for-you yummy deliciousness. This pie was described as "containing frosting crack", "off the hizzy", and "quite possibly the best pie I have ever had". People went absolutely crazy over it. I personally really preferred the limoncello pie, but I'm not a super sweet tooth, and not so much into cheesecake, which this pie has an element of.
Caramel Apple Crunch Pie recipe from Doughmesstic.net
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs **Bonus! Got to use some of my graham crackers in the pantry!
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup caramel ice cream topping
1 cup chopped pecans
Apple Filling:
5 Granny Smith apples (peeled, cored, sliced very thin)
5 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Cream Cheese Topping:
8 oz. cream cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup heavy cream, whipped
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup caramel ice cream topping
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the crumbs, sugar, cinnamon and melted butter. Mix well and press into a 10-inch pie plate and up the sides. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes until golden in color. Remove pie shell from oven and cool completely. Pour caramel into pie shell and sprinkle with 1 cup of chopped pecans. Refrigerate pie shell while making apple filling.
3. In a large (12-inch) skilet over medium heat, melt butter and add brown sugar, salt and cinnamon. Stir with a wooden spoon. Add apples and stir. Cook over medium to medium-high heat for 15 to 20 minutes until apples are softened and tender. Let cool for 10 minutes and pour into pie shell. Reduce oven to 350 degrees F.
4. In a medium bowl, using a hand-held mixer on low speed, combine cream cheese and sugar for about 1 minute until smooth. Add egg, lemon juice and vanilla and beat for 1 minute or until fully blended. Pour over apple filling in pie shell. Bake for 30 minutes until an inserted knife comes out clean. Remove pie from oven and let cool. Refrigerate for 4 hours. Let stand outside the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
5. Top with whipped cream, caramel and pecans, and swirl with a knife. Slice and serve.
People often ask me how I can eat all these desserts and still be so skinny. Here's the story. A. one small slice of pie per day does not a fatty make. Everything in moderation. 2. I work out. A lot. Plus, I'm just active in general. Living in SoCal allows for a lot of outdoor time. C. Besides the baked goods, and an occasional man-approved football snack, most of the stuff I make and eat on this blog is pretty darn healthy. I really try to avoid fast food and junk food (most of the time. Hey, I love me a cheeto)
And there you have it! Don't eat crap all the time and move around a bit! You too can have a your caramel apple crunch pie and eat it too.
Turtle Cupcakes….sort of
I'm no stranger to baking semi-successes on this blog, and these cupcakes were no exception. By semi-success I mean that they didn't turn out exactly the way I hoped they would, but they still taste good, so its not a total failure. I saved this TURTLE CUPCAKE recipe when I first saw it posted on Sweetopia. I had no intention of making her too-cute-for-words turtle shaped decorations, but I was interested in making a cupcake with a caramel center! I couldn't find small turtle candies, so I settled for chocolate Reisen and a candied pecan center.
As soon as I made the batter, I knew this wasn't going to work out the way I hoped, but I pressed on with my fingers crossed. I've made enough cupcakes in my day to know what the consistency of cupcake batter is supposed to look like, and this batter was very runny. I'm not exactly sure where I went wrong. In all honesty, I've been a total zombie lately, so I'm sure I just measured something incorrectly. I went ahead and baked them according to instructions, but when I pulled them out at 25 minutes to insert the candies, they had not risen AT ALL. There was no going back at this point, so I just shoved the candies and pecans in (they stuck out the top) and continued baking.
Once they were cooled, I frosted over the poking out candies so you couldn't even tell, but when you bit into them, the center wasn't as gooey as I was hoping for. Listen, you can't go wrong with chocolate, stuffed with caramel, topped with frosting. They still tasted delish, but I'm going to do some things differently when I try these again (which I will definitely do). First, I'm going to use my best-ever, fail-proof cupcake batter recipe from my Key Lime Pie Cupcakes (obviously substitute chocolate). I'm also going to use a similar "filling" technique from the Key Lime cupcakes where I hollow out the middle of the fully baked cupcakes and fill them that way. I think I'll use a caramel syrup and a pecan this time, instead of a whole candy.
I've learned from years of being an artist that things almost never turn out the way you envision them in your head. You just have to observe and adapt. The same is true for baking and cooking. I'll be sure to post my revised version and let you know how they turn out!
Broiled Pineapple with Rum Caramel over Coconut Ice Cream
I can start off the week with dessert right? Or is everyone trying to be "good" again because its Monday? I definitely treated myself to this over the weekend. I'd ripped the recipe out of Cooking Light a while ago, but had yet to actually make it. With the weather sub-par and The Hubs out of town, I decided this weekend was just the time to try it out. Of course I ate it while drinking a bloody mary and watching Dazed and Confused on Saturday night. Wooooooo! Watch out world, party Betsy is on the loose!
Despite The Hubs being gone, I had a pretty good weekend. I got some sad news that one of my Dad's closest friends, who had been sick for many years, finally passed away on Friday. This, of course, made me count all my blessings, ie. fantastic friendships in my life that I often take for granted. Fortunately, I did get to spend some great time with my two besties, the Pekar sisters, over the weekend, which was a great antidote to sadness. I also received a giant shipment of my Grandma's china on Friday, which came with a whole nother bag of mixed happy/sad emotions. I'm so grateful to have such a beautiful part of our family's history, but it is now a constant visual reminder that Grandma is no longer here.
Anyway, sadness aside, this recipe is true happiness! I'm a pineapple fanatic AND a caramel fanatic! I'd never made my own caramel before, but after making this, I don't think I'll ever get store bought again! It was so easy and tasty. The recipe originally called for bourbon caramel, but I only had rum so I figured that would have to do. What is it about ice cream treats like this that seem to make everything ok? I think I may need another dose after my dental appointment today!
Broiled Pineapple with Rum Caramel Recipe adapted from Cooking Light
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons dark rum, divided
- 3 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 pineapple, peeled and cored
- Cooking spray
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 cups coconut ice cream
- 1. Combine granulated sugar, 3 tablespoons rum, 3 tablespoons water, and juice in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat; cook 2 minutes or until sugar dissolves, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium and cook, without stirring, 10 minutes or until golden. Remove from heat. Carefully add cream, stirring constantly (mixture will bubble vigorously). Cool slightly. Stir in remaining 2 teaspoons rum and vanilla.
- 2. Preheat broiler to high.
- 3. Cut pineapple lengthwise into 12 slices; cut each slice in half crosswise. Arrange pineapple on a foil-lined broiler pan coated with cooking spray; sprinkle evenly with brown sugar. Broil 5 inches from heat for 12 minutes or until golden brown.
- 4. Scoop 1/3 cup ice cream into each of 6 bowls. Arrange 4 pineapple slices in each bowl; top each serving with 2 1/2 tablespoons caramel sauce. Serve immediately.


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Nemanja Vidic says he won't be celebrating any title success until he has the trophy in his hands after last year's disappointment.
The Reds let an eight-point lead slip in the table in 2011/2012, crucially allowing Manchester City to move top with a 1-0 win the derby ahead of winning their final two fixtures with Newcastle and QPR.
It means United are not getting carried away with a 15-point advantage this time around, even if many pundits are already referring to Sir Alex's side as champions-elect ahead of the trip to Sunderland.
"We didn't expect this situation, at this stage of the season, with nine games left," said Vidic. "No-one expected that but we are happy with it. Especially the way it went in this league, even last year, we were eight points clear and we dropped the points.
"That is why there are so many points this year and people are still saying 'are you sure you are going to win the title'. You are never sure until you have the trophy in your hands. We are 15 points clear but we still have big games to play. I keep saying that. I know people are saying we have the title already but we have to play Chelsea, West Brom, Swansea etc. They are teams who can hurt you. They are tough games. Teams who are fighting relegation. We just have to keep winning.
"We have reacted well this season. We trained hard and we got into the situation we are in now. We are in charge of the title. We are going to Sunderland, we are not bothered whether they celebrated or not last year. We are going to play our game and try to get the three points, which is important for us. We want to be 15 points clear before we play Manchester City. It is a big game for them but it is a big game for us as well so we will try to do our best."
Last May's uncharacteristic slip-up in the run-in remains in the minds of the United players but it is still being used to channel positive thoughts ahead of the latest stepping


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Carob Nut Brownies
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan or a 9 x 9-inch layer cake pan, set aside.
Cream together the egg, oil and sugar until smooth and sugar is dissolved. Add salt, vanilla extract, soy protein powder, carob powder and water. Mix thoroughly.
Sift together the unbleached white pastry flour and baking powder and add to wet mixture. Stir in chopped nuts. Add additional water if necessary, adding a few drops at a time to make a thick batter that will drop heavily off the end of a spoon. This batter should not be too liquid. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes. Cut when cool.
Makes about 20 bars.
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business dinner in pasadena?
- wowimadog Apr 25, 2007 09:20 AM
looking for suggestions on where to take a client tonight in pasadena. upscale with excellent service and a fairly quiet environment so we can discuss biz-neez. i'm not sure of his taste, so i am open to any cuisine. thanks.
FYI....you'll get a better response if you post this on the L.A. board.
I would recommend Arroyo Chop House for great steaks and it's sister restaurant Parkway Grill for great cuisine. The Chop House is as great a steak house as there is in LA and would be conducive for business. Parkway Grill might be a little noisier. I'm sure there are other places that CH's will recommend. But I would stand behind these two suggestions.
Both restaurants are nearly side by side on Arroyo Parkway just north of California Blvd.
re: Ogawak
i would also recomend arroyo chop house and parkway. also you might want to look into
maison akira (japanese/french) with great tasting menu that won't break your bank. very quiet.
re: rickym13
I like Maison Akira, but I think it's a bit on the romantic side while Parkway and the Chop House more businesslike. You can't go wrong w/either of these choices or also Bistro 45 for more ambitious food.
If you want something in old town pasadena, i suggest Louise's Trattoria (italian), anything else is going to be too loud.
Masion Akira is awesome japanese/french food off green street.
Hamburger Hamlet (all kinds of food) is on Lake ave, it's quiet in the back or in booths and has a sophisticated atmosphere.
Never tried the chop house, as i'm vegan and progressive, but i hear that Ruth Chris' Steak House across from the Paseo Colorado is much better, food and atmo wise.
Most other places are likely to have screaming kids.
Good Luck!
re: ipsedixit
forgot about ruth's in pasadena...i had a great steak at that location not too long ago.
very formal and quiet that has top rated food - dinning room at ritz.
also..how can i forget about "dereck's" great food and might be the perfect call.
i like bistro 45 too...great wine list!
Madeleine's, for it is not only a wine bar but has a very elegant dining room [or 2?]and really good food. Some of the servers are more interested in their bigger tables but the manager/maitre d will take excellent care of you. On Green Street somewhere east of Mentor. But not so inexpensive but almost reasonable.
All the previously-named restaurants are very dependable, popular Business Dinner sites. Shiro is actually in South Pasadena, as is Bistro K. And Bistro K is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays and does not serve any alcohol, so you'd have to BYOB. Also, Bistro K is very "cozy" and has NO privacy. It's my favorite local restaurant, but I would never want to discuss business there. You're only 3 feet away from your fellow diners.
A few other options up in Pasadena are DeLacey's Club 41 (at DeLacey and Green), which serves classic American cuisine and the only "real" (mixed at your table) Caesar salad on this side of town.
Or Madre's, J-Lo's restaurant on a side street near Lake and California. It's very upscale Cuban/Puerto Rican cuisine and popular for business meals. Kinda nice for the celebrity restaurant tourist-appeal.
And the restaurant at the Ritz Carlton is a good suggestion just to see the magnificent old hotel. Very impressive entrance with the valet parking in the circular driveway. Very luxe if you're trying to woo a big-money client.
Parkway Grill is probaby one of the best choice... there's a bar next to the dining room, too for earlier coctails, and relatively quiet. Of course, there is always The Ritz's Dining Room (formerly The Grill Restaurant) worth the $$$ famed for the newer cuisine set by Chef Craig Strong with a more elite ambiance.
Oh..how about Beckam Place along Walnut? An old English-style prime rib house - required valet parking only. Dim-lit dining room and comfortable bar for coctails.
Call for reservations on any of the three. Good luck!


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Many ATM owners and operators have been worried about a the deadline regarding who is responsible for the losses of cardholders victimized by fraudsters.
Since April 19, ATM owners and operators will be required to equip their machines to read the smart chip cards that are popular with European consumers. These cards are on the Maestro Network, which is owned by MasterCard. Owners and operators who fail to keep up with the newer technology will start being held responsible by MasterCard when losses occur.
Major Changes in Technology
The April 19 deadline was originally set by MasterCard in 2011 as a result of complaints by European banks, who had been suffering major losses as the result of fraud when consumers using the Maestro card visited the United States. Although this is the first deadline of its kind, all four of the major credit card brands, Discover, MasterCard, Visa and American Express, are behind a drive for the United States to switch from its outdated magnetic strip cards to the new smart chip cards. Changes in this area will continue to develop through 2017. The U.S. is the last G-20 country to make the change, people may experience significant changes at retail establishments and ATM machines.
Global Standards Take Over
The worldwide standard for credit card technology is EMV, which stands for Europay, MasterCard and Visa. This standard is behind the drive to ensure compatibility between smart-chip cards and ATM machines. Smart-chip cards, which are considered to be more secure than the cards using magnetic stripes, contain an integrated circuit which holds information about the cardholder and handles processing. Although most of the world has already made the switch, the United States has continued to hang onto the old cards. As a result, the U.S. has a reputation for being a major site of credit card fraud that results in annual losses of about $8.6 billion.
Different Views on Changes
The deadline for credit card processors to show their ability to handle EMV cards was April 1. According to the EMV Migration Forum, a group that works across industries and is managing the shift, that deadline was met with success. As the deadline for ATM machines approaches, it is clear that not everybody is happy about the change. For example, the executive director of the ATM Industry Association has stated that ATM owners are being unfairly picked out for an increase in liability before changes are made by retailers and others who handle payments.
The ATM Liability Shift Won't Affect Consumers
Once the April 19 deadline has passed, just a small portion of the 400,000 ATMs operating in the United States will be affected.
The change is only required on ATMs that handle larger amounts of business with foreign consumers who use Maestro cards. For the most part, other ATMs won't have to switch over to EMV technology for two more years. However, upgrading an ATM for EMV technology can cost as much as $3,000, so the shift isn't easy for many ATM owners and operators.
ATM Shutdowns
Long-term plans by ATM owners and operators aren't fully known at this point, but some of the biggest operators are now looking at preventing fraud losses by just shutting down the ATMs that handle the most Maestro transactions.
One of the largest ATM operators, Wells Fargo & Co., has claimed that it isn't going to switch over any of the ATM machines it operates ahead of the deadline. Instead, the company is planning to concentrate more on other methods of preventing fraud. While the company plans to deal with Maestro fraud losses for now, it will convert its machines to EMV later. Wells Fargo, with its 12,000 machines, is unusual among the major banks, who are largely already working on making their upgrades in time for the deadline.
Short-Term Issues
U.S. Bank controls more than 5,000 ATM machines and is presently involved in changing its internal systems to handle EMV transactions. However, the bank's fraud risk is relatively low considering their minor presence on the East Coast, where Maestro transactions are most common. The company says that it will be working on the EMV upgrades in the next two years. Meanwhile, MasterCard has already received letters from the ATM Industry Association asking it to move its deadline back or let operators simply deny Maestro cards. MasterCard declined their request, and the industry association said that it is presently considering legal avenues.
Not Mandatory
According to MasterCard, the deadline isn't a drastic event or ultimatum. ATM operators who aren't prepared to upgrade but concerned about liability for fraud losses can even get software from MasterCard at no charge that will help them analyze and reduce fraud involving their machines. MasterCard believes that its approach is working overall.
Smaller Operators Also Affected
Many of the machines that require upgrades are owned and operated by major banks or companies such as ATM networks, which is the country's biggest independent ATM owner and operator. The coming change may be easier for these companies to absorb over time. Many other ATMs are run by smaller owners and operators, and the upgrade process is likely to be a bigger financial burden for them. In many cases, these businesses will require a few years to complete the changes. Meanwhile, they have greater concerns when it comes to increased liability for losses due to fraud.


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excerpt - 2min of 5min 30sec | DV | 2013 | Audio
The lemon, often-utilized by famed still life painters was rarely the focus of a composition. More typically, this citrus was being abused for its compositional qualities. Its ovoid form of highly saturated yellow was used to balance the more dominant piling of apples, oranges and pears. The lemon, I felt, never got its day in the sun
That was until I came across Manet's, "The Lemon". A rather small oil painting completed in 1880 that puts the tiny fruit on center stage. It sits alone on a platter, its alien-like being taking up the bulk of space and its drab, neutral surrounding accentuating its radiant glow.
After my encounter with Manet's masterpiece, I began bringing lemons into class for my students to admire and paint. I discovered that many of my students had never tasted pure lemon. We talked about the color, the scent and heavy weight flavor of this tiny citrus. Their paintings surrounded the fruit in a vast white space and a solar system of floating yellow forms evolved.
This video is my tribute to the lemon. A piece of fruit with a long, diluted history. An innocent little orb of sourness, often used to describe broken down cars or flavor dead fish. I hope this video can bring some much-deserved recognition to this tiny fruit.
video & music written, performed, recorded and edited by Tommy Becker 2013. A huge THANKS! to all those who participated and inspired.
EXCERPT - 2min 50sec of 4min 40sec | DV | 2014 | Audio
The term pain-body was coined by Eckhart Tolle, a philosopher and author known for his books, The Power of Now and A New Earth. In his work, Tolle writes that the most significant thing that can happen to us in the evolution of our consciousness is to recognize and create, a separation between the thinking mind and conscious awareness.
The ego identity is constructed from the things you tell yourself and the things other people say about you that you've decided to accept as truth. Tolle asserts your ego is not who you are, it is not your essence. Your ego is a construct. This false identity of the ego is often fueled by what Tolle calls the pain-body. The Pain-body is the collective manifestation of all the pain, misery, and sorrow a person has ever experience in their life.
David Banner was the son of an abusive, alcoholic father who murdered his mother. As a teenage, Banner had a remarkably high IQ, but was a loner.He was picked on at school and was later expelled after making a bomb threat.As an adult, Banner was traumatized by a car accident that killed his beloved wife.
As a scientist looking to unlock the human potential for heroic strength, Banner was exposed to a large dose of radiation that caused a genetic mutation to his physical form.
The mutation caused a split in Banner's personality and enabled him superhuman powers in his alter ego state known as the hulk.
The transformation into this hulk creature occurs under emotional stress that triggers Banner's pain-body. The Hulk is a large green humanoid that possess superhuman strength and powers of invulnerability.
Panoptic is defined as; permitting the viewing of all parts or elements from a single view. It is a term based on an architectural design called the panopticon by social reformer, Jeremy Bentham. The panopticon maximized observation and control by placing a single observatory tower in the center of a circular building lined with cells.
Primal Scream therapy was developed by psychologist Arthur Janov in 1970. It's a type of psychotherapy based on the belief that mental problems in adults are due to unresolved childhood conflict. During the therapy traumatic past incidents are re-experienced and then emotionally discharged by bouts of screaming. John Lennon and Steve Jobs were both brief adherents of the movement.
video & music: written, recorded, edited and performed by Tommy Becker 2014
excerpt - 5min of 9min 10sec | DV | 2013 | Audio
This work is about the death of color in contemporary art and my attempts as a teacher to resurrect its power in the classroom. The video pays tribute to three modern artists, Picasso, Rothko and van Gough, each of whom is renowned for engaging a particular hue during their lives.
Pablo Picasso spent four years in a predominantly blue palate after his good friend Carlos Casagemas shot himself at Paris café. Mark Rothko, who took his life at the age of sixty-six, struggled to tame the color red throughout many of his most famous works including, "Four Darks in Red". Vincent van Gough became infatuated with the color yellow while surrounded by its prominence in the landscape of Arles, France. It was here that Vincent completed some of his most famous works including his depictions of sunflowers.
"The paintings of the Impressionists, constructed with pure colors, proved to the next generation that these colors, while they might be used to describe objects or the phenomena of nature, contain within them, independently of the objects that they serve to express, the power to affect the feelings of those who look at them" - Henri Matisse
Video: shot & edited by Tommy Becker | Words & Music: written, recorded & performed by Tommy Becker | Public Domain footage collected from Prelinger Archives
5min 200sec | DV | 2014 | Audio
Jean Seberg: was an American Actress who starred in the 1960 movie Breathless directed by Jean-Luc Goddard. The film attracted attention for its visual style and innovative use of the jump cut. Pronounced use of the jump cut is utilized in a scene where the camera focuses on the back of Seberg's neck as she travels by car through the streets of Paris.
Sherwood Forest: is a Royal Forest in Nottinghamshire, England. It is famous for its historical association with the legend of Robin Hood.
Gene Kelly: was an American dancer, actor, singer and choreographer. He starred in the 1952 movie, "Sing in the Rain". In the movie, one of most popular dance scenes ever brought to film focuses on Gene Kelly as he dances alone down the street in the pouring rain proclaiming his love after a kiss goodnight in the doorway of a city apartment.
The Tramp: was actor Charlie Chaplin's most memorable on-screen character. A loveable vagabond with a bowler cap and small moustache, the Tramp became an icon of the silent era of film-making as he retained his dignity and eluded authority through his clever antics. In the 1931 movie, City Lights,The Tramp falls in love with a Flower Girl after discovering she is blind when she cannot find a dropped flower.
Bonnie Parker: was an American outlaw who traveled the country with Clyde Barrow robbing banks, small stores and gas stations during the Great Depression. Parker is said to have joined Barrow because she was in love. She remained a loyal companion to him as they carried out their felonies and awaited their inevitable demise. The story of Bonnie and Clyde was brought to film in 1967. The film's iconic ending depicts the couple being gunned down in slow motion.
An Affair to Remember: is a 1957 film starring Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr and is considered one of the most romantic of all time, according to the American Film Institute.
George and Martha: are the two lead characters in Edward Albee's 1962 play, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? The play examines the breakdown of the marriage of this middle-aged couple. A film adaptation of the play was released in 1966 and starred Elizabeth Taylor as Martha and Richard Burton as George.
From Here to Eternity: is a 1953 drama film starring Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr. The film won eight Academy Awards out of 13 nominations, including Best Picture. The movie is famous for its romantic beach scene between these two actors whose embrace in the crashing Hawaiian waves was considered illicit for the times.
Music & Video: written, recorded, performed & edited by T. Becker 2014. Public Domain Footage - Prelinger Archives
Audio Share - https://soundcloud.com/tapenumberone/song-for-a-love-song
Audio Download - https://tapenumberone.bandcamp.com/track/song-for-a-love-song
1min 50sec | DV | 2005
After piecing together a yellow outfit from second hand stores, the simple act of jumping is turned into a performed act of giving as a figure struggles to transform himself into the sun.
video & music - written, recorded, performed and edited by T.Becker | 2005
5min 40sec | DV | 2012 | Audio
A short video featuring Ralph, a recently divorced man and his robotic invention, Bobby XP1. In this mini-drama, curiosity puts Bobby alone on the streets. After failing to connect with neighbors, he returns home to the melancholy serenade of his creator and one true friend.
video & music - written, recorded, performed and edited by T.Becker | 2012 | illustrations found
excerpt - 2min 30 of 3min 40sec | DV | 2012
In "song for Elliott Jacques", the seemingly invulnerable Superman has been crippled with over-sized monster hands. His psyche struggles to come to grips with this sudden shift of identity. After failing to go back in time by reversing the rotation of the earth, he surrenders to his situation. Track Fourteen of, TAPE NUMBER ONE, is dedicated to psychologist Elliott Jaques who coined the term "midlife crisis" in his 1965 article "Death and the Midlife Crisis".
Jaques, a psychoanalyst, was initially interested in examining the notion of the midlife crisis as it related to creative genius after discovering that an alarming number of highly creative minds; Mozart, Raphael, Chopin, Rimbaud, Purcell, and Baudelaire encountered tragic deaths between the ages of 35 and 39.
It is only through crisis that self-realization can occur. It is only through crisis that we begin to uncover truth and strengthen our relationships to our authentic selves. Crisis brings with it the destruction of self while opening the door for us to once again be lost, not know, declare individualism and transcend.
video and music; written, recorded & performed by Tommy Becker, 2012.
"We die to each other daily. What we know of other people is only our memory of the moments during which we knew them."
- T.S. Eliot
2min 35sec | DV | 2010
This short video poem is dedicated to the fleeting relationships which so often percolate through contemporary life. Song for Hellos and Goodbyes leads viewers through the birth and death of a romantic relationship using the cliché lines of purchased gift cards. Within the script, a second voice emerges to reveal a more authentic picture as the relationship blossoms, sours and disappears.
video & music: written, recorded, performed and edited by Tommy Becker | 2010 | text compiled from a variety of gift cards at the local grocery
"What is man without the beasts? If all the beasts were gone, man would die from a great loneliness of the spirit. For whatever happens to the beasts, soon happens to man. All things are connected." ~ Chief Seattle
2min 10sec | DV | 2003
Track Number Two is a celebration of the wild. It's a war chant heard bellowing from the mouths of animals as they march, fly and slither down the streets in protest. Images of the untamable flash across the screen as a stream of consciousness unfolds. A recited mantra drives the pack to the beating of tribal drums. Titled after one of his paintings, "song for the fate of animals" is dedicated to Franz Marc.
Written, recorded, performed and edited by t.becker | 2003 | public domain footage - prelinger archives | appropriated images - google search
"Youth cannot know how age thinks and feels. But old men are guilty if they forget what it was to be young." - J.K. Rowlings
2min 35sec | DV | 2008
It's a natural response for teenagers to question and react against their cultural conditioning. Song for Disobedient Youth is an exhortation to embrace unfettered joy and chaos before the agonies of adulthood set in. It invites the viewer to momentarily indulge in the fantasy of youthful rebellion, self-discovery, recklessness, love, disregard, dream and contempt that continues to escape us as we are pulled further into the constructs of age and culture.
Written, recorded and edited by T.Becker | 2008 still images - thank you students | public domain footage from Prelinger Archives
6min 30sec | DV | 2011 | Audio
In the summer of 2011, I became obsessed with snow angel videos on YouTube. The documented gestures highlighted a pure form of art making that was truly in the moment. Whether they were a couple, family members or friends in swimsuits, the interaction between filmmaker and performer was always a celebration. The short videos captured the artist's gusto as they surrendered to the snow and their enthusiasm as they jumped out of frame to view their masterpiece. This is my tribute to three of my favorite snow angel videos. Thanks to all those who took time to share their moments.
video & music: written, recorded, performed and edited by t.becker | 2011 | public domain footage - prelinger archive, appropriated footage - YouTube
In flat sunset light
a butterfly
down the city street
- Kikaku
3min | DV | 2008
Tack Number Five is an intermission and a meditation on impermanence. It's late afternoon when I begin my journey through the neighborhood. Attaching a cherry blossom branch to the grill of my car, I pull into my first driveway and stop. The bouncing branch casts a long shadow upon the colored doors. Gently, it comes to rest. The car is put in reverse. The gesture is repeated.
video: recorded, performed and edited by t.becker | 2008
4min 40sec | DV | 2011
A search for fulfillment through the collecting of metaphysical experiences leads viewers into a desensitized world where an isolated individual finds solace in his peculiar obsessions, private possessions and favorite television programs. In the video short, "Song for the Collectors", images of tragic environmental disasters and sensational web videos blend with bits of iconic pop imagery to tell the story of a collector who has lost touch with reality in pursuit of collectible memorabilia connected to grand and catastrophic environmental events.
"Song for the Collectors" begins with a voice narrating instructions for encapsulating the flow of environmental energies inside of colored containers. Video of a drifting balloon and cropped still images from Warhol's Marilyn, help to illustrate the instructions. As the video continues, the narrator begins recalling personal adventures associated with his collecting. Historic volcanic eruptions and devastating hurricanes become destinations for his obsessions as the thrill of collecting triumphs over the tragedy at hand.
The videos insertion of a single image from Warhol's "Green Car Crash", a painting depicting an overturned car in flames with the driver's catapulted body impaled on a post, might best sum up the conundrum of the collector where the reality of what is being collected falls victim to the individual's drive to posses and profit. What are we chasing, missing, overlooking or insensitive to in pursuit of personal fulfillment? Has the daily repetition of death and destruction in the media truly numbed us to the tragedy of our situation? Are the frequencies and severity of disasters truly being recognized or has the tragic simply become better television?
video & music: written, recorded, performed and edited by t.becker | backing vocals - Erin Becker | 2011 | public domain footage - prelinger archives
"Most people treat the present moment as if it were an obstacle that they need to overcome. Since the present moment is life itself, it is an insane way to live." - Eckhart Tolle
3min | DV | 2002
In Song for Attachment, we encounter a surreal, lo-fi presentation of the popularized Buddhist teaching of surrender. In a stark room, a young man struggles to overcome his anxieties of confinement with an eyeless rabbit. Failing to befriend the bunny, he turns inward in hopes of shifting perspective. The serene landscape painting on the wall fails to provide escape and we are left with a recited mantra as the rabbit towers above us.
video: written, recorded and edited by TBecker | 2002
"Two prisoners whose cells adjoin communicate with each other by knocking on the wall. The wall is the thing which separates them, but is also their means of communication. It is the same with us and God. Every separation is a link." - Simone Weil
1min 50sec | DV | 2002
The bird feeder invites them. I try to minimize my proximity by moving my chair a few inches at a time before turning into a statue. In the end, they detect my presence and not knowing my motives, they flutter away until I've reached a safe distance. I want to know their world, but that will never happen. Thank goodness. The mystery keeps me marveling.
Written, recorded, performed and edited by T.Becker | 2002 | found film footage - prelinger archives
"All things come out of the One and the One out of all things." - Heraclitus, 500BC
3min 40sec | DV | 2004
Track Number Nine is a celebration of the unknown. It's an embrace of the often obscured unity presented to us by the twisting opposites continually untangling in our fragile lives.
video & music: written, recorded, performed and edited by T.Becker | 2004 | found film footage - prelinger archives
"Man staggers through life yapped at by his reason, pulled and shoved by his appetites, whispered to by fears, beckoned by hopes. Small wonder that what he craves most is self-forgetting." - Eric Hoffer
2min 20sec | DV | 2009
Song for the Brief Seconds pays witness to an overwhelming need to escape. The paths for departure seem endless. The desire or need to place our consciousness elsewhere seems a necessity for our survival. The future is sure to open more exits with even more alluring dens of existence. At some point, we may never return.
video & music: written, recorded, performed and edited by T.Becker
"Sweet is the memory of distant friends! Like the mellow rays of the departing sun, it falls tenderly, yet sadly, on the heart. " - Washington Irving
2min | DV | 2003
video: written, recorded, performed and edited by T.Becker | 2003 | found film footage - Prelinger Archives /still images - Google
"If I had to choose a religion, the sun as the universal giver of life would be my god." - Napoleon Bonaparte
2min | DV | 2001
video & music: written, recorded, performed and edited by T.Becker | 2001 | found film footage - prelinger archives
2min 20sec | DV | 2005
video & muisc: written, recorded, performed and edited by t.becker | 2005 | crowd footage - prelinger archives