Living It With Lisa

If you are ever in Dallas you MUST go to Stephen Pyles Restaurant, a global tapestry of tastes, flavors aromas and textures from Texas, South America, Spain, the Middle East and the Mediteranean. What a delightful way to tantalize your tastebuds and your eyes. Not only is the food fabulous but the atmosphere is feast as well. His website says it best … an innovative blend of food, art and fashion that must be experienced to be appreciated.

We were just going to stop in and enjoy an appetizer at the tapas bar and ended up staying for hours. My girlfriend Aleta and I created our own ‘tasting menu’. Stephen Pyles must have known that we wanted to taste more than one item, so there were several options where you could taste all the flavors he created. Aleta and I chose the Cerviche Trio to start. Sea Bass with Avocado and Tomatillo, Honduran Tuna with Coconut and Ginger, and Lobster with Mango and Basil. What a delight all three were.

Because we were sitting at the Tapas Bar … we kept asking questions of Christine and Danielle who where busy nonstop all night making every tapas for the diners. It really was a delight to watch them work together … almost like a symphony or synchronized dance. They were very insightful and confirmed many of our choices as we created our own experience. It was alot of fun watching them create something and ask them what it was … and then order it!

Our next course was the Iced Gazpacho. For $10 you got to sample 4 distinct flavors that were wonderful compliments to each other, all uniquely different and delightful. Just imagine … AMARILLO with Golden Tomatoes and Saffron, BLANCO with Almond and Frozen Grapes, ROJO with Smoked Tomatoes and Beets, VERDE with Tomatillos and Honeydews. Do you get the picture … four colors too, served in oversized shot glasses surrounded in ice.

At this point we were committed to tapas and not to a traditional dinner. So our next tapa was a signature dish. Tamale Tart with Roast Garlic Custard and Jumbo Lump Crabmeat. 

This is a tamale-like tart shell with a custard made from roast garlic, cream and eggs. The tart is topped with sautéed gulf coast crabmeat, red and yellow bell peppers, cilantro and basil. It is sitting on a bed of smoked tomato sauce and cilantro oil. YummE!

Since we were sitting in front of the wood fired oven, it made sense that we should sample something that was cooked in it. Imagine that! So we chose the Smoked Tomato, Goat Cheese and Shrimp Pizza. By this time we were so full, but managed to eat it all. The smoked tomato was absolutely the only way I want pizza anymore. The shrimp got lost in the shuffle of taste but it really didn’t matter.

As you know were were sitting there watching different food items be placed on the kitchen bar for the servers to take to tables. A couple of times we asked what ‘those’ were. We were all set to try the “Coffee and Donuts” which actually was coffee creme’ brule and donuts. That was until we read the dessert menu. We opted for another signature item. Stephan’s Heaven and Hell Cake™.  

OH MY WORD!  and it is trademarked!  When they told us what it was I was not sure but Aleta was.  So we ordered it.  This was a layer cake.  Angel Food Cake with Peanut Butter Mouse with Chocolate Cake with a Raspberry Sauce poured all over it at the table.  It was amazing.  This may sound like a strange way to describe it … but here goes.   The adult version of PBJ meets Reeses Peanut Butter Cup and they get married!  So much for only eating a bite or two.  We just couldn’t quit. 

After all this ‘tasting’, we decided that we should walk back to the hotel!

OH … Stephen Pyle was there and we snagged a picture with him too!

Did you ever wonder if you were eating chocolate correctly?  Yes, I am serious!

My girlfriend Dianne and I discovered this fabulous store called Viva Chocolato! in the Domain here in Austin the other day.  Well we have been back more times than we care to admit in the last 7 days!    Anyway who is counting?  We have sampled their award winning Blue Cheese Truffles, Tito’s Vodka truffles, ChocoCaviar truffles and 99% truffles along with their Diva Salad with Chocolate Balsamic Vinaigrette!  

It was there that Dianne bought me a chocolate cookbook aka primer.   When we got home with the book in tow we found out that the proper way to eat chocolate is not to chew it, but to let it melt in your mouth.  Letting it touch all the taste-buds.  If you are a wine aficionado you will understand that is also how you should drink your wine.

As the good students that we are  <grin> we tried it and it is true.  You really get ALL the amazing flavors that a simple truffle offers.  And a truffle can last for several bites and becomes a fabulously filling and satisfiying dessert.  In this case, less IS more. 

Now the other tidbit of information that Cynthia, the manager told us is that if you eat 1 ounce of chocolate (70% or more) each morning an hour before you eat breakfast you will lose weight.  She has gone from a size 14 to a size 10 since November and that is the only thing she has done different.  Now that is a food plan we can be excited about! 

Okay… back to dinner last night.  Wayne, Dianne’s boyfriend arrived and we decided that we would stay in and cook.  Little did we know that we would be entertained by the worst hail storm in the Austin area in years.  I grabbed my Flip video camera and captured the hail up to golf ball size at my house!  

Anyway, after dinner we were teaching … okay sharing our truffle eating knowledge with Wayne.  Yes I bought our favorite 2 truffles for each of us for dessert and a box to take with me to share with Vic.  How easy is that.  Well Wayne was sharing how he learned how to eat M&M’s from Dianne.  

Dianne eats M&M’s one at a time because when she was younger she didn’t get them very often and she wanted them to last longer.  Well as Wayne was sharing I decided that I had to Flip video his explanation for Vic since he wasn’t with us.  So here is the video that Vic saw last night.

Let me know how YOU like savoring your truffles this way…

Enjoy!

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We all know that listening to music can be an excellent stress reducer.  Just ask Vic. Sometime I walk into his office and XM radio is on the Spa channel while he is working.  I know it’s a tough day if he can stay awake and work listening to that!  

So, I have to believe it when I read that a study with cardiology patients who listened to classical music for 30 minutes produced calming effects equivalent to a 10-mg dose of Valium.  

WOW!  Beethoven or Mozart anyone?

Do you know what the Lipstick Index is?  During the last recession and an upheaval in economic times women would wear red lipstick.  Who knows why … maybe the bright color would cheer them up.   

However, the tidbit that I find interesting is that when you are STRESSED you should eat DESSERTS.  Why? Because Stressed spelled backwards is … drum roll please … DESSERTS … !!! 

Forget the lipstick … what is your favorite dessert?  

I have mine picked out … More on my latest discovery another day  ;-)

My Aunt Dixie sent this sweet story to me and it really is one of the neatest stories you will ever hear.  You will know precisely what this little girl is talking about at the end.  Read it and … fill your weekend and then your life … with puppy size!  Enjoy!

 Danielle keeps repeating it over and over again. ”We’ve been back to this animal shelter at least five times.  It has been weeks now since we started all of this,” the mother told the volunteer.

‘What is it she keeps asking for?’ the volunteer asked.

‘Puppy size!’ replied the mother. 

‘Well, we have plenty of puppies, if that’s what she’s looking for.’

‘I know…. we have seen most of them, ‘ the mom said in frustration…

 Just then Danielle came walking into the office.

‘Well, did you find one?’ asked her mom.  ‘No, not this time,’

Danielle said with sadness in her voice.  ‘Can we come back on the weekend?’ 

The two women looked at each other, shook their heads, and laughed.  ‘You never know when we will get more dogs.  Unfortunately, there’s always a supply,’ the volunteer said.

Danielle took her mother by the hand and headed to the door.  ‘Don’t worry, I’ll find one this weekend,’ she said.

Over the next few days both Mom and Dad had long conversations with her.  They both felt she was being too particular.  ‘It’s this weekend or we’re not looking any more,’ Dad finally said in frustration.  ’We don’t want to hear anything more about puppy size, either,’ Mom added.

Sure enough, they were the first ones in the shelter on Saturday morning.  By now Danielle knew her way around, so she ran right for the section that housed the smaller dogs. 

Tired of the routine, mom sat in the small waiting room at the end of the first row of cages.  There was an observation window so you could see the animals during times when visitors weren’t permitted. 

Danielle walked slowly from cage to cage, kneeling periodically to take a closer look.  One by one the dogs were brought out and she held each one. 

One by one she said, ‘Sorry, but you’re not the one.’

It was the last cage on this last day in search of the perfect pup.  The volunteer opened the cage door and the child carefully picked up the dog and held it closely. This time she took a little longer. 

‘Mom, that’s it!  I found the right puppy!  He’s the one!  I know it!’  She screamed with joy.  ‘It’s the puppy size!’ 

‘But it’s the same size as all the other puppies you held over the last few weeks,’ Mom said. 

‘No, not size…  the sighs.  When I held him in my arms, he sighed,’ she said.

‘Don’t you remember when I asked you one day what love is, you told me love depends on the sighs of your heart.  The more you love, the bigger the sigh!’ 

The two women looked at each other for a moment.  Mom didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.  As she stooped down to hug the child, she did a little of both. 

Mom, every time you hold me, I sigh.  When you and Daddy come home from work and hug each other, you both sigh.  I knew I would find the right puppy if it sighed when I held it in my arms,’ she said. 

Then, holding the puppy up close to her face, she said, ‘Mom, he loves me.  I heard the sighs of his heart!’

…… ♥ …… ♥ …… ♥ ……

Close your eyes for a moment and think about the love that makes you sigh.  

I not only find it in the arms of my loved ones, but in the caress of a sunset, the kiss of the moonlight and the gentle brush of cool air on a hot day. They are the sighs of God.  Take the time to stop and listen; you will be surprised at what you hear.  

Life is not measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

I hope your life is filled with Sighs!

I got this story recount in my email this week and I don’t remember when I laughed so hard that tears came.  If you have had this very special procedure or not, you will definitely experience a unique viewpoint from Dave Berry.  

COLONOSCOPY JOURNAL

I called my friend Andy Sable, a gastroenterologist, to make an appointment for a colonoscopy.  

A few days later, in his office, Andy showed me a color diagram of the colon, a lengthy organ that appears to go all over the place, at one point passing briefly through   Minneapolis.  Then Andy explained the colonoscopy procedure to me in a thorough, reassuring, and patient manner.  I nodded thoughtfully, but I didn’t really hear anything he said, because my brain was shrieking, quote, ‘HE’S GOING TO STICK A TUBE 17,000 FEET UP YOUR BEHIND!’

I left Andy’ s office with some written instructions, and a prescription for a product called ‘MoviPrep,’ which comes in a box large enough to hold a microwave oven.  

I will discuss MoviPrep in detail later; for now suffice it to say that we must never allow it to fall into the hands of America ‘s enemies.

I spent the next several days productively sitting around being nervous.   Then, on the day before my colonoscopy, I began my preparation.   In accordance with my instructions, I didn’t eat any solid food that day; all I had was chicken broth, which is basically water, only with less flavor.

Then, in the evening, I took the MoviPrep.  You mix two packets of powder together in a one-liter plastic jug, and then you fill it with lukewarm water.  (For those unfamiliar with the metric system, a liter is about 32 gallons). Then you have to drink the whole jug.  This takes about an hour, because MoviPrep tastes – and here I am being kind – like a mixture of goat spit and urinal cleanser, with just a hint of lemon.

The instructions for MoviPrep, clearly written by somebody with a great sense of humor, state that after you drink it, ‘a loose, watery bowel movement may result.’  

This is kind of like saying that after you jump off your roof, you may experience contact with the ground.

MoviPrep is a nuclear laxative.  I don’t want to be too graphic, here, but:  have you ever seen a space-shuttle launch?  This is pretty much the MoviPrep experience, with you as the shuttle. There are times when you wish the commode had a seat belt.  You spend several hours pretty much confined to the bathroom, spurting violently.  You eliminate everything.  And then, when you figure you must be totally empty, you have to drink another liter of MoviPrep, at which point, as far as I can tell, your bowels travel into the future and start eliminating food that you have not even eaten yet.

After an action-packed evening, I finally got to sleep.  

The next morning my wife drove me to the clinic.  I was very nervous.  Not only was I worried about the procedure, but I had been experiencing occasional return bouts of MoviPrep spurtage.  I was thinking, ‘What if I spurt on Andy?’  How do you apologize to a friend for something like that?  Flowers would not be enough.

At the clinic I had to sign many forms acknowledging that I understood and totally agreed with whatever the heck the forms said.  Then they led me to a room full of other colonoscopy people, where I went inside a little curtained space and took off my clothes and put on one of those hospital garments designed by sadist perverts, the kind that, when you put it on, makes you feel even more naked than when you are actually naked.

Then a nurse named Eddie put a little needle in a vein in my left hand.  Ordinarily I would have fainted, but Eddie was very good, and I was already lying down.  Eddie also told me that some people put vodka in their MoviPrep.  At first I was ticked off that I hadn’t thought of this is, but then I pondered what would happen if you got yourself too tipsy to make it to the bathroom, so you were staggering around in full Fire Hose Mode.  You would have no choice but to burn your house.

When everything was ready, Eddie wheeled me into the procedure room, where Andy was waiting with a nurse and an anesthesiologist.  I did not see the 17,000-foot tube, but I knew Andy had it hidden around there somewhere.  I was seriously nervous at this point.

Andy had me roll over on my left side, and the anesthesiologist began hooking something up to the needle in my hand.

There was music playing in the room, and I realized that the song was ‘Dancing Queen’ by ABBA.  I remarked to Andy that, of all the songs that could be playing during this particular procedure, ‘Dancing Queen’ had to be the least appropriate.

‘You want me to turn it up?’ said Andy, from somewhere behind me.

‘Ha ha,’ I said.  And then it was time, the moment I had been dreading for more than a decade.  If you are squeamish, prepare yourself, because I am going to tell you, in explicit detail, exactly what it was like.

I have no idea.  Really.  I slept through it.  One moment, ABBA was yelling ‘Dancing Queen, feel the beat of the tambourine,’ and the next moment, I was back in the other room, waking up in a very mellow mood.  

Andy was looking down at me and asking me how I felt.  I felt excellent.  I felt even more excellent when Andy told me that It was all over, and that my colon had passed with flying colors.  I have never been prouder of an internal organ.

ABOUT THE WRITER

Dave Barry is a Pulitzer Prize-winning humor columnist for the Miami Herald.

On the subject of Colonoscopies…

Colonoscopies are no joke, but these comments during the exam were quite humorous….. A physician claimed that the following are actual comments made by his patients (predominately male) while he was performing their colonoscopies:

1. ‘Take it easy, Doc.  You’re boldly going where no man has gone before!

2. ‘Find Amelia Earhart yet?’

3. ‘Can you hear me NOW?’

4. ‘Are we there yet?  Are we there yet?  Are we there yet?’

5. ‘You know, in Arkansas, we’re now legally married.’

6. ‘Any sign of the trapped miners, Chief?’

7. ‘You put your left hand in, you take your left hand out…’

8. ‘Hey! Now I know how a Muppet feels!’

9. ‘If your hand doesn’t fit, you must quit!

10. ‘Hey Doc, let me know if you find my dignity.’

11. ‘You used to be an executive at Enron, didn’t you?’

12. ‘God, now I know why I am not gay.’

           And the best one of all.

13. ‘Could you write a note for my wife saying that my head is not up there?’ 

Sportsmanship is alive and well.  I read this article on ABC’s Person of the Week and it moved me and gave me hope.

Its the story of two young men and their basketball teams.  One young man  lost his mother hours before the game and came to play because that is what his mother would want him to do.  What the other team did was amazing.  It is nice to know that coaches are still teaching sportsmanship and class.  

Because it isn’t always only about who wins. it is how you play the game. 

http://tinyurl.com/blf8tu

This was sent to me by my cousin Kathy.  It gives you pause to think about how many things just simply make us feel good.  Take time to be in the moment.  Each moment we have creates our journey called LIFE. How sad it would be if we raced too fast to get to the next big thing, the next deal and we missed the simple things that we experience everyday. 

Read each one.  Think about it.  They do make you simply Feel Good. 

Experience one, two or five … EVERYDAY!

§  Falling in love.

§  Laughing so hard your face hurts.

§  A hot shower.

§  No lines at the supermarket.

§  A special glance.

§  Getting mail or e-mail.

§  Taking a drive on a pretty road.

§  Hearing your favorite song on the radio.

§  Lying in bed listening to the rain outside.

§  Hot towels fresh out of the dryer.

§  Chocolate milkshake (vanilla or strawberry).

§  A bubble bath.

§  Giggling.

§  A good conversation.

§  The beach.

§  Finding a 20-dollar bill in your coat from last winter.

§  Laughing at yourself.

§  Looking into their eyes and knowing they Love you

§  Midnight phone calls that last for hours.

§  Running through sprinklers.

§  Laughing for absolutely no reason at all.

§  Having someone tell you that you’re beautiful.

§  Laughing at an inside joke with FRIENDS

§  Accidentally overhearing someone say something nice about you.

§  Waking up and realizing you still have a few hours left to sleep.

§  Your first kiss.

§  Making new friends or spending time with old ones.

§  Playing with a new puppy.

§  Having someone play with your hair.

§  Sweet dreams.

§  Hot chocolate.

§  Road trips with friends.

§  Swinging on swings.

§  Making eye contact with a cute stranger.

§  Making chocolate chip cookies.

§  Having your friends send you homemade cookies.

§  Holding hands with someone you care about.

§  Running into an old friend and realizing that some things (good or bad) never change.

§  Watching the expression on someone’s face as they open a much-desired present from you.

§  Watching the sunrise.

§  Getting out of bed every morning and being grateful for another beautiful day.

§  Knowing that somebody misses you.

§  Getting a hug from someone you care about deeply.

§  Knowing you’ve done the right thing, no matter what other people think.

Have you ever wondered exactly what the difference is the eggs are at the supermarket?  I ran across this article on Delish.com that should demystify that incredible edible egg! 

Know Your Type

This quick guide breaks down the jargon on your carton so you can choose wisely next time you visit the supermarket. 

• Brown: Eggshell color is determined by breed — brown hens lay brown eggs; white hens, white eggs — and has no effect on an egg’s flavor or nutrition. Brown may be slightly pricier because the dark hens tend to be larger and eat more, and so cost more to feed. 

• Certified organic eggs are produced according to national USDA standards by hens fed an organic diet (free of conventional pesticides, fungicides, herbicides, or commercial fertilizers). They have no proven additional nutritional benefit. And, no matter what a label says, all eggs are hormone free, as the USDA does not permit the use of hormones in poultry. 

• Free-range eggs are produced by hens that have daily access to the outdoors or are raised outdoors (commercial hens are housed in cages within large laying facilities). The eggs cost more due to their low volume and high production costs. 

• Cage-free eggs are laid by hens that roam in barns, not outside. The term is not regulated by the USDA. 

• Fertile eggs come from hens that have mated with a rooster. You’re most likely to see them sold at rural farm stands, because country growers may not separate females from males. 

• Nutrient-enhanced eggs have extra omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, or minerals, or fewer saturated fats, thanks to hens’ enriched diets. At more than $4 a dozen, they’re a pricey way to get a minuscule nutritional boost. 

• Pasteurized eggs are flash-heated to destroy salmonella bacteria. The process does not cook the eggs or affect the nutritional value. They are a good choice for those with com promised immune systems. Cook regular eggs until set (not runny) or until yolks are opaque to kill salmonella.

Get Good Grades

When eggs are packed, the USDA grades them AA, A, or B based on exterior and interior quality. (Grade B eggs are rarely sold at retail.)

Externally, eggs must be clean, free of cracks, smooth shelled, and oval shaped, with one end larger than the other. Interior qualities that determine the grade include the clarity and firmness of the albumen (a.k.a. egg white), the size and shape of the yolk, and the size of the air cell in the egg.Grade AA eggs will have a thicker, firmer white surrounding a round yolk, and a smaller air cell thanGrade A eggs.

Store Smart

• The best place for eggs is in a refrigerator in their original carton — not in the egg holders on the fridge door. The carton keeps them from picking up odors and flavors from other foods and also helps prevent moisture loss. Fresh, refrigerated eggs can last up to five weeks (sometimes longer) and rarely spoil, though they can dry up. If you’re worried that your eggs might be past their prime, crack one in a bowl to give it a sniff test before adding to your recipe — you’ll be able to smell a rotten egg immediately. 

• Cover and refrigerate raw yolks and use within two days. Raw whites can be refrigerated, covered, up to four days. Whites freeze well in a tightly sealed container for up to three months, but yolks become gelatinous (and almost impossible to use) unless mixed with something else, such as salt or sugar (1/8 teaspoon salt or 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar per 1/4 cup yolks).

See Red? Don’t Worry

When the yolk forms, occasionally a blood vessel ruptures, causing a blood spot. These eggs are perfectly safe to eat. You can leave the red dot on the yolk or carefully remove it with the tip of a knife.

Size It Up

Eggs are divided into six categories: jumbo, extra-large, large, medium, small, and peewee. Their size is determined by the weight per dozen. Any egg can be used for everyday cooking such as frying, scrambling, and hard cooking, but most baking recipes are based on large eggs.

Click Delish to see the article and other nutritional tips.

Some of you may be keeping up with the news about HRT.  You may have seen Suzanne Somers on Oprah and their discussion of bioidentical HRT.  Here is an article that I ran across on Women to Women about new findings on HRT.  If this is a path that you chose then I agree with them that the individual approach is best.   

Women to Women Article Link

Some of the topics covered in this article include: