At the Circus

When I was about ten years old my grandfather took me to the circus. There were about 4 baby elephants there that they were letting the kiddies ride on. I have always been and animal lover and I was just itching to get on. I did but after the ride I felt horrible. It was like I could feel the animals sadness. This obvious unnatural behavior for this massive beautiful creature oozed from its body language and sad eyes. It wasn't until recently that I decided that the circus although being a fun and amazing event to go watch is just too cruel for these wild animals. I vowed I would never go again if animals were being abused in the show. This video is a little glimpse into what I think probably goes on with most of the wondrous beasts they have trained.

Body Guard

Remember this video? I used to LOVE it. The damn things gets stuck in my head. It makes me smile so I thought I would pass it on!!

J-woww what are you wearing?

Ok so I'm no diva in the gym (because it's the gym) but the cast of Jersey Shore continues to shock people even when working out. Is that a tube top she is wearing? Im no physicist but I know gravity and I'm thinking the girls aren't getting much support there...OUCH.

read more here from fitsugar!

Camille Allen

This amazing artist makes the most life like miniture babies out of polymer clay and resin that I have ever seen. They range any where from $99.00 to $4,000.00. Um...I think I will just enjoy the pictures of them! How cute are they? Here is a link to her site if you are interested in more info on Camille Allen.

Happy Easter

This is a young cowboy wiser than his years...a great Easter Lesson!

WS cooking class

A fantastic friend and writer is sharing her experience with a recent cooking class. Thank you Antonetta! Here is what she has to say about it...

Last Sunday, my sister and I went to Williams-Sonoma for their cooking technique’s class. Not only was this a cooking class at one of my favorite stores, it was also a class on pies and tarts, one of my favorite things to bake. I’ve definitely made my fair share of pies before, but they’ve usually been the standard “pie-in-a-box” kind. That was, until several months ago when I made my first real pie from scratch. So I was really happy when I found out that everything they were baking in this class was going to be made the same way.
During the class they made a chocolate pudding pie with a cookie crumb crust, topped off with whipped cream and chocolate shavings. As far as I know, this was the first time I’d ever had chocolate pudding that didn’t come from a small little JELL-O box. It was so creamy and rich! The cookie crumb pie crust was just as yummy, and it was so easy to make. You only need three ingredients and it bakes in 7-10 minutes. The second dish was a lemon curd tart with whipped cream on top. They made this with the traditional pie dough and it turned out beautifully. It was very sweet and light tasting. Between this tart and the chocolate pie, I believe I had satisfied about a week’s worth of sugar cravings in under 30 minutes.

The last dish was Quiche Lorraine. This was a bunch of my favorite breakfast foods all baked in a deep and buttery pie crust. However, the highlight of this dish wasn’t the savory quiche itself, but the pie dish it was baked in. I think I needed a few seconds to recover after I first saw it. It’s part of Emile Henry’s Artisan Collection and as far as pie dishes go, this one is beautiful (especially the Pometerra one)! Aside from its pretty looks, it also cooks pies and quiches to perfection. The entire dish is made of clay, so it’s quite heavy and will last you forever. Seeing as how I think it is the perfect pie dish, I’ve decided that I am going to have to buy it in a few weeks, as a birthday present for myself! Now I’m just patiently waiting for the next class to come along…topic- Healthy Cooking with Seafood (another fav).
If you’re interested, almost all of the Williams-Sonoma locations host these classes. The classes are free and usually held on Sundays at 12noon. Just call your store as far in advance as possible so you can reserve yourself a spot. They fill up fast! In my area, I prefer the Hilltop location in Virginia Beach instead of the one at MacArthur Center. It’s a more intimate setting, the class sizes are small and the ladies there are very friendly and helpful. They are usually willing to sign you up for a class even if it’s full!
Check out these links for more info!
Williams-Sonoma Site
Chocolate Pie Recipe
Lemon Curd Tart
Quiche Lorraine
Emile Henry Artisan Ruffled Pie Dish
Another great find was the Pancake Pen from the previous week’s class on Cakes and Cupcakes. It’s a great tool to use when filling cupcake trays. It’s also great for making pancakes for kids because you can draw out little designs and shapes right in the pan…and it’s only $9.95.

Identity Theft...

In this virtual world identity theft lurks around every corner. Keep an eye out and keep yourself protected. Check out these latest victims!







Happy Easter!

Beauty Pageant....for Goats?!?!

Alice Lane Home

If you like interior design, definitely follow Alice Lane Home. They have great ideas! Check out these Pussy Willows, what a fresh and easy look!

Click Here to link to their blog!

Hippity Hop

Here comes that bunny, time to dye those eggs. Look at these gorgeous marbelized eggs from Martha Stewart.

If the earth hatched from a giant egg, as the ancient Persians believed, it might have resembled one of these in our dreamy dozen. We used a simple dyeing technique to create the intricate swirls of color. Every Easter egg made this way is one of a kind. Click Here to see how to create this masterpiece!

Doggone that's CUTE!!

Clean like Martha

On Marthastewart.com I found a ton of great ideas for Spring Cleaning. The weather is warm so the windows open and the house gets a super clean. Here are some tips that helped me!

How to Clean Marble
How to care for wood furniture
How to polish a copper pot
How to clean your stainless steel

Love you Martha!!
photo from Marthastewart.com

Ali quote

"Don't count the days, make the days count"

Muhammad Ali

Holly Wierd Women

I found this article about odd looking actresses in Hollywood. I do agree that some of their bone structure may be unusual but I can't bring myself to say they are weird looking or ugly. Every woman is beautiful in their own way and beauty is certainly in the eye of the beholder. I actually think some of the women in the article are quite breathtaking. I saw a discovery channel show long ago that studied "beauty". They claim that perfect proportion makes a beautiful woman. In my opinion sometimes it is a womans uneven smirk that gives her character and makes her just plain cute. What do you think? Click here to see the full list of leading ladies that Paul Tassi from Unreality magazine highlights...

Pastel Pearls

I LOVE this pastel pearl wrap from WillOaks Studio. It's gorgeous and affordable! The pastel colors of Spring on a shimmering pale gray silk chain. A careful selection of shapes and colors suggests a pastel version of a rainbow. Can be wound 'round and 'round the wrist for a lovely dense cuff bracelet full of glossy pearls. Also fun to wear in many different ways as a necklace--clustered or cascading, long or short. Such a beautiful pastel color collection that is just perfect for a soft Spring accessory. Click HERE to link to the site!