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Archive for July, 2008

Wow, The Staples Center Dessert Cart is Impressive.

July 8th, 2008 1 comment

I recently went to a concert at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.  We were lucky to have a Suite, A-16 to be exact.  And this Dessert Cart appeared at our door.  It had quite the impressive selection.  My friends loved the Red Velvet Cake and the Brownie Bar.  I was eating a CPK Pizza at the time, so skipped it later wishing I got something.

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Here’s a concert peek, our Suite, and more of the Dessert Cart.  TIP:  If purchasing a Suite, bring a small flashlight so you can see.  The lights stay off during a concert and it’s pretty dark.

Related Links:

http://www.staplescenter.com/

Tortilla Flats in Odense, Denmark.

July 6th, 2008 2 comments

Tortilla Flats i Frederiksgade

My Aunt & Uncle opened up the first Mexican Restaurant in Denmark.  I traveled there and ate the best Guacamole I’ve ever had in my life.  My Uncle hesitantly gave me the recipe, but it just wasn’t the same — Plus I was missing one ingredient I’ve yet to locate, which obviously makes a difference.  I can’t tell you any more.  It’s a secret.  You’ll need to travel to Denmark.  If you do, please tell them their niece Shelly says HELLO.

After many years, my Uncle Bobby and Aunt Sus still run this restaurant with staff they treat as family.  And they’ve allowed a few franchises throughout other parts of Denmark.  Family or not, the food is excellent.  I can’t wait to get back there. 

Related Links: 

Tortilla Flats in Odense, Denmark – http://www.tortilla-flats.dk/ (In Danish)

http://www.balticnordic.com/en/company-information/QAMLWM/Tortilla-Flats.html

http://www.visitdenmark.com/usa/en-us/menu/turist/oplevelser/ibyen/restauranter/produktside/gdk013067/tortilla-flats.htm?CallerUrl=1 

 

4th of July in an American Backyard.

July 5th, 2008 1 comment

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We had marinated and grilled Carne Asada, Chorizo & Beans, flavorful Pasta Salad, juicy Watermelon, homemade Salsa, a Layered Dip with homemade Guacamole*, Tortilla Chips, fix-ins for Tacos and Burritos, fresh baked Brownies, Strawberry Lemonade, Coronas, Cactus Coolers and Big Sticks.  The food was excellent and we had a BLAST.

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To keep away the pesty bugs associated with many backyard parties, it’s a must to have these netted food tents.

Related Links:

http://www.kaboodle.com/reviews/tabletop-food-tent-large

*  Unfortunately the Layered Dip PICS weren’t up to par — It looked and tasted great in person though.

Tantalum Restaurant – Even the Leftovers are Beautiful.

July 4th, 2008 No comments

I recently ate at Tantalum Restaurant for dinner and I’ve been kicking myself everyday since.  Why?  Because I didn’t have my camera to capture all the amazing dishes we experienced.  I’m not doing this dish justice, but needed to show something to make myself feel better.

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The above is the only leftover — It’s Black Beer Braised Short Rib, with Root Vegetable Hash and Grilled Baby Bok Choy.  Otherwise we polished off the rest at the restaurant.

*  Petite Slider Trio – Kobe Beef & Maytag Bleu Cheese, Short Rib & Onion Jam, and PorkBelly & Arugula (3 mini specialty burgers)

*  Apple & Tofu Fritters with Caramelized Yali Pears, Kaffir Lime Aioli

*  Pan Roasted Organic Chicken Breast with Garlic Smash, Summer Beans and Shisito Pan Sauce

*  Fried Banana Bread Pudding with Dark Rum Caramel and Tahitian Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

All were impressively presented — Now you know why I’m kicking myself.  It’s a great place with unique food.  The entrance feels a bit like a pleasant walk down the yellow brick road, which leads to a magnificent Harbor View, and a very cool restaurant and cozy bar areas.

For the Long Beach old timers, it’s located where the former Houlihan’s used to be.  It’s a whole new place, although Tantalum’s been open for 3 years.  I highly recommend it for style and taste, but it’s not inexpensive.  You can learn more and view the menu easily below.

Related Links:

http://www.tantalumrestaurant.com/

http://www.tantalumrestaurant.com/dinner_menu.php

http://www.yelp.com/biz/tantalum-restaurant-long-beach

God Left Clues — The Wonderment of it All.

July 3rd, 2008 No comments

A friend sent this to me in an E-Mail — I’m not sure where it originated, but I found it very interesting.  I’ve always been amazed and thankful for the bountiful foods from the Earth.  I like the photography and information here.

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A Tomato has four chambers and is red — The heart is red and has four chambers.  Research shows that Tomatoes are indeed pure heart and blood food.

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Grapes hang in a cluster that has the shape of the heart.  Each Grape looks like a blood cell and research shows that Grapes are a profound heart and blood vitalizing food.

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Sliced Carrots look much like an eye — The pupil, iris and radiating lines look just like the human eye.  And science shows that Carrots greatly enhance blood flow to the eyes.

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A Walnut looks like a little brain, a left and right hemisphere, upper cerebrums and lower cerebellums.  Even the wrinkles or folds on the nut look like the neo-cortex. We now know that Walnuts help develop over 3 dozen neuron-transmitters for brain function.

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Kidney Beans actually heal and help maintain kidney function and look much like human kidneys.

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Celery, Bok Choy, Rhubarb and more look a lot like bones.  These foods specifically target bone strength.  Bones are 23% sodium and these foods are 23% sodium.  If you don’t have enough sodium in your diet, the body pulls it from the bones making them weak. These foods replenish the skeletal needs of the body.

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Grapefruits, Oranges and other citrus fruits look very much like the mammary glands of the female and actually assist the health of the breasts and the movement of lymph in and out of the breasts.

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Sweet Potatoes look like the pancreas and actually balance the glycemic index of diabetics.

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Eggplant, Avocados and Pears target the health and function of the womb and cervix of the female – They look much like these organs.  Research shows that when a woman eats 1 Avocado a week, it balances hormones, sheds unwanted birth weight and prevents cervical cancers.  And it takes exactly 9 months to grow an Avocado from blossom to ripened fruit.  There are over 14,000 photolytic chemical constituents of nutrition in each one of these foods.  Modern science has only studied and named about 141 of them.

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Figs are full of seeds and hang in twos when they grow.  Figs increase the motility of male sperm and increase the numbers of sperm as well as help to overcome male sterility.  

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Onions look like body cells.  Research shows that Onions help clear waste materials from the body cells.  They even produce tears which wash the epithelial layers of the eyes, and they’re even shaped like tears.

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Olives assist with the health and function of the ovaries.

NOTE:  The above information has not been verified for accuracy.  It has also been modified for grammatical accuracy and readability.  I apologize that I wasn’t able to correct the font variation and some formatting.

Why Don’t More People Like These?

July 1st, 2008 No comments

Dried Plums are great tasting and you already know Prunes are good for you.  Did you know they’re the same?   These Orange Essence ones are my favorite.  It’s a tasty snack, I swear.

Interesting Related Links:

http://www.sunsweet.com/

http://www.californiadriedplums.org/

http://archives.cnn.com/2000/FOOD/news/09/13/prunes.reut/