I "Know" So Many Famous People

Okay, so maybe "know" is a teeny, tiny stretch. Maybe I should have said I "know of" so many famous people.

Today for you, I have two confessions and also a double dose Tivo Alert. I know, I know. I spoil you. Truly.

So let's get started.

1) I watch the Today Show. Every day. Except Monday & Friday because I leave the house before the show even begins, but every other day, including Saturday & Sunday, I watch it. And, I like it. Are you gasping? Turning away from your computer screen in horror? Before you shake your head and erase me from your Google Reader, let me give you a few "excepts":

• I can't stand Ann Curry
• Meredith Viera bugs me sometimes too. Not as much as from her "The View" days. But that's another story all together and I'll share that with you at another time.

A few reasons I like what I see:

• Tiki Barber

Okay, that's just ONE reason, but it's enough. And MORE than makes up for the uber-annoying Ann Curry and mildly-annoying Meredith Veira. Oh, and I like Giada DeLaurentis. And Natalie Moralis. And Lester Holt and David Gregory and Amy Roebuck.

And, the reason I know of famous people and am talking about The Today Show- Stefanie from Baby on Bored is going to be on the show this Tuesday! She's been battling some major Post Partum Depression lately, following the early birth of her twins, but somehow still finds a way to be funny (she is a stand up comedian after all) and to promote her new book "Nap Time Is The New Happy Hour." So yay for Stefanie!

2) I am obsessed like to watch the Food Network.

Like, ALL the damn time. Serisously. ALL. THE. TIME. Right now, even. Giada's on (see above). I particulary like the regular joe, joe schmoe* shows. Like Food 911, Rescue Chef, Throwdown With Bobby Flay, or when they do the chef profiles. I watched them all. Did you know that Giada had a brother who died? Or that Sandra Lee is ridiculously rich** because she created all these crazy decorating things when she was younger? Or that her parents abandoned her and she was raised by her Grandmother but then had to raise her siblings herself so that's where she got all her Semi-Homemade cooking ideas from? You'd know that if you'd watched the chef profile shows. You would. Really. You would.

Which brings me to another famous person I know of, Amalah, who in real life is known as Amy Storch. Did you know that? Did'ja? Did'ja?

Anyway, she and her husband were duped into being judges on Mother Fucking Throwdown with Bobby Flay***! I KNOW!!!! How awesome is that? Her husband, Jason, created and edits a food blog, aptly named DC Foodies.****

*Did any of you watch (a few years ago now) The Joe Schmo Show on Spike TV? It was a "reality show" that was completely staged except for this one guy who thought it was totally real. It was AWESOME. If you ever see it, watch it. You won't be disappointed. I promise.
**This claim is unsubstantiated. The profile of Sandra Lee in no way said she was ridiculously rich, but it was inferred.
***This is not the ACTUAL title of the show. In reality, it's called "Throwdown with Bobby Flay" but in this instance, Mother Fucking Throwdown with Bobby Flay works so much better.
****I could TOTALLY start my own blog, called Santa Maria Foodies, but I've actually seen lists where the top rated restaurants in my town were Applebee's, Marie Callendr's and Olive Garden, to name a few. Sad, isn't it?

I Am NOT Drinking Any F*cking Merlot

Or, Meghan's recent trip to The Hitching Post, made uber-famous by the movie Sideways. Well, at least kinda famous.

My review? It was yummy, as usual. Nuf' said. But, how can you go wrong with a Filet cooked Medium Rare over an oak pit fire? I'm pretty sure you can't.

I drank this...
$7.00/glass

And this....
$14.00/glass

I had DJ take these pictures (on his phone, hence the quality) to send to my sister, who is a serious Highliner fan. There's a reason for that. It's good stuff. And I'm not even, generally speaking, a Pinot Noir person. But, shhh...don't tell the folk 'round these parts. That's a bit of a sin. Plus, this document's Zach's first time sitting in a high chair like a real boy. He ate applesauce. It was a milestone. Notice how he's eyeballing my wine?

Now, I realize that Sideways was really a movie you either loved or hated. I fall in the small group of people who were like, "Eh. It was okay." It was neat to see all kinds of local places featured in it. It did A LOT for our local econcomy as MANY a person flocked to see all the sites and have the "Sideways Experience." In fact, they still do. You can take a "Sideways Tour" of the area and see all the places that Jack & Miles visited. If you ever do, I ask three things of you:

1) Call me, so I can come along. This is most important. I'm always up for a day trip to enjoy good food and wine. Always.

2) Stop at The Los Olivos Cafe, which is awesome and I never get to eat there.

3) Please, for the love of all that is good, please, PLEASE don't drink any fucking Merlot. Just kidding. I don't discriminate against any type of wine.

Friday Recipe & Friday Morning Potluck

You're all in for a treat today. I've got SO much on my mind that I'm going to forego my usual Recipe posting only and steal copy June Cleaver Nirvana's Monday Morning Potluck. We're hosting a Friday edition.

To start, and because I KNOW you guys rely on my Friday recipe's, I'll direct your attention to this:

Looks down right YUMM-O-LICIOUS, doesn't it?

That, my friends, is Santa Maria Tri-Tip. You can find a recipe and tips on how to find it in your area (it's not known as tri-tip throughout the country, just in our little corner of the world) here. And btw, I don't smoke mine. Don't tell anyone around here, because that's TOTALLY ILLEGAL (kinda) but we just BBQ it on our good ole Gas Grill. Santa Maria is GASPING! Shhh...it'll be okay. So there's your recipe.

Now onto a fashion question, which may or may not ignite STRONG debate. And, if I had the time to wait for next week, I'd totally ask Tootsie Farklepants for her advice, but I don't have that kind of time. I need to know NOW. What are your feelings on Crocs?

A certain family member (who reads this blog, comments, and shall remain nameless) who is currently visiting, was SHOCKED yesterday when my stepmom their spouse and I informed him them that Crocs, while comfortable, are not, necessarily, uh, fashionable. At all. But, that's just our opinion. What are your feelings? Please leave a comment, or, at the very least, vote in the poll to your right. Your individual poll choice will remain secret, much to my chagrin, as I have NO WAY of figuring out who voted what. Damn. Gracias, amigos/amigas.

Next...please leave the above fashion question at the door. Or, as they would say in Court, strike that from the record, when you begin this next section. Cleared your mind? Okay good...continue on.

Dylan recieved his first Birthday present yesterday from my Dad and Stepmon who are currently visiting. It's this:

And it's AWESOME. He's been busy taking all kinds of pictures, which, after we finally got him to point the camera in the right direction (see self portrait below) he's starting to master. See for yourself.

DJ did not take this photo, but it was declared his "favorite." I think it's my favorite, too. The girls look pretty good. Even considering the use of a massive white nursing bra.

Plus, this means he'll keep his grubby little paws off my camera. Which may even be used to convince DJ to agree to the purchase of a new camera. Specifically this one:

I'm going to need a lot of luck with that. A LOT.

And finally, Sweetney had this video posted on her site. Cracks me up. I thought about saving it for Make Me Laugh Monday next week, but couldn't keep it to myself that long. It's funny. And sad. Scary, really. Kinda brings me back to this post that I wrote a few weeks ago.

Oh, and in case you're wondering, that tiny little frivolous number? The number of US Troops killed in Iraq? It's 3,973 now. And also, in case you're wondering, and I know I'm going to hear from "Anonymous" or someone else about it. I DO NOT support the immediate withdrawal of US Troops, although it does sound mighty wonderful. We went in there and got them into this mess, we need to clean it up. I just hope we can figure out a way, rather quickly, to get most of our people out of there and still be able to get things settled down. Saddam Hussein was an asshole who did very bad things to people living in his country. And because I don't want to discount the loss of innocent Iraqi life, since January 2006 approximately 38,817 Iraqi civilians & Iraqi Security Forces have been killed.

Moving on to something that really is FUNNY and highly inappropriate....one last YouTube Video. This was a submission for Make Me Laugh Monday a few weeks ago and it cracked me up. It was submitted by AFRo.

Happy Leap Day!

Life As I Know It = Over

Warning: This post may be detrimental to your effort to lose weight. Or to your Cholesterol. Or to your Vampirism. Or to your Low-Carb diet. Or to your efforts to abstain from Trader Joe's (although why anyone would EVER do that, I can't understand).

First, to the title of this post. This happened this morning:

And has continued this afternoon.

I keep forgetting and am apparently trying to kill him. Moments before the above picture was taken, I was getting up to get myself lunch. I plopped him down on the couch, as I do FREQUENTLY (I know, I know) and grabbed some toys to keep him entertained. As I walked out of the room, I turned back and noticed he was starting to roll over to reach for a toy. Problem was, I'd placed him 90 degrees to how you see him in the above picture, so he was precariously close to toppling off the side of the couch. I corrected his placement and went to grab my lunch. Hopefully I can remember this new milestone has occurred from now on and will not allow him to throw himself onto the ground (which luckily, as of late, is covered in pillows anyway due to Dylan's new found obsession with "forts" and "cuddling with his puppy" which, although it closely resembles Tahoe, is a stuffed version of The Beast.).

Now to my above referenced lunch. You know that one of the following two things are true when I start to eat this particular combination of foods EVERY DAY.

1) I'm pregnant
2) It's Summer, or at the very least, "summery" outside.

I AM NOT PREGNANT. It was 78 here yesterday and it's 72 here today. Damn, it's awesome.

During Summer, or Spring, or Really Freaking Warm Winter Days on The Central Coast of California, I am obsessed with any combination of Tomatoes, Basil, Garlic and Fresh Mozzarella. And when I say obsessed, I mean I can't stop thinking about it. It's all I want to eat, it's all I want to smell. I want to put it in a little pouch and take it to bed with me. I want to take it into the shower and rub it all over myself in the hopes that it will seep into my pores. I love it that much. It's a sickness. I should join TBGFM Eaters Anonymous. I should be the Spokesperson and President. I would probably also be the founding member.

Anyway, Trader Joe's carries my most favoritest of all fresh Mozzarella products. Perlini's. They're teeny tiny little balls of fresh Mozzarella heaven. My favorite thing to do with them is to mix them with some Bruschetta Mix, also from TJ's and eat them with a bunch of Sea Salt Pita Chips. This, my friends, was my lunch today.

I didn't intend on taking this picture, or even sharing my lunch with you, when I started eating it. But by the time I dug into it, I knew I had to at least share the combination with you. And then warn you that the garlic smell might seep out of your computer. THEN, I found a chunk of garlic. CHUNK. See it up there? On the littlest of Pita chips? Yea. That's garlic. OMG, mother-effing delicious garlic. And see the sickening amount of precious, life giving olive oil that's collected at the bottom of the bowl? As "good" as they say olive oil is for you, I'm pretty sure you're not supposed to drink it. Even if it's TBGFM flavored. OMG. Just breathe it in, people.