Google Google

I did.
There's a programme on the travel channel, Chef Abroad, I really enjoy this guy, he's Canadian and I think this is his third series. In the first series he did a really good show around Cirque du Solei, showing how their canteen is set up for the different nationalities of the performers. Another was about the Nascar teams on circuit in the US and the food programmes they support with leftovers.
Last week our chef abroad went to Google headquarters and featured one of the many restaurants set up for staff meals. It's called Cafe 150 (I think) and they source all their food within a 150 mile radius, the menu changes every day and the meals appear to be fantastic.
Take a look at the site, it's really interesting.
Have a splendid weekend, regardless of the weather, just stay warm (or cool) inside yourself and go with the flow.

Tuesday Tip

Scooped! Pipped at the post! Robbed of glory!!
I had todays tip all squared away and I was so excited about it. The Silver Surfer (aka the love of my life) was playing on the internet on Thursday when he came onto the dumb video site. He called me over and we both watched, smiling and laughing, totally enthralled.
I was going to write about renewing wedding vows, I never got it. A vow is a vow, I haven't broken mine so why would I renew it, it's not a library ticket. This clip however made me think it would be fun to do it over again, if only we were more agile.
So, when your big surprise has been aired over the internet and even E TV news have shown it, for heaven's sake, it's a bit of a fizzle to say
"You must watch Jill & Kevin's Wedding Video"
But just in case you haven't..........

Hot Date

Yet another really good weekend, we must be on a roll. On Saturday the love of my life took me to lunch at Cape Town Fish Market, Canal Walk. We arrived early as we were rather peckish and our waitress led us to a table by the window, the better to watch the shoppers. I am really impressed by the way this restaurant seems to be tackling the big R (recession). They have some good deals on the menu (sorry, forget the wine list), various combo meals starting at R65. The Sushi is always excellent and this meal was no different. So, after two Sushi plates and a Kingklip Bento box I still had a tiny space to share some cheescake with my man, just call me Porky.Our waitress, Nafeesa was perfect, not too attentive, no questions when our mouths were full and just friendly enough. 10 out of 10.
Earlier we were at Merripak and Fabric City, two more businesses where good sense has prevailed, prices are right and the staff are really nice. What a pleasure.
But, this is just what every company has to do, not just try harder but maintain a high standard of performance. Whether you're the boss or the worker, give what you expect to receive from others and don't even mention the S word, for every one striker there are at least 10 unemployed.
I heard on Sky News that QE2 hauled the wan, sorry, bankers, over the coals at a dinner, asking why if they're such financial experts the weren't able to foresee the monetry chaos - or words to that effect. A question on many of our minds.
So, the sun is shining, another working week but a good weekend to look back on. I read today that the final Harry Potter book is to be made into two movies, releasing in 2010 and 2011, John Travolta is deep in depression - a few group distance Reki's perhaps - and I really hope Angelina J has left her hotel room.
So much more to enjoy and I don't want to miss any of it. We'll take the grandkids to the Scratch Patch in a couple of weeks time, Granny needs stones for the garden, we're building a tiny labyrinth, the fairy houses were fixed up yesterday after the winter weather. We'll stop off for Marcelle's on the way home and say to one another
"Aren't we blessed!"

A Lily by any other name would smell as "sweet"?

I am a great Lily Allen fan - to me she personifies the quiet genteel young thing that gets everyone into trouble while appearing innocent herself. The gentle voice, soft melody and sometimes really cruel words. My favourite at the moment is F You
"Look inside, look inside your tiny mind, then look a bit harder
Cause we're so uninspired, so sick and tired, of all the hatred you harbour
So you say it's not OK to be gay, well I think you're evil
You're just some racist, who can't tie my laces
Your point of view is medieval".
and further along after rude chorus
"You say you think we need to go to war
Well you're already in one
Cause it's people like you
That need to get slew
No one wants your opinion".
All this from a young girl who wants to sue the REAL Lily Allen for daring to use her own name on a clothing line.
But I still like her music.

Tuesday Tip

Well, these were supposed to be last weeks tips but I wanted to try them first. From the Gourmet Newsletter two really good ideas.
Butternut is the first one, I think it's good for toddlers as well as adults. Peel the neck of the butternut - I like to save the bowl part to stuff - and cut into small cubes. Put the butternut into the food processor and pulse until it's really fine. Place the bn into a small pan, add about a cup of water and simmer gently until cooked. From this you can make a delicious sauce for pasta or perhaps lunch for junior, it's a base to work with and it does work.
Breadcrumbs. I used to buy Japanese breadcrumbs, they are about 500 percent better than cornflake crumbs but it's a bit of a schlep going to Plumstead to buy them. Now I make my own and the secret is in the crumbing. Cut stale bread into cubes - something like a baguette works best - and place a few at a time in the liquidiser - not the processor. Watch as the bread merrily leaps into the air (but do put on the lid) and ends up as fine crumbs. Pour the crumbs on to a baking tray and bake for around 15 mins at 180 c. When you take them out you can add whatever may be appropriate for your dish, finely grated parmesan, a drizzle of olive oil, whatever. If you only have fresh bread, do not despair, just put less into the liquidiser as it will clump up.
Bon Appetite

Bragging Rights

You know that expression "Be careful what you wish for"? Well, be careful with your bragging. I'm rather proud of the fact that I catch rain spiders (humanely) and seem to feel a rapport with them, they certainly don't scare me.
Last evening I was working away in the kitchen, cooking and so on. As I turned my head slightly to the left, there it was, on my shoulder - A RAIN SPIDER!!
Much to my surprise I screamed as I hit the tassles of my Indian scarf off my shoulder, heart a racing.
So much for bravery and rapport, if a simple scarf can scare me so much what would I do with a real spider.

Good Times

We had a really great weekend. You know the kind where Friday seems so far away you've already forgotten what you did?
Apart from the usual boring housework, Saturday was good and then Saturday evening we went to Timothy's birthday bash - 40 years old (twin). It was so nice seeing the "kids" we've know since they were around 5 years old, Samantha popped in, in between her celebrations and we all missed Sion & Tiana who couldn't make it. I have one teensy, weensy criticism, don't people dance at parties any more?? We used to pump up the volume and dance the night away, now it seems you keep the music on medium and pump up the chatter. Oh well.
On Sunday my cousin Brian and his wife came to lunch, they're out on holiday from the UK and we hadn't seen them for a good few years. Lucky them, they booked in to a B&B in Camps Bay and because they're the only guests they were put into the penthouse apartment. It was so very good to see them, Samantha and the kids came over, for some reason Timothy was a little tired so they couldn't make it.
The icing on the weekend was watching Slumdog Millionaire last night, Oh WOW what a good story, everything about the movie was good, those Oscars were well deserved and I'll certainly watch it again, a star in the DVD collection.
So, despite the recession we had a fire in the fireplace, the house was toasty warm and we were sheltered from the rainstorms. We are truly blessed.

The voyeur in me

I'm no fan of "reality" TV, I don't watch soapies - unless you count D. Housewives - and I'm not much of a gossip. But how I love to watch people and imagine what will happen next. Perhaps that's why I'm so fond of movies.
On the way to work today I passed a couple, man and dog, he appeared to be training the dog. The obedient Boxer dog sat down, upright and proud, his human pointed a finger and then turned his back and walked away. Proud Boxer sat and watched but as his human moved further away the dog stood, looking a little anxious.................and that's where it ended because I was too far up the road to carry on watching.
Do you ever wonder, driving through the suburbs at night, about the lives of others? The glimpses you get. We were travelling down a long busy street one evening, summertime and the sun hadn't yet set. Most of the houses alongside the road had open front doors, open into the lounge. As we passed one I saw the middle aged couple, in each others arms, dancing around the tiny room. Hallmark stuff.
I love to watch young children, around three years of age who have figured out the art of conversation. They sit and chat most earnestly and no doubt make more sense than most of the adults they know.
Sometimes the world seems to have become too judgemental and we are often all too happy to believe the first bit of gossip we hear but, for all the public faces we all put on, once the front door closes and we're alone, only we know the truth of our lives.
But it's fun to speculate so if I peer into your garden as the cars speeds past your home, rest assured, I only want your story, not your life.
Yikes - I sound like a creepy stalker - sorry!

Tuesday Tip

I don't have a tip today, it seems my few brain cells are on vacation/strike so I don't have a cunning plan for this week. Instead I have a few questions.

Why are hearses so big and powerful when they only carry one passenger?

When are you no longer eligible to be referred to as "the late" after your death?

When you buy peeled onions, do you peel them?

I have many more questions but those will do for today, don't want to strain those brain cells.