Frugal Seasonal Weekend Joys...

Scoring a vegan cherry pie, normally $12.99, for half the price at Old Hook Farm.

A tofu scramble for brunch at my parent's house, enjoyed outdoors on a sunny day. I don't remotely miss scrambled eggs. Just saute some diced onion in olive or canola oil, add your favorite veggies, diced tofu, and grated vegan cheese if you have it on hand. Season with turmeric, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Served here with Litelife Gimme Lean Sausage and toast with apricot jam.

Organic pink lemonade from Trader Joe's, $2.99. Perfect for any summertime BBQ. Their organic mango lemonade pairs particularly well with grilled vegetable fajitas.

This lemonade matches the cute H&M dress I picked up at C.A.T.S. Resale Shop for just $4. I soundly reject the notion stapled into so many women's heads that you are "treating yourself" to something special just because you are spending a large sum of money. You can look completely fabulous for next to nothing.

Other second life items pictured: a gold Mossimo dress, $14, purple beaded necklace, $7, both from C.A.T.S. Resale Shop; green flowery strapless dress, $12, from C.A.T.S. and yellow Gap cardigan, $10, from Fabulous Finds; blue cotton dress, $0 (from a clothing swap); and the H&M dress with my grandmother's broach.

These items didn't come with a glossy ad campaign of a model shopping for veggies at her local CSA, nor are they "organic." But they were given a new life to a very grateful owner, are totally vegan, completely wallet-friendly, and quite adorable.

My Recent Trip to Greece and Mexico...

...well, okay, maybe Uncle Nick's and Salsa y Salsa in New York City. But I felt like my taste buds traveled!

At Uncle Nick's, I shared the Melitzanosalata (eggplant dip), $5.95, with warm grilled pita bread to start. I felt like I may have detected feta cheese in here (but not sure), even though the waiter said it was non-dairy. Maybe it was roasted garlic? Make your own at home.

Vegetable kebob with rice, $12.95. The appetizer was so filling that I brought half of this and some dip and pita home in my reusable containers. Not only is it more eco-friendly (no disposables and no food waste), it allows for easy transport to bring to the office the next day. At the sight of my leftovers, many of my co-workers were filled with Uncle Nick's-envy!

Visit Uncle Nick's, 382 Eighth Ave. (at W 29th St.), New York City

I bring my lunch almost always, mainly to save money, but my co-workers and I needed a break from eating in our cramped office kitchen and cubicles, so we hit festive Salsa y Salsa.

A non-alcoholic pomegranate margarita, $6. A beverage and a dessert in one!

Ensalada De Jicama Y Naranja with mango, watercress, avocado, toasted pumpkin seeds, pineapple and lemon-line cilantro dressing, $8.95. I held the manchego cheese, but forgot about the dressing! So this may have dairy. Honestly, I don't lose sleep over exposure to trivial amounts of dairy like this when it's unintentional. I do the best I can.

Visit Salsa y Salsa, 206 Seventh Ave. (at 22nd St.), New York City.

That said, all the above was delicious. Dining out can give you ideas on recreating the feasts at home for much cheaper. With summer grilling season here, those kebobs would be great over lemon rice served with some homemade peach iced tea.

Mother's Raspberry Spring Thaw

Anyone who knew my mother would agree- nobody was a better home cook with the exception of perhaps her mother. In fact my grandmother and her sister owned a bakery in Detroit many years ago. And when Grandma came to stay with us…oh my…. those pastries after school! And her homemade noodles AND her pie crusts. Melt. In. Your. Mouth.

Years later, after we moved to Florida, my mother found some extra time on her hands and she became totally addicted to cooking classes; it makes me smile when I think of it because she probably should have been giving them not taking them! Anyway, Mother never lost her love of the culinary arts and my sister and I inherited her interest.

Pretty much right in the middle of her cooking class frenzy, this recipe made its initial appearance on our table. I think it was originally called Strawberry Spring Thaw- but Mother made it once with raspberries and loved it so she renamed it. Sometimes it’s such fun to make these really old fashioned desserts- they don't even try to be cutting edge- they stand alone- the best of the best. This is one you can make with a hand tied behind your back ( and a nice strong mixer) in no time at all. And freeze it way ahead of serving.

Raspberries are divine right now so use fresh but you can substitute frozen if you want. You could also use strawberries. If you use raspberries and don’t like the seeds, you could puree and then strain them. I don’t find the seeds bothersome in this recipe so I skip that step. Here's the thing: the crunchy nut topping makes this dessert.. I can’t get enough of it; luckily, it’s a generous amount.

When ready to put in the freezer, I use a springform pan but a rectangular pan would be fine. I’ve always thought it was a super ending for a ladies luncheon ( or Valentine’s Day) but it’s also great fun at 4th of July barbecues… serve it on a pretty white plate and add some blueberries for a pretty red, white and blue effect.

Raspberry Spring Thaw

Ingredients:
1/2 cup melted butter
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 cup flour
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 egg whites
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 pints raspberries or one 10 ounce package frozen raspberries
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup whipping cream, whipped

Method:
In a large baking pan stir the melted butter, brown sugar, flour and nuts with a fork. Bake at 400° for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring frequently. Set aside to cool. After about 10 minutes, crush the pieces with a fork to make a nice crumb consistency.

Beat whites to soft peaks, gradually adding 1 cup sugar. Add berries, lemon juice and vanilla. Beat on high speed until triple in volume. Fold in the whipped cream.

Spread all but 1/2 cup of the crumbs in a pan of your choice, top with raspberry mixture, sprinkle with remaining crumbs and freeze. ( To puree raspberries, process in processor and force through a sieve. If you sieve, use 2 pints fresh raspberries or two 10 ounce frozen packages.)

Eco Diaper Dilemma

Early this morning, while Lukas was still asleep, I searched the web for some eco-friendly diaper options for Lukas. I enjoy learning about new products that could potentially make my life easier.

The majority of eco-friendly diapers are still made of cloth, which can be very cumbersome when you don't have much time to spare. I actually found a website in Canada that provides classes for cloth diaper management! It never ceases to amaze me how creative people can get to make money!

we're not ready yet for cloth diapers, but I do feel very guilty about using regular disposable ones, sending all this plastic to the landfill. In the last few months we’ve been trying the G Diaper. It is a very interesting concept, a mix of “green” disposable pad attached to cloth panties.

Basically the starter kit comes with a couple of cloth panties that can be alternated, disposing only the pads. Overall it is a good product, but unfortunately the design has yet to be improved. It leaks a lot, resulting in extra loads of laundry to wash sheets, PJs and pants, defeating the eco-friendly purpose!

Here is the link to gdiapers for more information, if you are interested.http://www.gdiapers.com/

For now, we use the product during the day, only when we know for sure that #2 is not happening within the next couple of hours!

Metro rail crash in D.C - 6 Killed

Reporting from Washington - A rush-hour collision between 2 crowded trains on Washington's subway system killed at least 6 people this evening and injured dozens, trapping commuters in a stack of twisted rail cars that rescuers were still searching hours later.

Witnesses say a train near the Ft. Totten station on the Metro's busy Red Line was rear-ended by another train, which climbed atop the stopped cars ahead of it, leaving a 2-level snarl of debris. The operator of the approaching train, whose name was not immediately released, was among the dead, authorities said.

Rescue workers propped up ladders to help survivors escape from the upper train cars. Seats from the smashed cars spilled out onto the track.

D.C. Fire Chief Dennis L. Rubin said rescuers treated 70 people at the scene in the first 2 hours, including the six who died.

"This is the deadliest incident in the history of Metro," said Washington City Councilman Jim Graham. He described the wreckage with a single word: "Horror."

The accident occurred on a curved section of track after a long straightaway, during clear weather, on the subway system's most heavily used line. It was about 5 p.m. local time, among the system's busiest hours.

Jervis Bryant, a Prince George's County teacher, said he heard the collision from a house 2 1/2 blocks away and got to the scene within 5 minutes.

"We saw the folks banging on the windows trying to get out," he said, referring to the second train. Rescuers pried the door open, he said, and people streamed out. "They just bum-rushed it."

Officials don't expect to know what caused the crash for several days. Metro chief John B. Catoe said the first train was stopped on the tracks, waiting for another train to clear the station ahead, when the 2nd train plowed into it from behind.

The only other fatal accident in the Metro's 33-year history was a 1982 derailment that killed 3. A 3rd collision in 2004 caused minor injuries.

Metro trains are generally operated by a computer system; operators can override the controls on orders from dispatchers.

"Our safety officials are investigating and will continue to investigate until we determine why this happened and what must be done to ensure it never happens again," Catoe said.

One Metro transit train smashed into the rear of another at the height of the capital city's Monday evening rush hour, killing at least six people and injuring scores of others. (June 22)

source: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/la-na-train-crash23-2009jun23,0,2457155.story

Summertime and Simple Pleasures at the Farmers' Market

Hope you cruelty-free dads had a Happy Father's Day. While I spent yesterday with, who else, dad, the prior Sunday morning, I stopped by Tenafly, NJ's Cafe Angelique.

On their outdoor patio, I enjoyed a vegan strawberry peach muffin and a soy cappuccino.

Afterwards, I hit the Tenafly Farmers' Market, which is open every Sunday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. from now until November 21st. NorthJersey.com visited the market as well, and Second Helpings provided this list of other northern New Jersey farmers' markets.

I spotted this organic produce vendor, along with an organic bread vendor.

I love the delightful marriage of strawberries and...

...rhubarb. Veganize strawberry rhubarb pie, or check out this recipe for rhubarb bread.

One vendor had samples of sugar snap peas. Sauteed in olive oil, with some fresh mint and a touch of salt. So simple, and so good!

In "A Pig in Provence," Georgeanne Brennan talks about the pleasure of eating radishes with butter and salt. I'll have to try this, but with Earth Balance.

While Brennan is far from being a vegetarian, I did appreciate the themes she talked about in the her book: seasonal eating, appreciation for food, and being connected to the land, people, and our past through food.

She writes that in Provence they "Prepare not just good food, but food that lives on in memory, refueling the spirit each time it is eaten. In listening to people recount their food memories around a table, I’ve seen their eyes glow and their body language soften with the telling of the taste, smell, and texture of a beloved dish, and heard the smack of lips in reply."

Americans seem to so often associate food with guilt. How many times have we heard someone say, "I shouldn't have eaten that" right after they've eaten?

While I haven't checked it out yet, Port Authority Bus Terminal commuters can now shop at a year-round greenmarket, open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m, for fruits, vegetables, and other goods from Katchkie Farms in Kinderhook, NY, and Prospect Hill Orchard in Milton, NY. Learn more. The Daily News gave a spy report of the greenmarket. Read it here.

Happy Summer.

Texas 12 years - old girl shot, killed by sister at home

GALVESTON, TX, June 21 (UPI) -- Authorities in Galveston, TX, say they are investigating the apparently accidental shooting death of a 12-year-old girl by her older sister.

The younger girl died after being airlifted to a hospital Sunday with a bullet wound to her upper torso, police told the Houston Chronicle.

Police Lt. D.J. Alvarez told the newspaper the victim and her sister, 16, were playing with a gun while home alone when the weapon went off.

No charges were immediately filed. Alvarez said police, prosecutors and Child Protective Services were still looking into the incident.

source: http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2009/06/21/Texas-girl-shot-killed-by-sister-at-home/UPI-44501245638671/

Good Things Come In Small Packages

Is sea bass one of those fish we're not supposed to eat? It’s confusing. And no wonder. First it was the “in” fish; then environmentalists got the word out about overfishing and sustainability. As a result, many chefs banned it from their menus. Now once again it's on menus everywhere AND in Gourmet magazine where I found this recipe so I'm guessing it’s OK to eat. Right?

I do love fish- any kind – cooked any old way, but I’m always on the lookout for unusual recipes. And I am not much for sauces, especially when I am watching calories. I want something simple, fast, lo-cal and delicious- yet something spectacular enough to serve to company. That’s the trick. Elegant enough for company without appearing like a skimpy diet dinner.

Well, here's a winner. Gourmet’s May 2009 issue has one of their “quick kitchen” recipes called Sake Sea Bass in Parchment. It looked like such a fun presentation and after reading the ingredients I didn’t see how it could go wrong. (Unless someone’s going to tell me I bought illegal fish from Whole Foods- which I greatly doubt.)

Since I found this recipe I've made it again and again. It's addictive. It’s perfect for dinner serving one or two as well as great fun for company. Just add a salad, a veggie and you’re done. Lovely.

Sake Sea Bass In Parchment

(Adapted from Gourmet Magazine, May 2009)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup sake

1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon grated peeled ginger

1 teaspoon sugar

6 (6 ounce) pieces skinless sea bass fillet (about 1 inch thick), any bones removed

1/2 cup sliced scallions

6 (12 to 15 inch) squares white parchment paper and kitchen string

Method:

Preheat oven to 400°. Put a baking sheet on the bottom rack.

Stir together the sake, soy sauce, ginger and sugar in a bowl.

(If fish fillets are more than 4 inches long, fold the ends under.)

Place a fish fillet in the center of each piece of a parchment square and season very lightly with salt. Working with one fillet at a time, sprinkle each portion of fish with scallions and then spoon some of the sake sauce over the top, holding two corners of the parchment paper to stop liquid from spilling out.

Gather the corners of each piece over the fish to form a pouch, leaving no openings and tie tightly with string.

Repeat with the other portions.

Place on the hot baking sheet and bake until fish is cooked through, about 10 to 12 minutes. Cut the string, open carefully and enjoy! Serves 6.

Clothing Swaps: "Green Before Green Was Popular"

Friday was payday in my office, which means the usual: even in a recession, many of my co-workers immediately think about all the things they are going to 'treat' themselves to at the mall. Even before the check arrived, it was already spent.

Meanwhile, on alleged eco-minded web sites, there doesn't seem to be any calls for living a more modest lifestyle and less consumption. Praises are sung for anything labeled 'vegan,' 'organic' or 'sustainable,' with little questioning of issues like air miles, labor practices, and the fact that their production is still taking a toll on the Earth. They seem determined to shop their way to a better planet.

Frankly, I think the vegan wool is being pulled over our eyes.

While shopping at a garage sale or thrift store or participating in a clothing swap doesn't have slick marketing lingo to it, it really is the best option whenever possible for the animals, the planet, and our wallets. Why buy new, when there are already so many already-produced items on the market?

With that, I share with you this inspiring piece on NBC News about the growing popularity of clothing swaps. While the focus was mainly on people being economically resourceful, this is also environmentally resourceful.

"It's green before green was popular," one clothing swap organizer wisely observed.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Organize a swap of your own. It's easy. Flashback to the swap I helped organize at work. My friends and co-workers are looking forward to putting together our next swap in July, and hope to give a new life to unwanted clothes, accessories (bags, sunglasses, jewelry, etc.) and beauty products. Best yet, no credit card bill will arrive for our finds.

A Visit to Zen Palate

On a drizzly, cool night, which felt more like October than June, I stopped by New York City's Zen Palate in the Theatre District. They have two dining options: a more upscale dining room in the back, with its own menu, or sit up front in their more low-key, modest dining room and order off of their cafe menu. I chose the latter, and am happy I did. There's only a handful of tables for two, or you can eat at the counter. Dine outside when (or should I say if) we ever see the sun again.

If I had a tail, it would wag when I hear the word "crepes." So I had to order the Rose Petals (soy crepes with wolfberry seeds and veggies in a sweet rice ginger sauce) with two spring rolls and brown and red rice, $10.50. Very tasty, although I didn't notice much of ginger flavor.

I sampled a bite of the Tex-Mex Moo Shu (kidney beans, barley and soy protein in spinach tortilla) served with guacamole, carrot peanut cole slaw, spring rolls and a salad, $10.50. Descent, nothing to write home about. I think I preferred my vegetarian chili served over brown rice (both organic and from Trader Joe's) which I paired with an organic avocado for that day's lunch.

Banana Bliss pie for dessert, $5.25. Not 'bliss', but a comforting vegan version of banana pudding pie. Make your own at home.


This vegetarian eatery does have some eggs and dairy on the menu, but items are clearly marked if contain them.

Service was prompt and friendly, and prices are reasonable. Glad I tried it once, but not dreaming of my next visit there, so it's on to other culinary adventures for me.

Visit Zen Palate, 663 Ninth Ave. (at 46th St), or check out their Financial District location at 104 John Street.

Autopsies Suggest Air France Flight Broke up in Sky

Autopsies have revealed fractures in the legs, hips and arms of Air France Jet 447 victims, injuries that — along with the large pieces of wreckage pulled from the Atlantic Ocean — strongly suggest the plane broke up in the air, experts say.

With more than 400 pieces of debris recovered from the ocean's surface, the top French investigator expressed optimism about eventually discovering what brought down the plane. But he also called the search conditions — far from land in very deep water — "one of the worst situations ever known in an accident investigation."



French investigators are beginning to form "an image that is progressively less fuzzy," Paul-Louis Arslanian, who runs the French air accident investigation agency BEA, told a news conference Wednesday outside Paris.

"We are in a situation that is a bit more favorable than the 1st days," Arslanian said. "We can say there is a little less uncertainty, so there is a little more optimism. ... (but) it is premature for the time being to say what happened."

A spokesman for Brazilian medical examiners told The Associated Press on Wednesday that fractures were found in autopsies on an undisclosed number of the 50 bodies recovered so far. The official spoke on condition he not be named due to department rules.

"Typically, if you see intact bodies and multiple fractures — arm, leg, hip fractures — it is a good indicator of a midflight break up," said Frank Ciacco, a former forensic expert at the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board. "Especially if you are seeing large pieces of aircraft as well."



The pattern of fractures was first reported Wednesday by Brazil's O Estado de S. Paulo newspaper, which cited unnamed investigators. The paper also reported that some victims were found with little or no clothing, and had no signs of burns.

"In an in-air break up like we are supposing here, the clothes are just torn away," said Jack Casey, an aviation safety consultant in Washington, D.C. and a former accident investigator.

Casey also said multiple fractures are consistent with a midair breakup of the plane, which was cruising at about 34,500 feet (10,500 meters) when it went down.

"Getting ejected into that kind of windstream is like hitting a brick wall — even if they stay in their seats, it's a crushing effect," Casey said.

When a jet crashes into water mostly intact — such as the Egypt Air plane that hit the Atlantic Ocean after taking off from New York in 1999 — debris and bodies are generally broken into small pieces, Ciacco said.

Lack of burn evidence would not necessarily rule out an explosion, said John Goglia, a former member of the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board.

Searchers from Brazil, France, the United States and other countries are methodically scanning the surface and depths of the Atlantic for signs of the Airbus A330 that crashed May 31 after running into thunderstorms en route from Rio de Janeiro to Paris. All 228 people aboard were killed.

Brazilian Air Force Col. Henry Munhoz told reporters Wednesday that several more body parts, as well as pieces of the plane and luggage, were found in the search area by the French amphibian ship Mistral.

Still missing are the plane's flight data and voice recorders, thought to be deep under water.

French-chartered ships are trolling a search area with a radius of 50 miles (80 kilometers), pulling U.S. Navy underwater listening devices attached to 19,700 feet (6,000 meters) of cable. The black boxes send out an electronic tapping sound that can be heard up to 1.25 miles (2 kilometers) away.

U.S. Air Force Col. Willie Berges, commander of the American military forces supporting the search, said the black boxes emit beacons at a unique frequency, virtually guaranteeing that any signal detected would be from the pingers.

"The question becomes if the black box is with the pinger, because they can get separated," Berges said.

Without the black boxes to help explain what went wrong, the investigation has focused on a flurry of automated messages sent by the plane minutes before it lost contact; one suggests external speed sensors had iced over, destabilizing the plane's control systems.



Arslanian said most of the messages appear to be "linked to this loss of validity of speed information." He said when the speed information became "incoherent" it affected other systems on the plane.

The automated messages were not alarm calls and no distress call was picked up from the plane, he said.

Air France has replaced the sensors, called Pitot tubes, on all its A330 and A340 aircraft, under pressure from pilots who feared a link to the accident.

source: http://abcnews.go.com/Travel/wireStory?id=7868587

Cupcakefest: Music, Doggies and Free Cupcakes!

A little rain didn't deter animal lovers from enjoying the festivities at Sweet Avenue Bake Shop's Cupcakefest 2009 in Rutherford, NJ.

Why? To benefit four-legged friends like Chico.

Chico is up for adoption from the Liberty Humane Society, who was collecting monetary donations and supplies. I brought along some cat litter from Trader Joe's. Did you know June is Adopt-a-Shelter Cat Month?

Free mini-cupcakes!!! I only ate one of these. Okay, two.

Flavors very daily at the vegan cupcakery's shop. I was there on Saturday. In order of deliciousness: Little Cutie, Strawberry Fields, and Carrot Cake, all $3.

26 killed by fresh fighting in Mogadishu

MOGADISHU - AT LEAST 26 people have been killed by fresh fighting in Mogadishu, half of them when a mortar shell hit a mosque as worshippers left after evening prayers.

Mogadishu's top police commander and 5 children were among 13 people killed earlier. The mosque carnage then made Wednesday one of the worst days in weeks of clashes between the Somali government and Islamist insurgents.

'It was the most terrible incident I have ever witnessed, 13 people have died,' witness Dadir Ali Jes said after the explosion at the mosque. Government security officer Adan Weheliye described it as a 'tragedy'.

The 5 children killed earlier were also killed by a single mortar shell. The death toll in Mogadishu has climbed well above the 250 mark in just over a month.

Colonel Ali Said Hassan, Mogadishu's police chief, was killed during the fierce fighting that broke out early in the day when government fighters attacked rebel strongholds in the capital's southern Hodan district. Col Hassan, one of Somalia's most respected police officers, was hit by sniper fire from the rooftop of a nearby building, witnesses said.

'The commander of Mogadishu police died in the line of duty,' said a senior police official, who asked not to be named. 'He was a brave officer who has expended tremendous effort to bring peace. He was killed by terrorists.'

The pre-dawn combat erupted when government forces attacked positions controlled by Islamist insurgents. Shelling continued into the evening as rebel-held areas of the capital were heavily pounded, an AFP reporter said.

Other police sources said 3 other members of the force had been killed in the fighting. Witnesses said 9 civilians, 5 of them children, had died from mortar fire in a nearby neighbourhood.

An AFP reporter saw the bodies of the children - aged between 9 and 14 years - lying in pools of blood under a balcony where they had sought shelter from the shelling.

'The 5 children were trying to hide when a mortar shell landed at the same place they were hiding, unfortunately they all died on the spot,' said Habibo Adan, a resident very close to the area.

An ambulance driver said at least 50 people had also been wounded in the renewed violence. 'They include children and women and some of them have serious injuries,' said the driver, Sheikh Mohammed Ali.

source: http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/World/Story/STIStory_391938.html

Adobe second-quarter profit, sales drop

Adobe Systems Inc. (ADBE-Q28.17-0.65-2.26%) , the company whose software powers Flash animation and PDF documents, posted a sharp drop in its fiscal 2nd-quarter profit and sales Tuesday amid weaker demand in the economic downturn.

But the quarter's revenue inched past Wall Street's expectations, and adjusted earnings met those estimates as well as the company's own guidance.

For the 3 months ended May 29, Adobe earned $126.1-million (U.S.), or 24 cents per share, a 41 per cent decrease from $214.9-million, or 40 cents per share, a year earlier.

Excluding special items, the San Jose, Calif.-based company earned 35 cents per share, matching analysts' forecasts.

Revenue dropped 21 per cent to $704.7-million. That's slightly above the $694.8-million that analysts polled by Thomson Reuters had predicted.

Adobe's chief executive officer Shantanu Narayen said in a statement the company was “pleased with the solid profit margin and earnings results” the company delivered amid the global recession.

For the current quarter, Adobe forecast a profit of 20 cents to 27 cents per share. Excluding items, it's expecting 30 cents to 37 cents per share, which compares with analysts' estimates of 33 cents per share.

Adobe expects revenue of $665-million to $715-million, bracketing analysts' estimates of $676-million.

The company, which said in December it is cutting 600 jobs, or 8 per cent of its work force, reported a 13 per cent decline in operating expenses for the quarter, to $471.3-million.

Chief financial officer Mark Garrett said Adobe is continuing to invest in the areas of its business that will drive growth once the economy recovers. These include its core Acrobat and Creative Suite products, which bring in the bulk of Adobe's revenue, as well as products like LiveCycle, which is aimed at large businesses.

Acrobat is the set of software that creates and reads the ubiquitous PDF electronic documents. Creative Suite is a software package aimed at professional designers and Web developers. It includes Photoshop, Flash and Web design software Dreamweaver, among other applications.

Earlier this week, Adobe introduced an enhanced subscription service for its previously free Acrobat.com Web site, a step toward offering its software as services rather than just packaged products. The Acrobat subscription services target professionals and small businesses who want to work together online.

Adobe's shares slid 77 cents, or 2.7 per cent, to $27.40 in after-hours trading. Before the results were announced, the stock closed down 65 cents, or 2.3 per cent, at $28.17.

source: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-investor/adobe-profit-sales-drop/article1184524/

Fun With Granita

Most of us like to end a meal with something sweet. A cake. A tart. Pudding. Ice Cream. But for those of you who are willing to wander into the icy terrain of granitas, you're gonna love this post.

Here's why: you just can’t beat it for a summer treat. It’s Italian. It’s gorgeous. It can be sweet. It can be savory. It can be peppery hot, tart or just about anything in between. Use any fruit as a base – add some sugar and wine or liqueur for flavoring; how about cranberry with vodka? Lemon infused with rosemary? Spoon berry granita into melon halves. Chocolate granita served with cookies. Serve it in your prettiest glasses- martini, margarita, even glass coffee cups, if you have some.

And you can’t beat a savory granita. How about: a spoonful of wasabi granita on top of fresh oysters…. cucumber granita dropped into gazpacho…shrimp cocktail sauce granita served with shrimp. Always so simple to make, anyone can do it- it’s the flavors you decide to combine that make your granita individual.

Here are the basic instructions. They are the same for sweet or savory:

Pour your mixture into a 13"x 9" metal baking pan. Cover with cling wrap and place in a freezer. Freeze until icy around sides, but not solid (about half an hour). Using a fork, stir icy portions into middle of pan. Return to the freezer. Repeat this step, stirring edges into center every 20 to 30 minutes, for about 1 1/2 hours. Using a fork, scrape granita into serving glasses or bowls. Use your choice of garnishes.

Some of my sweet granita favorites:

Coffee Granita: (If you have house guests, leave out the cognac and serve this for a breakfast first course with a spoonful of whipped cream.)

Ingredients: 2 cups warm espresso; ½ cup sugar; 2 tablespoons cognac; 1 teaspoon lemon zest.

Method: Dissolve the sugar in the warm espresso, add remaining ingredients and freeze according to basic instructions. Garnish with a mint leaf and some shaved chocolate.

Chocolate Granita: (For the chocoholic)

Ingredients: 4 cups water, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, 2/3 cup sugar, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I use MarieBelle) . Optional: 1 tablespoon amaretto, kahlua or cointreau.

Method: In this recipe, heat the water and stir in the other ingredients until dissolved. Cool first and then freeze using the basic instructions. I like a bit of whipped cream on top of this one.

Blood Orange Granita: (The color divine, the taste ambrosial.)

Ingredients: 3 cups blood orange juice; 1 cup water; 1 cup sugar

Method: Heat the water and dissolve the sugar. Add the blood orange juice, bring to room temperature and freeze according to basic instructions.

Pineapple/Buttermilk Granita: (An unusual but delicious change of pace.)

Ingredients: 2/3 cup sugar; 2 cups buttermilk; 3 tablespoons minced fresh mint; one 8 ounce can crushed pineapple, with juice.

Method: Add sugar to the buttermilk and stir until dissolved. Stir in the mint and pineapple and freeze according to basic instructions. Garnish with a mint sprig.

Savory Tomato Granita: (An ultra chic first course for any summer meal)

Ingredients: 2 pounds ripe tomatoes; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 tablespoon sugar; 1 garlic clove, finely chopped; 1 teaspoon black pepper; 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar; 3 or 4 basil leaves, chopped.

Method: Chop the tomatoes and place in a bowl with all the other ingredients except the basil. Let macerate all day or overnight. Blitz in a blender in batches and then strain through a fine sieve. Add the chopped basil leaves and freeze according to the basic instructions.

NASA launch two spacecraft to the Moon

NASA will launch 2 spacecraft to the Moon on Wednesday. One of them, the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO), will carry the Russian-made Lunar Exploration Neutron Detector (LEND). After making the 4-day trip, it will orbit the Earth's satellite at low altitude for about a year, making analyses to determine the presence of water. Then it'll enter into a higher, more stable orbit, where it'll remain for several more years.

The craft will be equipped with a total of six instruments and will also measure the solar and cosmic radiation that humans working on the Moon in the future will be exposed to. It'll be launched by the same rocket as LCROSS, or the Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Spacecraft, from Cape Canaveral. LCROSS will fire a probe into the Moon at a point near its pole that never receives sunlight and analyze the resulting plume of debris. Then LCROSS itself will crash into the Moon, producing debris for analysis by LRO.

LEND works on the same principle as HEND (High Energy Neutron Detector), the Russian instrument that found ice on Mars. Neutrons are released at different rates from ice and dry surfaces, and those rates are measured by the instrument. LEND is a joint project of 6 Russian institutes, NASA and three American universities. It was delivered to NASA by the Russian Academy of Sciences' Institute of Space Research.

The Atlas V rocket carrying the lunar craft is competing with the Endeavor space shuttle for launch time. The shuttle is currently grounded by a leak. It must take off by Saturday to deliver a part of the Japanese Kibo lab into orbit, or else wait for several months for the right conditions to occur again. Therefore, the Atlas V launch may be delayed, if repairs to the Endeavor are completed quickly.

The US has announced plans to send more men to the Moon by 2020. China has set the same year as a target for it to place astronauts on the Moon as well. Water on the Moon would make human habitation there logistically much easier.

source: http://www.mosnews.com/world/2009/06/15/moonwater/

Veg Dining in Woodstock and Phoenicia

After two hours on the road, sitting outside at Brios in Phoenicia was so relaxing. There are only a few options in town for dining. There was Mexican cuisine on the opposite side of the restaurant, also with outdoor seating.

A side salad, $2.50. Isn't it amazing how small salads are more than enough for two?

A personal size vegetarian pizza (hold the cheese), $7.99, paired with a lemonade.

There's only one vegetarian game in town in Woodstock: the Garden Cafe. A pleasant outdoor seating area is open after 11:30.

Breakfast enchilada (tofu scramble, refried beans, soy cheddar and salsa in a whole wheat tortilla), $8.50. One of my favorite cuisines, Mexican, combined with the most important meal of the day? Love it! Guacamole for breakfast just seems so...so...forbidden.

Cinnamon French toast with a warm strawberry peach compote, $6. Order this! I had it with an iced coffee and...

...a side of vegan sausage patties, $4. While I was there, a couple sat down, but walked out after the waitress explained what vegan was. Sad. And boy did they miss out!

I pass by hot dogs stands in New York City regularly, but I can never indulge since there are no humane options. At the Woodstock fleamarket, I could!

A veggie hot dog with mustard, ketchup and relish, $2.50.

Back to the Garden Cafe for dinner. I so wanted to sit outside, but it started to rain. Inside...an asparagus and cashew tart, $8, to start. This was by far the best of the four courses. This could even be a great entree if they made it bigger and paired it with a simple green salad.

Tuscan arugula and white bean salad, with roasted garlic dressing and croutons, $9. Good, easy to recreate at home for much cheaper.

Pan fried rice and vegetables with leek sauce, walnut mushroom gratin with horseradish sauce, tempeh with caramelized onions and sautéed greens, $20. The rice was the best, but overall, eh. I wouldn't order this again.

I shared the prior three dishes, and barely had room for dessert, but couldn't resist. Strawberry shortcake, $7. This was definitely a "splurge" dinner. But how often am I in Woodstock?

Back in Phoenicia, Sweet Sue's had quite a few tofu dishes on their lunch menu. For breakfast, options are simple: toast with jam, home fries, fruit cup, and granola with fruit (just request soy milk instead of yogurt). They also have vegetarian bacon and sausage on the menu, which the waitress (who happened to be vegetarian) said was vegan, but I googled the brand, Worthington, and it looks like it does have animal by-products. Still a small sign of some progress that vegetarian bacon is on the menu at all, and I always make sure the servers know how great it would be to have more vegan options.