7 Ways to Sneak in Family Fitness

We’ve all heard about the alarming rise in obesity in this country, but more widespread is the epidemic of couch-potatoitis that affects even those who aren’t overweight. Americans have become increasingly sedentary, spending their free time on things that involve no physical activity: video games, movies and TV, the Internet.

The Centers of Disease Control and Prevention recommends 30 minutes of moderate activity a day for adults and 60 for kids. But you don’t have to put your family members on a strict fitness regimen to boost their exercise quotient. Here are seven fun ways to get everyone up and moving.

Step it up.
Start a campaign to see which family member can take the most steps per day. The recommended number for adults is 10,000, but kids should do twice that amount. Buy everyone a pedometer (you can get them for under $10) and a small notepad to record where they walk and how many steps it took. Compare notes at dinner. You can hold contests or make a guessing game out of it: How many steps does it take to get from the kitchen to the laundry room and back?
Play games.
The next time you have a family game night, leave Monopoly on the shelf and grab Twister instead. Games don’t have to be sit-down affairs. Go for a round of Wii boxing or play a machine-dance game.
Be a citizen scientist.
Ever go out and record the colors of courting pigeons in your area? Or count the number of squirrels in your neighborhood? Through citizen science programs, your family members can become untrained “researchers” for a number of ongoing science studies, many of which involve outdoor activity. Visit the Science for Citizens website to see which programs are looking for volunteers.
Do the moonwalk.
Strolling around the neighborhood during the day is nothing special. Do it at night, and it’s an adventure. After dinner, grab a flashlight and hit the pavement for 30 minutes of walking, talking and stargazing. Be sure to return at least an hour before bedtime or nobody will be able to fall asleep!
Get handy.
Find a big project that everyone can participate in. Build a tree house, cut and haul firewood, paint a room, restore a piece of furniture. All that activity -- sawing, hammering, scraping, sanding -- is good exercise. Just don’t call it work.
Play tourist.
See your hometown or nearby city like a visitor would: Take a guided walking tour, visit the zoo, play in the park or go on a hike. Being a tourist always involves walking and physical activity, but it doesn’t have to include travel.

Read More

Brain health tip - eat protein for your brain

Brain health is more important than ever these days, especially with the increase in dementia, Alzheimer's Disease and autism.

Every Sunday and Wednesday this month, KHQA will bring you tips on keeping your brain in tip top shape.

This KHQA Safe Family Health tip comes from Dr. Daniel Amen, a psychiatrist and best-selling author of several books on brain health.

He says eating protein is critical for optimal brain health. And a lack of adequate protein can lead to problems with your mood, energy and metabolism.

Dr. Amen says it's important to eat protein at breakfast, because it increases attention and focus, which you need for work and school.

Read More

Da Loser

At one time Club Dancer was doing pretty good, not now. Of course I haven't had too much time for it and then we get plenty of routine flyers but no real information directly for the reader/dancers of this blog.

"What can we take on trust in this uncertain life? Happiness,

greatness, pride - nothing is secure, nothing keeps."

There are plenty of readers with cameras but they just will not share with the rest of the readers. They should do as they please. But there are some that are willing but something is holding them back. Ideal photos are still six to eight, meaning a crowd of good people, Social.

Then there is the information gambit. The view from your corner of the dance floor is different than the viewpoint from my corner of the dance floor. That is referred to as "viewpoint. Nothing difficult about that. All the blogs need Social Media and Viewpoint is one of the key factors.

"Tequila" By Francisco Montaro Ensemble

We just have to keep looking for the right people, man or woman, same principles apply, for dancing and the promotion of dancing among all of us. People that are interested in running the social dancers up, not down. And we just eliminate the rootzi tootzis.

Meanwhile, Platinum Horseshoe and Moanalua Corridor are going on ahead, with the right people and the good photos. Town Dancer remains outta sight. So that leaves the newcommers, Beyond Oahu and Baile Mestizo to worry about and build them up.

"I Only Have Eyes For You" By the Flamingos

Daze of Whine and Noises

Don’t fall for that simplistic “spice of life” stuff, what we want is the whole spice rack of life — People are more important than things — If you don’t do anything in life, Love someone and let someone love you — Forgive yourself, your friends and your enemies. You’re all human — To err is human but at least make new mistakes — It’s amazing how many people your age are older than you — Live by what you trust, not by what you fear — Gossip, the knife of the party  — Artificial Intelligence would be a big improvement for some people.

A Lovely Potato and Asparagus Tart

Recently, uber-talented blog friend Cristina from Cristina From Buenos Aires to Paris posted an Asparagus and Orange Cream Tart. It looked like it would be light and delicious with an unusual combination of an orange-flavored cream and asparagus....very appealing. I was going to make it this weekend with the lovely asparagus in the market right now. And then I got sidetracked with another tart I watched Jamie Oliver make the other day. It had me salivating. Now to the eye, one would think the two tarts were identical. But Cristina used puff pastry and the orange creme is light in texture and contained crème fraiche.  Jamie's was crispy phyllo dough and plain old mashed potatoes, so comforting.....and perhaps appealing more to men?  You have to admit, there is just something about this combo: potatoes mashed with whipping cream, eggs and cheese....phyllo pastry....and fresh asparagus. What's not to like? I mean really. 

So I made it yesterday. What a perfect side for grilled meats or fish. Actually, I ate it for dinner, forget the protein. I hope you've worked with phyllo. If not, there are quite a few videos online that explain everything. It's really quite simple. And the soft filling of this tart balances so well with the crispiness of the phyllo.

The only changes I would make to this recipe would be to use a bit more asparagus on top AND perhaps add some sautéed scallions to the  mashed potatoes.

But I promise, Cristina, I will be making your lovely tart next weekend!  :) It will be absolutely perfect for some ladies I have coming for lunch.

Potato and Asparagus Tart
Recipe from Jamie at Home HERE.

Ingredients:
1 pound potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
Sea salt 
1 pound asparagus spears, woody ends removed, blanched
8 ounces phyllo pastry 
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup freshly grated Lancashire cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated Cheddar
3 large organic or free-range eggs 
1 cup (8-ounces) heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon grated fresh nutmeg
Freshly ground black pepper

Method:
Put your potatoes into a pan of salted boiling water and cook for 15 minutes. Meanwhile blanch your asparagus in a separate pan of salted boiling water for 4 minutes, and drain in a colander. 
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. 

Get an ovenproof dish - I used a rectangular tart pan with a removable bottom. Layer the sheets of filo pastry in the dish, brushing them with melted butter as you go and letting about 1-inch hang over the edge. You want to get the pastry about 5 layers thick. Put a clean, damp kitchen towel over the top and put aside.

When the potatoes are done, mash them with the cheeses. In a separate bowl, mix together the eggs and cream and stir into your cheesy mashed potato. Grate in the nutmeg, season well with pepper and mix together. Spread the mashed potato (it will be looser than you expect) over the phyllo pastry, then bring up the sides of the phyllo and scrunch them together to form a rim. Take your blanched asparagus and line them up across the filling, making sure you cover it all. Brush all over with the remaining melted butter and pop into the preheated oven for around 20 minutes, or until golden and crisp. Allow to rest for 10 minutes. Serve just as you would a quiche for a quick lunch or supper, with a salad.

Pepsi Plans Additional Price Increases

PepsiCo Inc. said it plans more price increases on its products this summer, but not enough to offset rising commodity costs amid a still-fragile consumer recovery.

The renewed price push comes after PepsiCo reported North American sales volume of its snacks and beverages rose 2% in the first quarter from a year earlier, despite a continued downturn at its smaller Quaker foods unit.

"We're trying to thread the needle and see how much pricing we can take,'' Indra Nooyi, chairman and chief executive, told analysts in a conference call Thursday.

PepsiCo said its "price mix" for North American beverages rose about two percentage points in the first three months of 2011 – about half from higher sticker prices and the rest from a shifting mix of products, package sizes and retail channels.

But management acknowledged it won't be able to fully pass higher input costs such as plastic for bottles or corn for chips through to consumers in the U.S. and elsewhere. It estimates the company's global commodity costs will increase by $1.4 billion to $1.6 billion this year – or as much as 9% of its annual $18 billion commodity cost base.

Read More

Keep active to keep your mind healthy

Did you know that at least one in five adults in Northern Ireland may suffer from some form of mental health disorder in any year, and that one in four people in Northern Ireland are likely to experience depression?

These statistics prompted Sport Northern Ireland to launch Active People: Healthy Minds, a factsheet endorsed by the Public Health Agency (PHA), designed to promote the mental health benefits of being active.

Being physically active is a key element of living a longer, healthier and happier life. Staying active can help you keep your body and mind healthy and provide you with valuable opportunities for socialising with friends and meeting new people.

While regular participation in sport and physical activity help reduce your risk of physical diseases such as obesity, coronary heart disease and stroke, being active can also promote good mental health by:
• Improving your mood
• Enhancing your sense of well-being
• Reducing anxiety
• Combating negative emotions
• Improving self-esteem, body image and confidence and
• Protecting against depression

Sport Northern Ireland’s lottery funded initiative ‘Active Communities’ is designed to give people sporting and physical activity opportunities, with over 100 coaches and leaders working in communities, across a wide range of activities.

Read More

Nail health tips and treatments

Most of us are very perceptive when it comes to analyzing our faces, necks and hair. Those are the features that are most obvious as we primp and prod ourselves each morning before work, and as we cleanse, exfoliate and moisturize each night before bed. We know that if our skin is dry it means that we should look into eliminating products that contain sodium lauryl sulfate from our routine. We know that if our hair is brittle and thinning we may want to investigate a serum with lots of anecdotal evidence to back it, like Junko’s DIY hair oil. But do we really ever take a look at something as inconspicuous and disregarded as our nails? Sure, we might take the time to polish them, but the health of our nails remains elusive. And even if we do notice a ridge here or some yellowing there, we often don’t know what caused it or how to fix it.

Yellowing:
Yellow nails can be caused by something as simple as wearing dark nail polish too often. The polish may actually stain the nail because of a reaction between the colorant and the nail itself. Sometimes, formaldehyde in nail polish may be the cause of yellow nails. Obvious solutions would include giving your nails a break from polish and sticking with formaldehyde-free brands. While there are nail whiteners on the market, a DIY concoction may also do the trick; try mixing hydrogen peroxide with baking soda, then allowing it to sit on nails for 4 minutes. Interestingly, psoriasis can cause yellow nails, so if you know that you have the condition skip the DIY stuff and head over to a dermatologist for treatment. Same goes for thickened yellow nails, which could indicate a fungus.

White spots:
Formally known as leukonychia, those little white discolorations that you see from time to time on your nails are usually caused by trauma to the nail (like slamming your finger in a door, for example). But if you’re positive that you haven’t injured your nails and you see the spots reoccurring often enough, then a zinc deficiency may be to blame. Supplements will more than likely solve the problem. Another cause of the white markings could be eczema. If they bother you, definitely make an appointment with your dermatologist to discuss possible treatments.

Brittleness and peeling:
Nails are composed of layers of keratin. If you’re hands are always in hot water thanks to a plethora of dirty dishes or if you live in a very cold, dry climate, your nails may begin to peel. Something as simple as keeping your nails polished, even with just a clear coat, can keep them protected. To prevent peeling in the first place, wear gloves when possible and try applying a moisturizing hand serum each day (maybe something like Pharmacopia Hand Cream). Another cause of peeling can be a lack of linoleic acid, which can be found in plant and fish oils (consumed internally) or in a topical cream like Reviva. A simple trick for reviving brittle nails is taking a biotin supplement, which has been shown to strengthen nails and increase their plate thickness.

Read More

5 Healthy Breakfast Choices

Kick-starting your morning with a healthy breakfast is imperative — it is, after all, the most important meal of the day. Does breakfast in less than 10 minutes sound familiar?

It’s far too easy to grab something on your way to work. I'm guessing this will usually be a bagel, croissant or other pastry, as that’s what I’m often tempted to pick up when I’m running late. But eating a healthy breakfast is essential for maintaining energy and attention levels, as well as for helping you avoid snacking, but there are variations you should focus on, depending on diet, fitness regime and your ultimate goals.

We’ve chosen some of the most common athletic challenges and checked out what healthy breakfast choices are at your disposal when training.

1. The muscle-builder's breakfast
OK, so you can go the protein shake route, but really? They’re unpleasant and, unless you’re a complete muscle nut, no fun. You want to be enjoying your breakfast as well as building those biceps. Picking the right breakfast will not only help with muscle building but will also fill you with energy for the day ahead — a perfect pick-me-up. We’re looking to kick-start your metabolism and get your body into an anabolic state by going for high protein, along with some complex carbs and healthy fats. An egg-white omelet with shredded chicken is a winner.

Add some finely sliced chili to get the blood flowing and then serve with some avocado diced on top for a healthy fat. With a squeeze of lime (top off with cilantro if you have some), you have mastered the healthy breakfast choice.

Read more:

Arthur Murray Kids Classes

Kid's Ballroom Dance Classes! Every Friday Evening Beginning May 5th!  
Ages 5-9 at 6pm Ages 10-14 at 6:45 pm
REGISTRATION STARTS NOW! 808.944.0606

Your child will have lots of fun, while learning the discipline needed for Ballroom Dancing. Young boys will learn to be Gentlemen and young girls will learn to be lovely Ladies. They will be covering a wide range of dances, from the Sophisticated Waltz, to the Spicy Salsa, and of course everything in between.

"Music, Music, Music" By Theresa Brewer

The classes are 40 minutes long and only $10 a class if you buy a package of 10 or more. The classes never expire so you will not lose anything that you've paid for. They also have a drop in rate of $12 per class. Private Lessons also available.
 
Call today, and your child could be dancing tonight! 808-944-0606

Arthur Murray Dance Centre | 1860 Ala Moana Blvd,
Suite 407 | Honolulu, Hawaii 96815 |

*Parking just $3 with validation!  They have limited spaces available so we encourage calling ASAP to enroll!

Music: A road to a world with no borders, no boundaries, no flags,

no countries. Where the heart is the only passport you need.

~Carlos Santana

Brushing Tips

The modified Bass technique (below) is among the most popular for adults. Parents should supervise their children's brushing until age 9 or 10. Here are a few general pointers about brushing.

Brush at least twice a day.
One of those times should be just before you go to bed. When you sleep, your mouth gets drier. This makes it easier for acids from bacteria to attack your teeth. Also try to brush in the morning, either before or after breakfast. After breakfast is better. That way, bits of food are removed. But if you eat in your car or at work, or skip breakfast, brush first thing in the morning. This will get rid of the plaque that built up overnight.


Brush no more than three times a day.
Brushing after lunch will give you a good midday cleaning. But brushing too often can damage your gums.


Brush lightly. Brushing too hard can damage your gums. It can cause them to recede (move away from the teeth). Plaque attaches to teeth like jam sticks to a spoon. It can't be totally removed by rinsing, but a light brushing will do the trick. Once plaque has hardened into calculus (tartar), brushing can't remove it. If you think you might brush too hard, hold your toothbrush the same way you hold a pen. This encourages a lighter stroke.


Brush for at least two minutes.
Set a timer if you have to, but don't skimp on brushing time. Two minutes is the minimum time you need to clean all of your teeth. Many people brush for the length of a song on the radio. That acts as a good reminder to brush each tooth thoroughly.


Have a standard routine for brushing.
Try to brush your teeth in the same order every day. This can help you cover every area of your mouth. If you do this routinely, it will become second nature. For example, you can brush the outer sides of your teeth from left to right across the top, then move to the inside and brush right to left. Then brush your chewing surfaces, too, from left to right. Repeat the pattern for your lower teeth.

Read More

Toothless chemical law is toxic to the public's health

The American Academy of Pediatrics' recent statement urging the federal government to do more to protect pregnant women and children from toxic chemicals is getting lots of attention in the media. The more meaningful question is whether the safety push will get the attention it deserves from Uncle Sam.

The pediatric group's request is hardly outrageous. It asks that Congress make the archaic Toxic Substances Control Act live up to its original mission and protect Americans from potentially poisonous substances in our products.

As it stands now, the act is a joke. It hasn't been revised in any meaningful way since first passing congressional muster in 1976. Since then, tens of thousands of chemicals have been introduced into the environment through new products, and we know little to nothing about whether they are making us sick.

Read More
The act is our best chance of finding out, and making the manufacturing industry accountable, but that would require adding some teeth to a law this is mostly gums.

Out of about 80,000 chemicals being used by a host of manufacturers, the law has led to regulation on just five chemicals or chemical classes during the past 35 years. Some argue that the Toxic Substances Control Act is such a weakling that it couldn't even be used to ban cancer-causing asbestos.

Under the act, manufacturers are not required to test whether chemicals are safe before putting them in the products we use. That's a scary proposition given the increasing number of studies raising concerns about the behavioral, developmental and other health risks that may be associated with some chemicals, such as the ubiquitous bisphenol-A, or BPA, and phthalates found in many plastics.

The federal government isn't ignorant of these concerns. In January 2010, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that, because of the potential human health impacts of BPA, it would study ways to reduce exposure to the compound in food packaging. Two months later, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency added BPA to its list of "chemicals of concern" and announced a "BPA action plan" that included requiring manufacturers to provide test data to help determine the potential impacts of BPA.

HIV may be risk factor in heart failure

"Heavy alcohol consumption, which is more prevalent among HIV-infected people, is also an established risk factor for heart failure," the study authors write.

Adeel A. Butt from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and colleagues analyzed data from HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected veterans enrolled in the Veterans Aging Cohort Study Virtual Cohort, the journal Archives of Internal Medicine reports.

The objective was to determine whether HIV infection was independently associated with an increase risk of heart failure (HF), according to a Pittsburgh statement.

A total of 8,486 patients were included in the analysis, of whom 2,391 were HIV- infected and 6,095 were HIV-uninfected. During the median (midpoint) 7.3 years of follow-up, there were 286 new heart failure events and 1,096 deaths.

"Participants with HIV infection were more likely to have Hepatitis C virus co-infection and cocaine abuse or dependence and higher reported rate of current smoking, but were less likely to have hypertension or diabetes," the authors report.

Read More

Simple Ways to Keep Your Brain Sharp, Healthy

From a glance at the magazine stands, Americans appear obsessed with losing weight, cutting their cardiac risks and seeking to improve their odds against cancer. But where’s the focus on brain health?

The brain always has been mysterious and many people seem to believe little can be done to keep it sharp or to reduce its risk of injury and disease. Too many of us think it’s a matter of our genes or happenstance as to what occurs with memory loss, brain tumors, strokes and other disorders of the brain.

This may be true to some extent but the same might also be said of heart ills and many cancers. And while there may be familial predispositions, this doesn’t diminish the need to take steps to improve health and reduce risk.

Keith L. Black, M.D., chairman of the Department of Neurosurgery at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and director of the Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Institute, says Americans can do more to keep their minds sharp and brains healthy even as they age. His suggestions include: the simple and obvious (wear a helmet for sports); the simple and less obvious (eat certain foods to properly fuel the brain); and the simple and more obscure (could your cell phone use affect your risk of brain tumor?).

The theme is “simple” – these are changes most people can work into their everyday lives. Examples include:

Find a puzzle and solve it. The brain appears to respond to “exercise” – challenges that help keep it nimble. Whether games and puzzles help delay onset of dementia is the subject of debate and research. But people who keep busy with activities they enjoy – knitting, learning languages, reading – seem to have less memory impairment in later years. Hard scientific evidence may yet come; keeping your mind active through “play” and activity certainly won’t hurt in the meantime.

Read More

Make sure hospital stay doesn’t leave you sicker

Going to the hospital isn’t supposed to make you sicker. But for an alarmingly high number of Americans, it does.

Medical errors occur during as many as one of every three hospital stays, and about 7 percent of those patients die or are permanently harmed as a result, according to a study published in the journal Health Affairs.

Health-care facilities bear the bulk of the responsibility for preventing hospital-acquired infections, medication mix-ups and other errors by adhering to evidence-based best practices.

The federal government has stepped up its efforts to prevent errors by refusing to reimburse hospitals for the extra costs associated with certain hospital-acquired conditions and by making public individual hospitals’ rates of these conditions. In addition, the Obama administration announced this month it is working with hospitals and private insurers on a new initiative that aims to cut preventable medical errors by 40 percent over the next three years.

There are also things patients can do to reduce their risk of being the victim a medical error. Here are a few tips from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, as well as local and national patient safety groups:

Read More

A New Night Club

The Bar Man, Chicago
richunger@promotingnightclubs.com

Is there really a need for your casual dining, your sports bar, your neighborhood bar,  your ultra lounge, your beach bar, your nightclub, your on the water bar? For your information, America is overbuilt with food and beverage, as well as beverage only establishments

"Whomever rejects change is the architect of decay.  The only

human institution which rejects progress is the cemetery."

What are you going to bring to the bar, serve at the table that nobody else is? Owners and managers use this word "ideas", it's not about "ideas" you need specific, planned, step by step, addressing every single "a to z" part of packing your bar. You don't wait till the last week before your planned "night" to all of a sudden hang a computer generated flyer, post it on your face book page and then hope and cope with whomever shows up. When you do wise up to the fact that there is, as I have said for 40 years, a "method to the promotion madness".

"Venus" By Shocking Blue

I saw a staff meeting where the owner/general manager did not use any leadership skills, any take charge techniques. The meeting turned into more of a social gathering, than a serious sit down addressing all of the issues this food/beverage operation is facing. So instead of taking on a serious tone, it turned into a laugh fest. Nothing accomplished, a total waste of time. and you wonder why you have no consistency in your day to day format?

Now a new concept of a Latin Night Club on Oahu. Sounds a bit far fetched.

Roasted Radish and Potato Salad (and the Mother's Day Giveaway Winners!)

Do you love radishes as much as I do? One of my favorite ways to serve them for company is an idea I got from Ina Garten ages ago: stems on,  with a dish of sea salt, accompanied by a baguette with herb butter. Sheer heaven. Or how about a toasted slice of grain bread, slathered with some unsalted butter and topped with some sliced radishes and sea salt? Perfect on a summer's day. When I lived in Michigan, my garden was chock full of radishes. I used to yank them out of the ground, rinse them off with a garden hose and eat them then and there. Now I have to buy them at the farmer's market or Fresh Market. 

The other day I was blog-crawling and came across a couple marvelous radish recipes from Cathy at Noble Pig. One was for a radish tart and the other for a roasted radish and potato salad. I decided to try the salad first and if I loved it, the tart would follow shortly after. One thing I loved about this recipe was Cathy used the radish greens...which usually find their way into the trash at my house. They're gritty little things and take a lot of rinsing, but it's well worth the effort. Radish greens have a slightly bitter taste, but then so does arugula and I love that. If you don't like arugula, you just might not like radish greens. Then go ahead and use any greens you want. But please rinse a couple off and try them first.

Now as far as the roasted radishes are concerned, I could kick myself! It just never occurred to me to roast radishes. I did some serious re-thinking on the subject after I came across an article HERE. So I thought: I roast every other veggie, why not radishes? As it turns out, they taste rather like very mild turnips. The texture, surprisingly, was like a potato. And when the radish greens are mixed in (while the potatoes and radishes are still warm, please) and then dressed with this simple vinaigrette, you're going to be astounded. It was fabulous. You'll be making this over and over this summer. And if you're lucky enough to have radishes in your garden, be sure to roast them and try them with other dishes. What a find this recipe is. Thank you Cathy!                                                                          

Roasted Radish and Potato Salad

From Cuisine at Home via Noble Pig

Ingredients:
1 lb. radishes, trimmed and quartered (reserve greens)
1 lb new potatoes, quartered
2 Tablespoons olive oil

Vinaigrette:
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh dill
Salt and black pepper to taste

Method:
Preheat oven to 425^o F with a large baking sheet inside.

Toss radishes, potatoes, 2 Tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper in a large bowl to coat.  Transfer mixture to hot baking sheet in oven.  Roast until golden, 20-25 minutes, stirring halfway through roasting. 

In the meantime, wash radish greens in several changes of cold water and spin dry.  For the vinaigrette whisk together vinegar, 3 Tablespoons oil, Dijon, parsley and dill in a bowl until combined; season with salt and pepper.  Stir radish greens into roasted radishes and potatoes and add vinaigrette.

And now for the winners of the Mother's Day Giveaway!
Congratulations to:

Susan from Savoring Time in the Kitchen  (Heidi's book)

Joanne from Eats Well With Others (Heidi's book)
Barbara from Barbara Bakes (Kim's book)
T.W. Barritt from Culinary Types (Kim's book)

Please email me at bsmithw@gmail.com and give me your addresses so I can get them into the mail to you ASAP!

Smoking ban could expand

Smokers could no longer light up legally in any part of the municipal park system under a proposal city officials are considering.

If enacted in full, the ban would cover all outdoor areas across a system that encompasses about 175 parks and other recreational facilities, including greenways and trails.

Cone Health Foundation recently asked the city parks and recreation commission to make the system “100 percent tobacco free” in line with findings by the Office of the Surgeon General and Centers for Disease Control on the dangers of secondhand smoke.

“We have more than 4,000 acres of beautiful public parks in Greensboro,” said Susan F. Shumaker, foundation president. “Our policies should protect the right to breathe safely and promote using these healthy parks.”

Read More

American Regional- Deep South

We had Friday off this week because of Easter, so American Regional had a shortened menu since we only had one day. We were exploring the Deep South this week and the menu included items such as Watermelon and Watercress Salad, Southern Fried Chicken and Cream Gravy, Fried Green Tomatoes, Slow Cooked Greens, Shrimp Perloo, Vidalia Onion Tart (Can we say YUM???), Peanut Brittle, and Peach Cobbler. There were four groups and each group was to prepare half the menu, with every group making fried chicken.



No one's fried chicken came out perfectly because either the oil was too hot, in some cases, or not hot enough in others. When the oil was too hot, the outside got too dark and the inside wasn't cooked through. In the opposite circumstance, the inside was finished before the outside crisped up and it got very greasy. We didn't use the deep fryer because it would have destroyed the oil, and instead used pans on the stove. This was the difficulty in keeping the oil at the proper temperature. We should have used a candy thermometer to temp the oil before frying.

I, personally, prepared the Peach Cobbler. I'm from Ohio and the Northern version of peach cobbler is much different than the Southern version we prepared. In the Northern version, the peaches are layered in the bottom of a pan after being tossed with sugar, cinnamon, and flour and then topped with a sticky, almost biscuit-like dough that is dropped by spoonfuls on top. In the Southern version, we prepared a pie crust for the top and the bottom that was to be filled with the peach mixture.

Since this was the only dish I was assigned, I decided to make the most of it and make it fabulous. I made individual "pies" and then simmered the rest of the peaches until they were extremely soft. I melted some white chocolate, rum, and heavy cream over a double boiler and then pureed it with the peaches. I strained it through a chinois to make a sauce and added a little lemon juice to round out the flavors. I plated this sauce and then chilled them until time to plate the cobbler so there would be a contrast in temperatures. I made a flavored, very thick whipped cream and piped into mounds and froze them with a small heart of pie dough in the center to place on top of the piping hot cobbler so it would melt over the top. I simmered some additional peaches in a simple syrup and arranged them on top of the plated sauce, placed the hot cobbler on top after dipping the top of it in the peach simple syrup for a shine and extra moisture, and then topped it off with the whipped cream mound. It. Was. Delicious! I'm not a huge peach fan but I could have eaten several of these. Apparently so could everyone else because several of my classmates were disappointed because they didn't even get one bite. I would definitely call that a success.

Not So Good

Club Dancer the blog is definitely falling behind in the hits. We get plenty of routine flyer kind of information but no real contacts. I get what I can but not enough enthusiasm from the potential beneficiaries.

"We spend our time searching for security and hate it when we get it."

So it is imperative that I look for more people that can use a little free publicity with a little kokua in the process. Of course, some are worried about the eventual cost which is pretty normal in the business nowadays. So they must understand that a blog is not the case, specially a blog that was designed to be Social Media.

I get good kokua from Kapolei Chapter, HBDA, with very good results in the Platinum Horseshoe blog. Perhaps I could visit Kalihi Chapter and see if we could develop a better contact, get them more publicity and run up more hits for Club Dancer.

"Are You Ready?" By Pacific Gas and Electric

Perhaps I can get Parents Without Partners again, they used to be a couple blocks from where I lived. That's on Tuesday, so I have the possibility of getting to Washington Intermediate and then the Belly Dancers at Al Franz Studio on the same trip to town.

Then Sharon Liu may have something going steady in May, I just get routine flyers. I could find a way to get some photos and a few quotes to make a nice write up. And with classes at Arthur Murray it would be a double blessing for all concerned.

I haven't been able to get to Honolulu Club for Greg's Salsa session, but I have to get it in soon. I had the day free Friday but Thursday I spent three hours on a round trip to Aliamanu for nothing. Then I have another, HBDA at Aliamanu for Saturday. I can rest on Sunday.

Town Dancer blog is still leading the pack way out in front of whatever is is second place. I have put my blogging for Town Dancer down to level 3 and they are doing just fine.

Then I have the new one, Baile Mestizo, covering the Latin dances and that is going to take some work. Many places in Waikiki and in town that have live bands, play Latin music. It has always been there.

And ordinary night club dancers make various attempts at dancing what they think is Latin. Of course you also have the ones that are good social Latin dancers too. At any rate the music that the entire crowd enjoys. Now if the band can take a one minute break, (like the old times) it would give the dancers  a little time to take a sip or two from the drinks already on the table.

With Baile Mestizo, we expect to put out more information about the Latin dances and perhaps there will be a night club with that specialty soon.

Happy Easter!

I'd also like to wish a Happy Passover to all my Jewish friends and readers!  

PLEASE  CHECK  OUT  MY  MOTHER'S  DAY  GIVEAWAY HERE! (Winners announced Monday, April 25.)

Be a healthy bride on your wedding day

Planning and preparing for the perfect wedding can tax even the toughest bride-to-be, but it's important not to lose sight of physical and emotional well-being, experts say.

Instead of thinking about our health, “we're often fixated on either a number on a scale or how we're going to look in a dress,” said Ashley Koff, a registered dietitian from The CW reality show “Shedding for the Wedding.”

Koff recommends keeping the body well-fueled — eating roughly every three hours — instead of depriving yourself and becoming tired and cranky.

Cutting some calories is OK, but leave in some carbohydrates, some protein, some healthy fat and plenty of vegetables, Koff said in a telephone interview from Los Angeles. She'll appear this summer in Lifetime's “Love Handles,” a reality weight-loss show for couples.

Every eating occasion need not be a full meal, Koff said. In between, the bride-to-be might have a healthy smoothie or a bowl of puréed tomato soup or a small latte with a handful of nuts, she said.

Think about “what's available and how do I make the best quality choice and what does my body need?”

Read More

Happy, Happy Day

Wow, some people are so high and mighty in the computer world, they can't help you at all, in spite of their extensive knowledge of the computer. They have all kinds of run-arounds, they want to know if a 32 or 64 bit, what kind of hardware, I don't even know what they are talking about.

"People with one track minds often have derailed trains of thought."

I finally found a good one on Google, where a lady ask the same question about her computer not recognizing her SD card. His answer was simple  about what happen when you withdraw the card from the slot when not properly prepared.

He suggested just rebooting the computer. Which what I did and there were the photos I was missing.

I decided to make a completely new blog on it just to celebrate. There seems to be plenty of gurus but they just really just don't know how to teach.

I got to the Palladium with plenty of time and I could see that that other side was having a function too.  I gave the CD from Dance Vision for Beverly. Then walked around and got a few pictures of the dancing.

 
Nicely spread out and comfortable, but strange, all women.

That is 100%. Not like HBDA or in West Oahu, where they are
getting more men, which is much more like it.

I went next door and saw some of my friends there. SJ was very cooperative and I was able to get a nice picture and even a quote from Snow Jade and it is in the other blog.

Dale, SJ, Kim and David,

The quote from SJ was short and sweet.

"Come join us, a very friendly Square and Round dance.

C/U at the Ala Wai Palladium."

Then I went back to the Line Dancers and got the next photo.

Glady's Tronbak, Joanne Yanagimoto, Bev Braun, Joyce Gushiken,

Susan Valmoja and Marilyn Mills

 

I got ready to leave and get the 42 bus going to town. It was a nice day except for losing the photos, but I am OK now.

Easter Cake

Here is a cutie patootie Easter cake that was ordered from me. I love baking in exchange for free babysitting! It's such a win-win situation!!

Stuffed Chiles, Anyone??

This week in Latin Cuisine, we were still in Mexico. Don't worry. It was the last week there. We move on to South America next week. I have thoroughly enjoyed our time (and our food!!) from this country, though.

This week I prepared the Stuffed Chile Rellenos, or Chiles in Nogada Walnut Sauce. As I researched, I discovered the difference between the two names is basically that Stuffed Chile Rellenos usually just use cheese and possibly onions where the recipe I prepared today called for onions, fruit (apples, dried peaches, and raisins), nuts, and ground pork but no cheese. I, again, have not been a fan of chiles in the past. I've always been put off by the worry that they would be too spicy for me. I think this comes from an incident when I was very young at a Walmart. My sisters were supposed to keep me entertained at the "food court" of this particular Walmart, and they got some Nachos with Jalepenos. They fed me one. My mouth about fell off my face and I cried inconsolably, from what I can remember. I think this is where my aversion to chiles in the past has come from.

I knew going into this quarter, however, that there would be no getting around eating chiles. I would have to face this "fear" head on. This was one reason I asked right off the bat this morning to prepare the Stuffed Chiles. After roasting the chiles, I wrapped them in plastic wrap and let them sit for a bit to loosen the skin. Then I peeled them, cut off the tops, and stuffed them. After sticking toothpicks in them to keep the lids back on, I dipped them in flour, then an egg white tempura batter, and then into the fryer they went. Once they were a light brown, out they came and they were sprinkled with salt.


The Walnut Sauce that is served with them is simply walnuts, milk, cream, bread, and queso fresco (a deliciously salty, crumbly cheese) all pureed together. Holy. Moly. This was an absolutely tasty sauce that I'm sure I will incorporate into other dishes. The saltiness of the outside of the chiles, the slightly spicy flavor of the chile, and the tartness of the fruit inside the chile was rounded out perfectly by the mellow, creamy flavor of the Walnut Sauce. I ate a chile and a half.

I have adored the food so far this quarter. Let's see what week 4 holds!

Building Self Confidence

1.Full trust; belief in the powers, trustworthiness, or reliability of a person or thing: We have every confidence in their ability to succeed.

2.Belief in oneself and one's powers or abilities; self-confidence; self-reliance; assurance: His lack of confidence defeated him.

3.Certitude; assurance: He described the situation with such confidence that the audience believed him completely.

How often do you second guess yourself or lack confidence. Do you easily put full trust in someone else; your mother, husband, teacher or doctor but find it difficult to trust yourself? I love the third definition from above "assurance" what a wonderfully strong characteristic, do you desire it? If you think that you lack confidence, and you probably do because most people do, then I offer a couple suggestions that will direct your attention to building a foundation of confidence in yourself.

Perhaps you are unsure if you lack confidence, if so ask yourself a couple of question to determine your confidence level and the areas where you are submissive and lack trust in yourself.

Read More

End World Hunger: World Food Programme Launches Website

When you were a kid, did you ever sit down for a family meal that ended with a half-full plate and your mom saying, "Finish your broccoli, there's starving kids in Africa?" Maybe you rebelliously answered, "Why don't you send them my broccoli then?"
Believe it or not, now you can.

With the new website WeFeedback.org, launched by the United Nations World Food Programme, you can donate the price of your dinner to school programs around the world.

In 1961, the World Food Programme began providing food to communities during and after emergencies. Fifty years later, they aim to reach more than 90 million people with food assistance in more than 70 countries -- this year alone.

WeFeedBack allows people to estimate the cost of their nightly dinner -- whether it's broccoli, sushi, or spaghetti and meatballs -- and donate the equivalent to school programs around the world for children in need. Putting a 50-cent serving of "broccoli" into the website's calculator, WeFeedBack lets you know that two children can eat for that price. That's bang for your buck.

Read More

So, What's Doin'?

From the Latin News, New York City:

Where to Learn; If you would like to try Latin dance yourself, there are plenty of places to watch and learn! Many dance studios all across the country have a social dance section of courses that often include the salsa, merengue and other Latin dance forms.

If dance classes are not within your budget, then fortunately there is another option. Since Latin dance has become so popular within certain night club circuits, chances are you already live in an areas that host Latin dance nights.

If so, check with your local club to see if lessons are offered. Many offer a one hour crash course before the Latin dance night, and from this one-time experience you can learn a lot. You can also learn from simply observing others on the dance floor and jumping in with a great, enthusiastic attitude and a partner willing to do the same.

Latin Dance as a Workout and that is Social Dancing.

"Mambo Tropical" By Los Chicos

Routine flyer from Salsa:
Hello Members,

We are going to have another ladies styling class by Maya on April 30th. As you know, Maya is an excellent dancer and she also peformed in a mainland dance team. We will definately learn new techniques from her. This time she will teach the shine pattern and spin techniques. I hope many of you will attend the class.

Latin Night will be on May 8th, Sunday. There will be a nice big floor to dance with easy and free parking. I will see you at the dance floor.
International Salsa Organization

"Moliendo Cafe" By Azucar Moreno"

Salsa Workshop by Maya Ladies Styling

Date: April 30th 2011 Saturday
Times: 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Where: Ala Wai golf course Palladium

Fee Member: $10.00
Non Member: $15.00
Member Fee till Dec 2011: $ 5.00

Information; Emi 222-9648

Pub's Note: The Window Of Opportunity for our blogs is five to fifteen days. Does anyone know what that means? It will take a while. Thanks

Making good contact with the Square and Round Dancers through SJ. She just sent me a poster and asked to have it posted. Sounds OK by me. She also sent me news of going to Ward Centerstage on Tuesdays for line dancing with Parents Without Partners.

I have to put that Tuesday on my agenda to take care of. It has been too long. I used to live just a couple of blocks away. Maybe fit it with Dance Honolulu at Washington Intermediate and also Belly Dancing at the Al Franz Studio. Got to find a way to fit it all in one trip.

SJ is getting to be a good Information Contributor. Why not? She sees things that no one else in the world sees. That is her viewpoint and very valuable to us.