Have A Sip Of: Honey Pear Martini

As you may recall, the Honey Pear martini, also known as the Honeyed Pair Martini, (oh, clever play on words) is also known as The Daywrecker. So while you get all hazy-eyed staring at your new summer fling, I will just politely add, you were warned.

This elixir...my oh my....it is simple. And simply out of this world. HiPie and I attempted to make them in Mexico with a bottle of Grey Goose La Poire, some unknown mixture that was promised to be honey, and pieces of lemon. Do not do this. This isn't Second City. Don't improvise. We had to because 1. the La Poire was beckoning 2. I talked up the Honey Pear martini oh so much. 3. They do not sell lemon juice in Mexico. Anywhere.

So here is the delicious mixture. Enjoy every sip.

Honey Pear Martini

Fill your shaker with ice. Add ice and cold water to your martini glasses to chill. (Come on, be fancy with me.) However, I don't recommend flavored sugar rim unless its lemon sugar.

This should make two or three depending on your glass size. We have Reidel 5 oz martini glasses but beware: you don't want to tell people you had eight martinis tomorrow. A 5 oz glass is tiny.

Ingredients:

1/2 pear vodka with a splash of cold water (Count to ten while you pour if you aren't going to measure).

1/4 honey simple syrup* (Directions below but don't worry, its simple.) Count to five while you pour.

1/4 lemon juice (fresh or Real Lemon 100% lemon juice. Count to five while you pour).

Shake it, shake it, shake it. Empty your chilling martini glass and refill with nectar of Aestas.

* To make honey simple syrup. Add 1 c. water to 1. c honey in a saucepan over medium heat until honey is fully incorporated. Do not boil. It will overflow and make a huge mess and you will pissed off before you can enjoy your cocktail and I never want to see that happen.

Let cool completely. Store in squeeze bottle or in tupperware container. Cheers!

Prada Dada

JohnnyMac is superfly. He has been since the day we met. Actually, since before we met. I love that we went out one night with some casual friends, early on in our dating. The wife complimented his attire and said she loved his shoes. He had just bought them at Kenneth Cole in NYC. She laughed and said, "Before he met you, I don't think he even knew what brand he bought."

Oh, I know that's not right.

JohnnyMac loved to bestow on me fabulous clothes and handbags. And JohnnyMac was well coiffed and well presented long before we met. But he is subtle about it.

Unlike our friend in law school, Wrinkle, who only wore clothes emblazoned with logo. And not just a subtle polo horse or Faconnable crest. His poison was Tommy Hilfiger who manufactured shirts and jackets with not only logo but entire name spelled out down the arms and across the back. We used to tease him. Relentlessly.

Hey Wrinkle. I love your shirt. Lacoste?

No, its Hilfiger.

Oh really? Is it?

But JohnnyMac has been cool since he had the Camaro in high school (and a mullet I can absolutely assume. A fact which his mom confirms and he denies). But he was hip then, and he is hip now.

And I love the first time JohnnyMac came home from baby clothes shopping. Forget Gymboree (which I actually don't like a bit) and went straight to Bloomingdales. He is a Prada Dada. I had a habit of overbuying but JohnnyMac only added piles of gold to our son's already over-brimming pot.

My mom recalls that when I was a toddler, I refused to wear socks that didn't match my underwear. Thankfully this is a trend that saw its demise. But I get her assertion, and I know it smacks of truth. And my mom steered me on that initial inclination as she frequently sends boxes full of babyclothes for the Bird from Nordstrom and Macy's. My little brother sent wee man a pair of Diesel jeans. For his 2nd birthday. So the familial influence abounds.

And now we see our tiny son has his own element of style. As I was getting him dressed the other morning, he said, "I don't like that shirt Mommy." Alright Bird. I asked him what he wanted to wear and he hopped down and opened his armoire and pulled down a long sleeve button down. "This one. It's my favorite. It has a horse like Daddy's shirt."

And then he asked for his golf visor, "just like Daddy wears." You've got it, buddy.

Did I mention he is only two? And I think JohnnyMac with his fabulous style is a great influence.

Are we promoting materialism? Of course not. My son wore a paper Varsity Drive In hat for days. Do you know the Varsity Drive In? An Atlanta tradition (oldest drive in on city record) and about as far from haute couture as you can be.)

And we know he will someday want to dress as if matching colors and complimentary patterns are meaningless. Good for him. I will encourage his own creative license. But while he wants to be like Prada Dada, I love it.

Weekend Wanderlust: Asheville, NC

Just over 150 miles from Atlanta tucked in the Blue Ridge Mountains is Asheville, North Carolina. What Frommer's calls one of the top seven places to live in the United States, Asheville is teaming with history and serves as a great weekend getaway.

The childhood home to one of my favorite basketball coaches of all time, Roy Williams, Asheville was also once frequented by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Thomas Edison, and Henry Ford perhaps the most notable of visitors is George Vanderbilt who built the largest home in America in 1890.

Lush and green, you may have seen glimpses of Asheville in the movies Dirty Dancing, Bull Durham, Patch Adams, Forrest Gump, The Fugitive, and Last of the Mohicans.

With great restaurants, a growing art scene, predominantly great weather and an easy and affable personality, Asheville is a great place for a little weekend wanderlust.


Sleep: We stayed at the Inn on Biltmore Estate and I recommend it. This Four Star / Four Diamond respite has multiple packages available and the accomodations are lovely. With over 200 rooms, a restaurant, and an Irish pub, it is an easy trip to downtown.

Eat: We had a recommendation from a crusty concierge that turned out to be a bust (and included a waiter who told us that Asheville is "not considered to be part of the South." BUT, we hit it big by stumbling across a great Spanish tapas bar called Zambra. Great wine selection, great food, and great service. And I dipped into this incredible butternut squash soup they were serving that night. Perfecto.

The bartender there gave us a great rec for dinner the next night and he was spot on. He told us to ask for a friend of his and we got top notch service and a great bottle of reserve wine to try on our visit to Rezaz Mediterranean Restaurant and Enoteca. Great food and I loved the Argentinian Malbec.

In addition, the top ten booked restaurants in Asheville right now are:

Red Stag Grill-Grand Bohemian Hotel Asheville
Corner Kitchen
Savoy
Zambra
Rezaz
Bistro Roca and Antlers Bar
Cucina 24
Table
Vincenzo's Asheville
The Gamekeeper

We also had a fabulous lunch at the Bistro at Biltmore Winery. They showcase food from their own farm, fields, and winery. Fantastic.

Do: You simply must go to see Biltmore Estate. With over 220 rooms, and an 8000 acre backyard, you likely have visited nothing like it. The original purchase was 125,000 acres so George Vanderbilt has vision and it is represented clearly as you tour his home which is still held and maintained by the family. With over 1 million visitors per year, it is such a great view into history. Not only should you take the tour but you should actually get the headset guide and listen. The details you will glean simply can not be picked up without the guide. I know you aren't in sixth grade, trust me, I am the first to shrug a "headset tour" but friends recommended it to us, and I appreciated the volumes of details shared. Original Renoirs, bowls from the Ming Dynasty, and Napoleon's chess set and gaming table he gifted to the Vanderbilts are just some of what you will see. And the indoor pool, bowling alley, and gym were built at original time of construction. George Vanderbilt was incredibly forward thinking.

You should also take the Winery Tour and Tasting. Biltmore Estates bottles their own wine and we are fans of the Limited release Syrah and the Reserve Cabernet. Plus, you have to get a bite at the Bistro at Biltmore Winery while you are there because its sensational. We also caught a cooking demonstration and bought a great cookbook of Recipes from Biltmore.

Other Asheville points of interest:

Crest Mountain

Blue Ridge Parkway

Botanical Gardens at Asheville

Grove Park Inn

North Carolina Arboretum

Smith-McDowell House

Enjoy some weekend wanderlust in Asheville.

JA of the Day: volume iii

Oh Jenisia William, to pronounce you a jackass does not even begin to cover it. But for the sake of not starting my day with a profanity laced diatribe, JA, while lacking, will have to be adequate. Everyone reading this will know that for today's purpose "JA" actually means something much, much more abominable.

50 minutes south of Atlanta is the city of Barnesville. Barnesville is where Jenisia Williams hopped in her car and drove to her local Walmart for a shopping excursion yesterday. Handbag in hand, because no one would forget their handbag in the car while shopping, she headed into the store for at least twenty minutes.

Do you know what Jenisia did leave in the car? You would never guess because not one single sane, careful, or adequate person would leave this, but go ahead, guess....

Her lip balm? No. Her check card? Wrong again. Her four month old twins? See, I knew you would never guess but in order to be correct, this is the answer you would need to supply.

Thankfully, the infants were not harmed. Surprisingly, considering the internal temperature of the car was 90+ degrees. Jenisia, is this your first day in Georgia? It is clearly not your first day being a completely inhumane person. It is the summertime here in Georgia. You can't leave a bottle of water in your car without concern for it melting.

You make me sad. Because everyone knows, including the Clayton County Police Department, that you did not forget your twin infants in your car. You left them there. Alone and crying furiously. But thankfully their little lungs had so much muscle in them because this is how another shopper was alerted to your crime.

And this shopper waited by the car for a few minutes prior to calling 911 because she clearly believed no one would ever, ever leave their children in a vehicle while shopping at Walmart. Had you been inside a hospital receiving a kidney transplant, you still can not leave your newborns in a vehicle alone. How can you not know this?

Police arrested and charged her with two counts of child cruelty. This seems paltry and insufficient to me.

When she did return to her car, she was shocked and outraged asking "WHERE ARE MY BABIES?!?!?!"

Jenisia. Stop that. Do not display shock and awe that your children were taken away. You have a driver's license, yes? You drove there, yes? My assertion is that anyone who can pass a driver's license exam has the modicum of common sense needed to know that leaving babies in a car, alone, is a very very very very bad idea.

The infants were taken to a local hospital as a precaution, then released to their father while you remain in jail. Let's hope he does not endorse or support your child-rearing techniques. Enjoy jail. I hope you get an extended stay.

Therefore, you are the JA (expletive, expletive, expletive) of the Day.

Racy

Who doesn't remember a doe eyed girl proclaiming, "Nothing comes between me and my Calvins" in a national advertising campaign? I am sure you do remember because it was Brooke Shields and it was highly controversial at the time because when it aired in 1980, Brooke Shields was only 15 years old.


Calvin Klein opened his first eponymous store in 1968. He spent the next twenty years growing a brand that would become a world-wide name. During that time the main consistency was eye-catching advertising. Working with famous photographers Bruce Weber and Richard Avedon, the creative license caught people's attention. And Calvin Klein was on everyone's lips.

Often racy, often talked about, and often provoking contention, Calvin Klein has featured the semi-nude bodies of famous personalities from Djimon Hounsou and Kate Moss to Kate Bosworth and Charlize Theron.

Facing bankruptcy in the early 90's, he came back with a vengeance with the marketing of his underwear line and CK One.

And who can forget the infamous Marky Mark (Mark Wahlberg) campaign from that time. I mean, he was grabbing his package after all. On a forty foot billboard in Times Square. Subtle? I don't think subtle is what Calvin had in mind.

Calvin Klein has manufactured a reputation as edgy. The tendency to shock seems par for the course. But is it becoming trite and stale?

Last year, a campaign featuring nude ads of Eva Mendes were banned by numerous mainstream media outlets. The outcome? A percentage of people sought to find the contraband by any means they could. Increased magazine sales for GQ, Elle, W, and Vanity Fair all which featured the ads? Yes.

So that there is current grist over a Calvin Klein ad is not surprising. The newest campaign features a billboard comprised entirely of racy creativity and pure controversy. And its the current cause celebre' for Calvin Klein.

Located on the side of a building in the Soho neighborhood of New York, this billboard features fairly youthful (translation: teenagers?) models wearing only jeans and engaged in all kinds of a loving embrace. A young woman is lying on one young man, while kissing another, while yet another lies just adjacent to them with a look of, well, I think you know that look. Some local residents call it provocative while others call it inappropriate and seedy. Multiple associations focused on families and children are furious at what they call highly sexualized imagery in a high traffic area. It is located very close to a school.


A Calvin Klein spokesperson said the "intention was to create a very sexy campaign that speaks to our targeted demographic."

This isn't the first time people have come out to denounce CK's efforts to get attention. A huge controversy in 1999 with an ad campaign involving young teens was found so offensive and borderline child porn the community and media flexed their muscles to terminate the placement of any of these ads.

Owned by Phillips-Van Heusen since 2002, Calvin maintained heavy involvement with the creative direction until recently. The theme of his thirty year legacy carries on with the ongoing embroilment and chatter about these ads.

Seedy? I don't know. Racy? Of course. Highly sexual? Absolutely. Civilized enough for mainstream media? Its questionable. Appropriate for a neighborhood in which kids walk to school? Well, as a parent, that's dicey.

Is that porridge too hot? Or just right? You decide.

Daddy's Day...

Father's Day, unofficially born in 1908 in West Virginia, it apparently wasn't widely received nor embraced as emphatically as its counterpart, Mother's Day. Maybe back then, a Daddy's day consisted only of working and drinking. President Coolidge supported making the holiday official in 1924 but it took over 40 more years and a mandate by President Lyndon Johnson to confirm that Father's Day would be a national holiday. Apparently, not a lot of champions in the Daddy's corner back in the day. Oh, the Daddies really had to work for it.

Oh, times have changed.

I watched a few days ago as our little man handed Daddy all of his "friends" at bedtime and made Daddy hug and kiss each one goodnight. And then he wanted Daddy to have each friend also say goodnight to him. So Daddy held up each animal and said, "Goodnight little man." If our son didn't like the voice he used, he would say "No Daddy, thats not how Mickey Mouse sounds."
And when we started kissing boo boos, JohnnyMac asked me how long I thought this lasted. I assured him it wasnt going to be deep into adolescence but if your son thinks you have some magical elixir springing from your kisses, then by all means, kiss kiss kiss. There may be a point in our son's life when he believes us incapable of fixing any of his problems, boo boo or otherwise. So I will gladly embrace this period of time where all the healing he needs is as simple as a kiss.

And the other night, our little man woke up around midnight. This lone voice in the quiet house, "Daddy, I need you." You become aware of yourself in a keenly different light when you are so needed by someone else.

And the morning in the shower, when our son pointed to Daddy's midsection and said "There's your penis Daddy!" and then grabbed it and gave it a very, very big yank. If you recall the Hot Pepper story, poor JohnnyMac is going to need first aid soon.

And this Daddy has earned his Daddy's Day from that instance alone. And what will JohnnyMac be doing to celebrate? Golfing. Of course. And then watching golf. All day.

If this holiday is a part of your current status men, enjoy. I think it takes a tremendous amount to be a good parent, a good leader, and a good role model. Have a wonderful Father's Day.

And as a tiny tribute to the Daddy in our house, here are some of my favorite photos celebrating fatherhood in this family.

Take A Bite of: Chicken Fettuccine

the most perfect fettuccine you will ever eat. Growing up, we used to take our boat to the San Juan Islands off the coast of Washington every summer. And oh how I loved it. My Mom (Momcatt. Me give a nickname? You know by now the answer, of course, is yes.) has been making this for years and would whip it up in the galley of our boat in less than an hour so you know it is an easy option. For many people, just hearing the words "alfredo sauce" is artery-clogging. This sauce is lighter. I omit the butter but to make it true to form, I included it in the recipe. This recipe is truly called San Juan Fettuccine but because my mom put her spin on it so well, I call it Momcatt's Fettuccine. And yes, I still have girlfriends who talk about this excellent dish.

A perfect treat to pair with white wine if you want to make something special. I have been making it for years too and just had to call my mom to clarify the specific amounts of certain ingredients since I merely eyeball at this stage. She remembers making this for us for years, and it never disappointed. Buon Appetito!

San Juan Fettuccine (aka Momcatt's special)
Ingredients:

2 C Fettuccine Pasta (cooked and drained)
1/3 C Butter
1/4 t fresh minced garlic
1/4 t pepper
1 C whipping cream
1/2 C sour cream
1/4 C grated Parmesan
1/4 t seasoning salt (my Mom uses Johnny's)
1/4 pound chopped mushrooms
1/2 medium onion (you can also omit without compromising flavor)
3/4 C diced raw chicken ( I use about 3 half breasts)
3/4 C of sliced or quarter cut zucchini

Directions:
Heat butter, garlic, pepper in a large frying pan. Add onions and mushrooms until sightly brown. Add chicken, zucchini and 1/2 seasoning salt. Sear all raw sides of the chicken. Add Pasta and the remaining seasoning salt. Add whipping cream, sour cream and blend well. Cook 4 or 5 minutes to reduce cream and to thicken the sauce. Add cheese, blend well. Serves 2 or 3.

* Note from my mom: This is the basic recipe. As you well know we usually doubled it and I also often replaced the chicken with seafood. Scallops are a big hit. This was probably one of my very favorite things to make.

I have loved this recipe for years and hope you enjoy it as much as I do. Thanks Mom!

The Chuck Taylor UnFan Club

This is from a fashion editorial I saw recently. Besides the very West Side Story choreography which doesn't seem very Vogue to me, I didnt know fashion might include skipping of any sort. That being said, I do love the Marc Jacobs sweater and Gucci jacket but as my eyes scrolled I was stopped by what I assert are the ugliest shoes on earth: Chuck Taylor's.

Now, I fully support creative artistry but, really?

Also known as the Converse All Star, they became known as "Chuck's" when basketball great Chuck Taylor named them his shoe of preference. And yes, I know this shoe is arguably the most notable athletic shoe of all time, the precursor to the Air Jordan, and yes I already know it is also the most successful shoe in history.

You know what else it is? U-G-L-Y. And it ain't go no alibi.

I have seen this shoe on everyone from scientists to five year olds. A friend of mine, and former fashion model, swore by them. I have also spied them on characters on Grey's Anatomy.

Why? Because of the hundreds of thousands of shoes out there, this one got the Pity Award? Can't you just wear a flip flop when in doubt? If flip flops are not an option, I promise you I would rather see the garden clog.

I had to give the Chandler Bing (the heave ho given from one person to another often for very flimsy excuse) to a guy in college who showed up at my door in navy blue Chuck Taylors. Ugh. Because I am shallow? No. Because we all have preferences. And I would rather ride to dinner on a donkey's back then date someone who thinks Chuck Taylor's are a grown up shoe.

And yes, I am sure if I saw yours, I would change my mind. Mmm hmmmm.

And for the record, regarding the photo shoot above: Someone actually suggested there was no better acoutrement to Gucci than a canvas tennis shoes? Excellent!

Be right back, I want to see if my thirteen year old cousin has a hoodie I can wear with my Ferragamos.

Start spreading the news.

This is one of my favorite places. Period.

Ahhh, Central Park. And exponentially more fun when the sun is out. I went running this past weekend in Central Park and between the dogs, babies, cyclists, and other people just dawdling around, it is true people-watching experience. This photo is one of the best I have taken. I want to be a part of it. New York, New York!

As I have emphasized before, NYC is one of my paramour cities. This past weekend, we did a quick getaway. No husbands or babies invited. MarciaGarcia and I got in late on the brink of the weekend and what better way to combat flight delays and thunderstorm warnings then with a refreshing cocktail at one of our favorite little pubs in midtown Manhattan? You know what other pics you won't see? What happens after pints o' plenty. I love this little place called Perfect Pint. We found it years ago by accident and now we commit to the visit. They happen to have a great jukebox and the perfect amount of floor space for impromptu dancing. While Beyonce has never been one of my favorites, I sure got a kick out of Put A Ring On It that night.

There is a common misperception that New Yorkers are rude. Incorrect. If anything, perhaps they have little sympathy for idleness. Maybe some of the tourists, with their brash behavior, make the natives restless.

I am certainly not a native, but even some of the other visitors we encountered made me shake my head and bite my tongue. If you are visiting NYC or any city for that matter, how about a quick overview of things you should and should not do:

When you are trying to get your bearings, by all means ask. If you need to look at a map, do it. NYC is a very big place and can be overwhelming to a lot of people even after visiting once. Where is a great place to study your map? Not in the middle of the sidewalk, especially in Times Square where every tourist goes. Do you know how many other people are using that sidewalk? Thousands. Scooch on over to the side hence you learn what a new york "shiver" really is.

When you are braving the subway for first few times, familiarize yourself with the layout. However, do not think the best place to look at the subway map is in the middle of the stairs heading to the subway. People have plans. Stopping on the middle of the stair case is something you shouldn't do in your own city, let alone in New York. Over five million people ride the subway in NY everyday. Move to the side.

When you are on the subway, notice the quiet. For so many people, there is relatively little ruckus, albeit a few kooks here and there. Why should you notice the quiet, because then you will ascertain the subway is not a good place to call Aunt Mel and tell her all about your big subway trip. Because you can barely get reception in certain places, you will inevitably talk louder. Refrain. People do not like it.

When you are at the hotel, and ever eager to go to your room, stand to the side of the elevator. When it hits the lobby floor, it is likely packed. All of the people inside would love to come out. Do you know why they are delayed? Because you are standing in front of the door shoulder to shoulder with your spouse. With your family in tow. People should not have to say "excuse me" to exit the elevator. This is common sense given that there are elevators in some capacity in virtually every city but yet, I saw it all weekend long.

Of course you should ask people to take your picture. I know more than anyone how many pics this family has of only one of us with our son on our travels. I love asking people to take our family pic and most people are happy to do so. I took multiple pics of people this weekend. You know who to ask for a helping hand? Someone who already has a camera, or someone else that looks like a tourist, or someone casually lollygagging about. Do not ask the man in his Yves Saint Laurent suit hustling by with his cell phone plastered to his ear. He appreciates the constant boost to the NY economy, but he doesn't want to stop and take your picture.

NYC is a metropolis of good food. Take your family to somewhere other than TGI Friday's while you are in New York. If economics are a concern, there are hundreds of restaurants in the blocks around Times Square that will feed you all like Kings without emptying your wallet. Refrain from the chain restaurants. I went to Juniors once out of sheer desperation. It was horrid. If you are looking for neighborhood gems, go to http://www.opentable.com/ and search on the neighborhood of your choice for recommendations, best kept secrets, and restaurants geared for groups.

Do not ask if the "designer" purses in Chinatown are real. If you really could buy a Prada bag for $50.00, do you think they would sell them at Bergdorfs and Saks for $900.00? There is a reason you are getting a $50.00 option. But by all means, enjoy that option. I saw a darling little blonde girl carrying her fake pink Chanel bag with a smile as big as the Hudson. And believe me, the first time I went to NYC, I was all of 15. I saw those piles of pretty bags and asked my Dad if that Gucci bag was only $10.00, shouldn't I have own to take home. He assured me, I should not take the Grucci bag home. Upon closer inspection, I understood. And he took me to Macy's for a SwatchWatch instead.

Bring cash. While all of the yellow cabs in NYC are now required to have credit card machines, that rule doesn't apply everywhere. You don't want to be stuck without cash in New York. Ever.

Wander. Now, you want to mind your location and time of day as you would anywhere. But some of the gems of New York are in the neighborhoods where residents live and play. You can familiarize yourself with the layout of Manhattan before you ever leave. This quick guide will help.

And bring your walking shoes. Of course, you know I recommend both of my favorite walking shoes but regardless, don't plan on walking around NYC all day in unsensible shoes. You will walk more than you know, and I have been with people who made poor shoe choices and ended up barefoot at the end of the night. I don't need to tell you the vast reasons barefoot on the streets of NYC is never, ever good.

If you are looking for a more authentic experience, these few suggestions may help. And really, don't forget your camera. There are incredible pictures just waiting to be taken. A few more form my previous trips.