Frau Farbissina and Leeks

So, my post today is going to be a random one. First of all, I am still on my diet. Yea! It has been about 1 1/2 weeks. I haven't gotten on the scale since Sunday, but I feel like I have lost more weight. Keith and I have been exercising, too, so I think that will make a difference. I have tried really hard to make different, creative dishes to help fool my taste buds. So far it has worked. Tonight I made a dish with chicken and leeks. It was excellent and very easy to make. If you have never tried a leek, you definitely should. They are fantastic. I love them in soups, wilted in a chicken dish and served with couscous, or even raw in a salad. Their flavor is similar to a sweet, mild onion.

Tonight is "Project Runway" night. I am so excited. I love pretending like I know high fashion and give my two cents about everyone's garments. There are some awesome "characters" on the show this season. For instance, Kayne is an Oklahoma boy who makes pageant gowns for beauty queens. Let's just say his clients are not the only queens in the room! He is hilarious, though, and extremely talented. Then, there is another of my favorites, Uli. She doesn't get a lot of camera time because she is relatively low drama. She makes beautiful clothes, but she always seems to use a fabric with a very busy pattern. I don't know if that is a good thing or a bad thing. I guess it gives her work a signature. Keith does a really loud and hilarious imitation of Heidi Klum when he screams during every episode..."SEND IN THE MODELS"...with a thick, exaggerated German accent. He has done it a thousand times, and it is still funny to me. I told him it sounds more like Frau Farbissina from Austin Powers. LOL.

Well, that is all for tonight. I am pooped.

Television Tuesday

I am something of a television addict. I really don't mind admitting it. Television is definitely a hobby that I enjoy. For all of the pretentious snobs out there that claim television is not refined enough for them, go eat a plate of escargot by candlelight and leave me the hell alone. I enjoy it, and that doesn't make me unintelligent.

I love "Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D List," and I am not afraid to admit it. I don't miss an episode of "Project Runway" (the best reality series on tv), and I live for the over-produced Fox mega reality show, "American Idol".

Sadly, most of my favorites were cancelled in the last couple of seasons, such as, Will & Grace, Judging Amy, The West Wing, Huff, Dead Like Me, and Queer as Folk.

So, now, I am struggling to find new programs to lure me into their traps and promises of laughter, drama and tears. I mean, come on, Grey's Anatomy is only on once a week. I friggin' love that show.

Looking at the new fall schedule a couple of shows look promising. Aaron Sorkin has a new drama on NBC called "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip". For those of you who do not know, he is the creator of "The West Wing" and a brilliant writer. The critics are raving about this one, and it looks to me like the one I will most enjoy.

The new season starts in a few weeks. I can't wait to see what new addictions I might find in the fall television schedule!

Weight Loss and Music Monday Artist - Landon Pigg

I mentioned Friday that for the past week I have been on a new diet/detox. Well, I am happy to report that in the first seven days I have lost nine pounds. I know that is all fluid weight, but it is nine pounds of fluid that I didn't need in my body! Plus, I have really gotten in the groove on this diet. So, we will see how this plays out, but I am really motivated and committed to stick to this plan and permanently change my eating habits. I have given up on the idea of a quick fix. I realize that I have to change my eating and exercise habits for life. Enough about this subject, it is Music Monday! I will keep you posted, though.

Because this is the first installment of Music Monday, I had a really difficult time determining which artist I would talk about. Of course, if you know me at all, you know that I am rather obsessed with Tori Amos. So, I really didn't need my first post to be about her. Although, I can't promise that she won't be the focus of a Music Monday in the future.

I decided today to talk about a new artist that I recently discovered. His name is Landon Pigg. I stumbled upon his music on I-Tunes, and I was immediately impressed. I think it is only a matter of time before this guy is huge in the music business. He has been compared to Coldplay, and I do agree with that comparison to an extent. Pigg lists one of his influences as David Mead, whom I love. I can definitely hear that influence in his music. I think he is different enough from what is currently out there in music to really stand out, though. His self-titled debut album is packed full of really thoughtful, not overly-produced songs with nicely balanced melodies, harmonies and rhythm.

Songs to check out on I-Tunes are: Sailed On, Great Companion, Keep Looking Up and Can't Let Go. If you check out the music, feel free to comment on this post and let me know what you think about Landon Pigg.

Am I the only one that finds it funny that I chose to feature an artist with the last name "Pigg" on the same day that I talk about my weight loss. No pun intended.

Nutritional Fact Friday - You'd Better Eat Your Greens

So, for the past week I have been on a new diet/detox. I am doing it to feel better, however, losing weight is a big part of that. So far I have lost about 6 pounds, but most importantly, I feel so much better already. In the last several months, I have been reading a lot about nutrition, and I have decided to discuss the subject every Friday on my blog. Therefore, today is Nutritional Fact Friday! Yea! Please hold your applause...

Today, I want to talk about a very important nutritional source, dark green leafy vegetables. Some examples include: spinach, bok choy, collard greens, kale, mustard greens, turnip greens, and swiss chard. These important vegetables should be present daily in everyone's diet. They contain important minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, vitamin A, vitamin K, vitamin B1 and B2. They are also loaded with antioxidants, which help fight disease and reduce the effects of aging on your body.

I happen to love pretty much all varieties of "greens". For several months last year, I ate a fresh spinach salad every day for lunch. I generally would have fresh spinach leaves, a few walnuts for a crunch, a little goat or feta cheese, and a low fat vinaigrette dressing. Unfortunately, I quit eating this healthy lunch around Christmas time of last year. I am starting again this week to drastically increase my intake of these delicious
veggies. I am sure my body will be thankful.

A word of warning...I read the other day that spinach is on the top ten list of foods with the highest concentrations of pesticides and other harmful chemicals. So, I strongly advise you to buy only organic spinach and other greens for that matter. There is no sense in harming your body at the same time you are trying to nourish it. Just something to keep in mind...

Until next time...Seacrest out. Just kidding.

Willkommen, Bienvenue, Welcome!

Welcome to my new blog. This is a place to post my thoughts for the day. I am thinking of having themes for each weekday post. For instance, during baseball season every Thursday will be the day to post about my team, The St. Louis Cardinals. I think Mondays will be "Music Mondays", and I will talk about music that I like. I am still working out the details on the rest of the week, so bare with me. Just a warning to the ones and twos of you that will read this blog, the opinions expressed in this blog are mine and mine alone. You will most likely disagree with me some of the time, and that is okay. You are welcome to leave comments to let me know exactly how you feel! Hopefully, I can provide a small amount of entertainment to you, however, that remains to be seen.

Now for my post about the St. Louis Cardinals. Tuesday they began a three game series with the New York Mets. The Mets are the first place Eastern Division team. The Cardinals are currently trying to cling to their first place ranking in the Central Division of the National League. So far the series has not gone in the Cardinals' favor, unfortunately. Tuesday's game was a huge disappointment. The Cardinals took the game into the bottom of the ninth with a lead, only to have Isringhausen give up the game winning home run with two outs. So close. Don't even get me started about last night's game. Mark Mulder was reactivated from the disabled list and made his first start in some time for the Cardinals. I believe that he could have used at least 2 more rehab starts in the minors before being brought back to the big leagues. I don't think the Mets were complaining, however, as they pounded him and eventually won the game 10-8. So, tonight's game is the third in this VERY critical series. The Cards definitely need to salvage a win to prove they are capable of competing in the postseason this fall. Cross your fingers. GO CARDS!