Flowers and Shadows

Flowers and Shadows, a photo by rebeccadru on Flickr.

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Beverly Hills, CA (May 27, 2013) ©2013 Rebecca Dru Photography All Rights Reserved
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Salsa Verde and Short Rib Tacos

I just came from Oaxaca...and I love their salsa verde.  I didn’t want to research any recipes...I just wanted to make it with flavors I thought worked...so I picked out 6 good sized green and 5 red jalapeños, 2 full bunches of really fragrant Cilantro (sometimes it has no smell or it smells old)...came home...rinsed it off...put the whole bunches right in the vitamix (minus the rubber bands), cut off the stems of the jalapenos..tossed those in...added a half cup of sliced deli pickled Jalapeños with the juice and pinch of salt...a swirl of Mandranova extra virgin olive oil....and flipped the switch to emulsify the mixture.... I wanted the textures smooth and creamy...

The whole thing took less than 3 minutes to make from start to finish and the flavor is incredible.  Poured it all in a quart sized jar and refrigerated it....I took the left over in the vitamix...added a little water and poured it into my simmering short ribs to add just a little kick.

The short ribs....   Took a package from Costco with 6 pieces at about 8” strips.... seasoned them with a little kosher salt...browned them on both sides..sliced up a sweet onion and tossed that in....mixed it around to soak up some of the browned bits from the meat.  Ricky from Palm Restaurant had been so kind to give me a bottle of SKYNNY white wine a few weeks back....and since I didn’t have any chicken stock....I decided I would use the remainder of the bottle (about 3/4 full)....poured it in.....added a few cups of water to cover the ribs...a heaping Tablespoon of brown sugar....the leftover salsa verde in the vitamix jar cleaned out with a little water....some red pepper flakes.... turned up the heat to boil.....then turned it down to simmer for hours....leaving the cover on but open about 2”....

4 hours later....tossed two corn tortillas over an open flame to heat up...added a little short ribs on each....a line of salsa verde across...and YUMMILICIOUS it was!!!...along with a little fresh sliced pineapple...

So quick and easy!!

Whenever I go to a new doctor....

Whenever I go to a new doctor, I always start with this...."Hello Doctor, It's nice to meet you.  I need to say a few things first.   Firstly, I'm not a big fan of doctors...I've had some horrible experiences, so this is what I need from you.  I need a doctor who will treat me with respect; a doctor with a heart, who's kind, caring and compassionate.  I need a doctor who'll speak to me in layman's terms and explain everthing to me so I understand exactly what's going on.   I need a doctor who is a human being and doesn't think he's god.  If you can give me that and your time, then let's continue.  If not, I'll turn around and walk out the door." Generally, it catches them so off guard that they soften right up and are totally different than had I not said this.

Jami Cakes on Red Bubble

+Chef Jami Cakes  has a new site and will be adding one new photo a week..check it out! Just click on this space to open the window....

Digitally Archive Precious Photos and Important Documents

I hear this over and over from clients..."oh I didn't back up my computer....all my photos were in a box...I lost my paperwork...I'm crushed...I don't have any photos of memories from my past...they were destroyed".  I see it on the news during devastating times....thousands and thousands of people who lose precious photos and are broken hearted;  documents that can't be duplicated, or if they can, take weeks and months of precious time and lots of red tape to replace.  It doesn't have to be this way.....If you don't want to lose your important documents and sentimental photos and videos...please take the time to scan and digitally archive your precious memories. It's such a simple thing to do...it just takes a little time every day to get it done. Make sure you triple save it...whether on portable external hard drives kept in a waterproof case, on DVDs also kept in water proof cases and/or on an internet cloud.  Make sure you put them in 3 different places with easy access so in times of emergency, you can grab it. This way, you will ALWAYS have a copy on hand no matter what happens. Please...make the time...or hire someone to get it done for you...you'll be glad you did!

©2012 Rebecca Dru  All Rights Reserved

STOP

Stop…whatever you’re doing…whomever you’re criticizing…or judging…or yelling…or complaining about….just Stop….for a moment…take a deep breath…appreciate that you’re alive…be grateful…   ©2011 Rebecca Dru Photography All Rights Reserved

Post Physical Therapy!!

On Jan 25th, I had knee surgery to clean up a multitude of tears in the cartilage in my right knee.  While not a huge fan of surgery, it was time to deal with the pain and the inability to function in terms of my lessening mobility.  Dr. Louis Kwong juxtaposed it to a ripped fingernail; if you don't even it out and file it down, the tearing continues until there's nothing left but chronic pain.

I began Physical Therapy (PT) a week later at Joel Scherr, RPT, Inc (in the West Cedar Sinai Medical Tower) with Ernie de la Torre.  I was weak and severely out of shape....beyond what I thought...

I'm thrilled to be able to use my precor elliptical 546 again adding 5 min. increments every few days...today I start at 35 minutes. I already have my big ball for my mini-squats (That doesn't sound right!).. my resistance bands and free weights; I'll use the bottom landing instead of buying a STEP for now.... I just got my multi-position slant stretch board for my calves, legs and back.... I have a REBOUNDER mini-trampoline for jogging and my Pro Fitter Physio Kit for continuing to strengthen my legs and gluts, both due in any day...and now I just have to look into bungee cords for some other forms of strength training.  The only thing missing is Ernie....my Physical Therapist.  Upon viewing Ernie's pix on FB, my husband stated," Oh, no wonder you like going to PT, he looks like a Playboy!!"  Yes, Honey, he does...but a very married one. 


Here's to building strength and maintaining it!

©2012 Rebecca Dru  All Rights Reserved

I choose "Happy"

It takes more effort to be miserable than to be happy and yet so many people choose misery....  Choose Happy...small steps...start finding moments in your day that lift you... focus on them....laugh...heartily...let go of those who drag you down....get rid of the chaos... Find creative outlets; write...draw...paint...snap pix...sing...and laugh, laugh some more... I choose happy!!

©2012 Rebecca Dru  All Rights Reserved

Want to learn a new language?

Do you want to learn a new language...not sure how to go about it?  A dear friend of mine who teaches languages...in fact, was my French teacher in 7th grade (A LONG time ago...), suggested to us, when wanting to learn Italian, to label, in Italian, every single item in our home with stickies.  This way, every time we looked at something, we'd see and say the Italian word and start to use it.  Then...learn some verbs, even if you get the tense wrong, start to use it to put sentences together with the items around your home.  Eventually, you'll start thinking in that language.  Lastly, find people in your neighborhood who speak the language and try using it with them....or go visit that country where they speak the language, if you have the opportunity...and use it.  You'll  start to get the hang of it.  Every time my daughter visits a country, she takes a course in the language there so she can keep building up her skills and apply it while there.  Little by little you'll become proficient!!

My Rant of The Day: INVESTING

When FB had their IPO...I had lots of people asking me if I was going to invest....and I thought long and hard about it but decided they were way overpriced...I mean WAY overpriced.  Had they opened at $8/share, I would've dove in for the long term.... but they were 5x's that amount..no thanks.  With millions of people on FB....they have definite potential... but for now, it's all air right now.

So here's the way I have always looked at investing; Investing in the stock market is a legal form of gambling....if you're going to put money into it, don't put it in unless you have it (don't borrow from someone) and be prepared to lose it, so it's not going to make you or break you. 

Remember the stock market is a roller coaster;  It's great when the stocks you buy go up....but they also go down; it's all cyclical. Use your head and do your homework; Just because people hype a stock, doesn't mean that you buy it..that's why they're hyping it..they convince you to buy and then they sell...you've lost and they've made a bloody fortune.  

Read...Read...Read....the internet makes it easy now inform yourself, financially.  I read everything I could....every publication out there... this was after I asked a relative, who's livelihood is in the NY Financial District, to help me and he refused...I educated myself. Then, and only then should you think of investing.   

I, personally, will never use a "financial advisor"...because in the end, if you're up on everything...they don't know anymore than you do...and now you've entrusted someone else with your money.  Good luck!

©2012 Rebecca Dru All Rights Reserved

Beauty on my Balcony

Well...we may not have been able to see the Solar Eclipse from West Hollywood today...but we could still enjoy the sun....

©2012 Rebecca Dru  All Rights Reserved

Seafood taco from Primetime Cuisine on Wheels

Yesterday, Lovey and I went to LACMA for a lecture on Latin American Art and then enjoyed the exhibits pertaining to the lecture (will get to that in a different posting).  Being that we keep saying we're going to try the food trucks, this was a perfect opportunity as they're always lined up on Wilshire Blvd across the street from the museum.  One thing I always do with truck owners/cooks/chefs...whatever label they give themselves...is..I want to know from where they got their passion to cook and how they have developed their palate. So as I visited the trucks, I asked. I'm only featuring one of the 3 we tried (too full to go on)...because they're the only one whose food fit their passion.  

The first truck is called Primetime Cuisine on Wheels; the owners of the truck are from Mexico. The husband handles the orders and the business and his wife cooks...and boy does she!  She's from a town near the sea outside of Mexico City..next time, I'll remember... (as I want to know what region they come from and are they seaside or inland). We're going to make this one our stop next Saturday...and try some of their other dishes... (and we promised the Hungarian Hamburger guy we'd try a burger and goulash too...  

We also tried the Korean NY Galbi Truck, did not like at all...and the Cali Bhan Mi Truck...his flavor was good but his execution was lousy..the veggies inside were too thickly cut, and his pork was dry and tough which made it unpleasant to eat.  I asked him about how he got into this type of Vietnamese cooking...and at first he seemed incensed that I would ask him..but..I like to know about people's passions....his was from eating it in San Jose....but never had he gone to Vietnam or really studied it.  His bread was good..his spices and flavors were good....I just wish he'd learn how to cook the pork for it...and slice his vegetables thinly...if not via knife..then get a mandolin.  These things make a difference.  I can only wish him well..but I will not be returning...nor will I recommend it.

Okay..so let's get back to the Mexican.....

The first truck we came upon was Primetime Cuisine on Wheels which was strictly Mexican (as opposed to a fusion) so we went up to the window and asked what is their specialty; seafood, with the fried crispy shell....so I ordered only one taco to taste.

I'm not going to go into a food writer's dissertation here...it's plain and simple...OMG...OMG....SCRUMPTIOUS...YUMMILICIOUS... I should've trusted my taste buds and not bothered with the other trucks...and just ordered more from them....perhaps next Saturday, I'll see you there!

©2012 Rebecca Dru   All Rights Reserved

Whenever I Go to a New Doctor, I Say This.....

I hear a lot of people complaining about their doctors...never questioning them on treatments or if they don't quite understand something or feeling less than. Remember, you're paying for a service, you should feel comfortable with whomever you choose.  Don't be afraid to ask questions, to be informed about every aspect of whatever your issue is.  Don't be afraid to say something if you feel intimidated by your doctor.  Here's the way I see it....

Whenever I go to a new doctor, I always start with this....

"Hello Doctor, It's nice to meet you.  I need to say a few things first.   Firstly, I'm not a big fan of doctors...I've had some horrible experiences, so this is what I need from you.  I need a doctor who will treat me with respect; a doctor with a heart, who's kind, caring and compassionate.  I need a doctor who'll speak to me in layman's terms and explain everthing to me so I understand exactly what's going on.   I need a doctor who is a human being and doesn't think he's god.  If you can give me that and your time, then let's continue.  If not, I'll turn around and walk out the door." Generally, it catches them so off guard that they soften right up and are totally different than had I not said this.

Don't ever be afraid to speak up!!

First...let's get down to business....If you live in CA..please make an effort to sign this!

Since this is a California Ballot Initiative, we need in-person, physical signatures. We cannot gather online and have until April22nd to gather 800,000 signatures to get this on the 2012 California Ballot. California registered voters can go to http://www.labelgmos.org/ and find their local area leader and find out where they can sign. :) Thanks for being aware and helping spread the word.

Do you ever think about what you're putting into your mouth....and I don't mean going to extreme's...just basic things...processed things...  Here's just an example..  Ethanol and Shellac are common ingredients in processed food, chocolate, candy and confections... read on to see what these.  Next time you think about eating a candy bar, a breakfast bar...snack food...put on your glasses (if you need them) and read away....I think you might be horrified by what you see and think twice about putting it in your mouth...something fresh... organic, non-GMO might be a better alternative.... 

Ethanol within the human body is converted into acetaldehyde by alcohol dehydrogenase and then into acetic acid by acetaldehyde dehydrogenase. The product of the first step of this breakdown, acetaldehyde, is more toxic than ethanol. Acetaldehyde has been shown to increase the risk of developing cirrhosis of the liver, multiple forms of cancer, and alcoholism.

Shellac is a brittle or flaky secretion of the insect Kerria lacca, found in the forests of Assam and Thailand. Shellac is considered edible and it is sometimes used as a glazing agent on pills and candies. This coating may not be considered as vegetarian as it may, and probably does, contain crushed insects. In the tablet manufacture trade, it is sometimes referred to as "beetlejuice" for this reason. Shellac is known to cause allergies on contact, resulting in skin irritations.

©2012 Rebecca Dru  All Rights Reserved

Rebeccadru on Redbubble.com

Started a new page on Redbubble.com... posting my favorite shots I've taken over the years.

To the "Entertainers" out there and the people who mimic them...."Conversate" is NOT a word. The correct word is "converse". It takes less time to write, less time to say.... Learn it!

Do you pick it up or pass it by?

I was brought up to believe in the value of every coin....and we collect over $100 in coins every year just along our walks...sometimes it puzzles me how many coins we find as though someone just emptied out their pockets at the mere annoyance of coins.


Curious....if you see a coin on the ground...be it a penny, nickel, dime or quarter....do you pick it up or pass it by?

Today, as we returned home from our walk with the dogs, I found $60 today wrapped up in an ATM slip that someone obviously dropped walking up my street... some would say...keep it....but I feel it necessary to go to the bank to return it to the rightful owner seeing as their bank balance wasn't too high..that could be a day's pay....

What would you do?

PUGLIA in October

I'm meeting up with Jami Cakes (and possibly my sis and bro) for 10 days in Puglia... so I've made a tentative list of where we're going....a bit ambitious...but never hurts to do my initial research and then experience it as we go....

Foggia

Lucera

Campobasso

San Severo

San Giovanni Rotondo

Vieste

Mattinata

Monte Sant'angelo

Manfredonia

Trani

Molfetta

Modugno

Giovinazzo

Bari

Polignano

Monopoii

Fasano

Ostuni

Cisterno

Alberobello

Locorotondo

Martina Franca

Ceglie

Torre Canne

Brindisi

San PIetro

Lecce

Acaya

Vernole

Otranto

Casarano

Castro Marina

Santa Maria di Leuca

Gallipoli

Castromediano

Pulsano

Nardo

Manduria

Sava

Oria

Taranto

Massafra

Matera

Gioa del Colle

Aquaviva

Gravina in Puglia

Venosa

Canosa di Puglia

Basilicata: Venosa

©2011 Rebecca Dru All Rights Reserved

Roasted Boneless Leg of Lamb

I'm not a huge fan of lamb...Jerry and Jami are. My favorite part is the bone from the lamb chops with the little bit of meat and carmelized fat lining the edge of the bone.... but...if the lamb is exceptionally made, I could actually start to like it....

Before Jami Cakes left for Tanzania, I picked up a boneless leg of lamb as requested by the boss of our kitchen....except that there was no time left to make her creation. Yesterday, Jerry had a hankering for lamb and I remembered it was in the deep freezer chest...so he fished it out and defrosted it. I'm not about to wait 5 months to use it. We can pick up another one upon her return.

Sorry people....can you believe I forgot to take pix...ME...forget the cam? OY....so we'll have to go by description only.

I fired up the oven to 500˚ for about 20 minutes. While that was happening, the 4 lb lamb roast was close to room temp, tied up and ready to go. Yeah..I know what they say for food safety...out of the fridge and into the oven..but not me...Meat just does NOT cook optimally this way. Timing for me is everything and when that pan enters the oven....I know exactly when it's going to come out by the temp of the meat when it went in...and we're all healthy here.... Personally, I think it's from where you get your food. Mine is from a local butcher and they know the animal.

While the oven is heating... I make a Proveçal paste. One of my "tricks" is I buy a big bag of dried Porcini mushrooms once a year and in a coffee bean grinder, I grind them up into dust, pack them in tupperware containers for the freezer. This way, when I need mushrooms for sauces, rubs or pesto, I use the dust...it's fantastic....and yeah...I know I should make my own herbes de Provence..and I will when I'm out, but a friend brought me back a couple of excellent bags from France and it's convenient. OH...and for you foodies, yeah..I know this is more of a winter dish...but so what....on a cool summer night as it was tonight..it works out beautifully!

Provençal Rub

1 TBSN Porcini mushroom dust

9 minced garlic cloves

1 TBSN herbes de Provence

Rosemary from 3 stalks, chopped finely

1 TBSN ground black pepper

1 TBSN hot red pepper flakes

1 TBSN kosher salt

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Combine the above ingredients in a small bowl and mix with a fork.

Place the 4lb lamb in a dutch oven or a pan..make sure the pan is about the size of the lamb. You don't want it much bigger so the juices and the wine baste it. Cover the lamb entirely with the rub.

Poor in 1/2 bottle of a tasty bottle of dry red wine...and make sure it's tasty. It really is important that the flavor of the wine is happening because otherwise, you'll make a sub par dish!

Pop it into the oven and turn the heat down to 200˚. Check it in 2 hours to turn it over and pour in the rest of the wine.

Notice the aroma....your nose will lead you to the oven when something is ready.... and in this case....about another 2 hours later....you'll have a tender delicious succulent lamb roast ready for the table...if it makes it there! In our case....that's a lot of meat for 2 people...so...I'll be putting mine in a salad or having it with rice and lentils and Jer will be making some sandwiches.

Try it...you might like it! I did and I'm hooked!

In MY LIVING ROOM™ Private Salon #4

Our next IN MY LIVING ROOM™ salon #4 is tonight, Friday, May 6th, 2011....Jami Cakes will be here!!!

Quite an evening...Argentinian, Brasilian, Spanish, Classical, R&B, Pop Musicians, Composers, Writers, Story Tellers, Comedians, Artists, Actors, Triangle Players, people who want to eat, drink and be merry..people who like to cook...people who just want to chat, listen, sing along and have fun!

More to come!

A Day at the Beach....

It was a glorious day at the beach today. I'm so enjoying our warm sunny Southern CA weather hoping it will last a little longer.

Upon our arrivial, I noticed a (about 9 year old) kid take off and run from his parents to the Lifeguard Tower while the parents weren't looking.....panicked parents calling for him...becoming more panicked that he was in the water drowning....father getting angrier and angrier, yelling louder and louder, not asking if anyone had seen him, not thinking about how his voice is affecting anyone...not thinking that had the kid been in the water...the lifeguards would have noticed....kid comes running back...the father with a mouth on him screams after the kid...and the nervously laughing kid runs from his father, knowing full well what his father will do...and it's not hug him. He slams the child's body into the ground...flattens him out like a pancakes and with his 300 lb torso, presses his knees into the boy's back while taking his long arm 3' up in the air...slamming it down on his son's rear end 3 times as the boy's two young siblings (about 2 years and 4 years of age) watch. He then rips him off the ground and the crying child gets no sympathy from his mother who continues the process, screaming at him, grounding him from every possible thing in his life...telling him what could've happened to him. Now I understand their being upset....but never once....did they put their arms around that boy and tell him they were glad he was okay....never once....did they take responsibility for not watching him.....all they did was to show him anger, hatred and instill fear.... and instill a lot of negative attention.... and tell the two young children that their brother is fine. Where was the love?

In the next moment....I see a young hispanic father with his two 18 month old children....and 8 of his friends playing on the beach. The father lovingly walks hand in hand with his children to the shoreline....and as the water washes over their feet, the children squeal with delight and a big smile breaks out on the father's face. Next to them, the 8 men sit in the water as though they were young children, awaiting the wave, laughing every time it sweeps over them; pure joy.

What a pleasure it was to leave the beach today with that picture in my head instead of the first.....I wanted to thank them for that gift.

©2011 Rebecca Dru All Rights Reserved

Stair Climbing on Your Ass for Seniors

Just had a conversation with my dad; he had been asking about Jerry's recovery from recent knee surgery. I playfully told him that Jerry has now graduated from climbing the stairs on his ass to walking them with great agility. My Pops' response, "well, he should keep on doing them on his rear...you know, as we men age, we lose our rear ends and we need to do things to keep it shaped. If you don't use it, you lose it!" . I jokingly told my dad that the next exercise video I shoot of him (we've done "Mr. Wilson's Calesthenics; the YMCA exercises" and "Boxing for Seniors starring Mr. Wilson and Tiger") will be "Stair Climbing on Your Ass for Seniors". I said I see so many men his age installing the seat that rides up the stairs, I wonder if those people actually sat down on the step and pushed themselves up, one step at a time, if it wouldn't be better for them. They'd have to work those muscles with each step. He heartily agreed. So...be ready...next time I see my Pops....expect a new exercise video!

IN MY LIVING ROOM™

Our next IN MY LIVING ROOM™ salon is being combined with our annual DAY AFTER THANKSGIVING party.....Jami will be home...she'll be the boss of the kitchen and it will be truly time to celebrate!!!

Quite an evening...Argentinian, Brasilian, Spanish, Barbershop Quartet, Classical, R&B, Pop Musicians, Composers, Writers, Story Tellers, Comedians, Artists, Actors, Triangle Players, people who want to eat, drink and be merry..people who like to cook...people who just want to chat, listen, sing along and have fun! In My Living Room Friday, November 26th, 4:00PM address given 2 weeks prior to event providing you RSVP

If you'd like to perform, please make sure it's LIVE unless you're singing to track.

If you're not on the invitation list, please ask if there's a space for you. This fills up very quickly.

©2010 Rebecca Dru All Rights Reserved

Check out my guest blog contribution on FIVE SCRIBE: TAKE BACK YOUR POWER

I say it every day....”Take back your power!”. As artists, we give it up so easily. We bow down to authority. We think we’re not worthy and we allow others to disrespect us. So I’ll say it again....shouting it louder...”Take back your power”....find your sense of self....set boundaries and TELL people what you want.

It seems to me as artists, we have two different arenas in which to take back our power… the creative and the market place.

In terms of the creative arena, your instincts are your talent...they’re all you’ve got. Trust them.

As far as the business.... you can’t take things personally. Remember everyone’s brain is wired differently...people don’t necessarily think like you do. We have expectations that one can read our mind (or our novel or our screenplay) and that we all do things the same way. We don’t. It’s not just about men and women being from different planets....everyone is. You can say something 1000 different ways before the other person gets it...but eventually, if you stick with it, they will.

Find the humor... .don’t take things so seriously...take responsibility for that which is yours and put the rest back on the other person. Remember that when an editor or publisher doesn’t shower attention on you or show you respect, it may have nothing to do with you..and usually doesn’t...you just happened to be with them in an inopportune moment.

Think about the people on your creative and professional team. Do they enrich your creative process.... what is your purpose for pursuing them?

Why do you get upset when they’re not available to you...who are they to you? If they’re really someone worth keeping on your team, then start developing communication skills. It’s vital for a successful business partnership that you tell them what you want and expect from them. If they’re not someone that gives depth and meaning to your life; to your career; to your creative process - if the feeling isn’t mutual...let them go...clean house.

Speak up! Find a way to talk to your agent, manager, publisher or editor about what is okay and what is not. Don’t go in there and squirm....Take notes...create bullet points, take a deep breath and get oxygen into your brain, stand up strong and say what you need to say in an intelligent articulate emotionless manner. The people who take risks in life are the ones who get what they want.

Take Back Your Power.