Related Post: Eat
Diner En Blanc
It’s a lazy Saturday afternoon.
You are in Paris.
You have no plans for the evening.
Your phone rings.
It’s an invitation to the annual Diner En Blanc.
You and “13,000 people, dressed elaborately in white, will converge at a secret location (in Paris) for the annual DINER EN BLANC. In fifteen minutes they will position 4,000 tables, unveil miles of linens, crystal, sterling and epicurean delicacies. You’ll eat, drink and dance until midnight at which time you’ll will depart as swiftly as you arrived. [Read more...]
Rollin’ in it
“Our sea salt caramel gelato blends ribbons of sea salt caramel into creamy caramel gelato” and glides smoothly into my belly. This product should not be sold over the counter. Dangerous. No need to look at calorie count. It is also versatile. Straight up with no chaser for dinner last night. Two scoops on two slices of warm Zucchini Walnut Bread for brunch. Equally delectable.
Inspiration: To Lori @ Donna & Diablo for her comment on my Mario Biondi post. ”Mmmmm, that voice is like hot caramel….warm, sweet, enveloping….” I’d been on the hunt for caramel since the post on Friday night. And voila. Look what I found. Darn woman is solely responsible for soaring calorie counts.
Source: Haagen-Dazs.
Related Posts: On Second Scoop - Product Review. Junk Food Guy – Product Review.
Sunday Morning Brunch (Crunch)
BSS | Breakfast Interrupted from Bruton Stroube Studios on Vimeo.
Related Video: If you want to see how they made this clip, go here. Cool.
Saturday Morning Work-Out Inspiration: Our Killer
I share exercise inspirations on Saturday mornings to get me off the couch and out the door. This share by Steve Layman may be the most powerful story and research that I’ve read on this topic. A few excerpts…
The story starts with a Phil Bruno “super-sizing again…He was only a mile from his house, where his wife, Susan, was cooking the usual big Italian dinner for their family of five, but he was hungry now. The urge was automatic…Ten minutes later, with a bag of burgers steaming on the seat beside him, he pulled into a McDonald’s and ordered a Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese, an apple pie, and a chocolate shake to wash it all down…Phil had always loved food, which was part of the fabric of his tight-knit Sicilian-American family: Grandma and her lasagna were right down the street. But he’d been athletic in his youth, playing high school football and carrying a robust but reasonable 215 pounds on a six-foot-three-inch frame. Then, in his mid-twenties, he’d stopped working out, as many of us do when life starts to chew up our time. Over the years, his regular meals and high-calorie bingeing had turned him into a physical and emotional wreck. His joints ached whenever he used the stairs, his heart hammered, and he was possessed by a strange, burning thirst that no amount of ice water could quench. “I was 47 years old,” he says, “but I felt like I was 80.” [Read more...]
Reversion to the mean…
My post this morning listed 14 SuperFoods to extend your life – - what heroic intentions. And now, we’ve reverted to this. 90 seconds of awesomeness. Now we’re talkin’…
Rouge By Carte Noire – Michael & Philippe – QUAD from QUAD on Vimeo.
DK Foodie Rating: 4.5 out of 5. (Discount for inability to taste and smell)
The Pre-Game Show
I’m not one. But this stopped me in my tracks today…
“The risk of hospitalization or death from heart disease is 32% lower in vegetarians than people who eat meat and fish, according to a new study from the University of Oxford.
Heart disease is the single largest cause of death in developed countries…The new findings, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, suggest that a vegetarian diet could significantly reduce people’s risk of heart disease…This is the largest study ever conducted in the UK comparing rates of heart disease between vegetarians and non-vegetarians. The analysis looked at almost 45,000 volunteers from England and Scotland…of whom 34% were vegetarian. Such a significant representation of vegetarians is rare in studies of this type, and allowed researchers to make more precise estimates of the relative risks between the two groups.”
Source: University of Oxford
Yup. That’s me.
After a tough day like today, GIVE it to me.
- Regular spaghetti. Thin noodles. Angel Hair. Or a combo. Doesn’t matter.
- Fetuccini. Linguini. Tortellini. Anything with “ini” works. Not discriminating.
- Bow Tie. Corkscrew. Elbow. Lasagna. You pick it. Just be sure you have enough for 3-4 helpings.
- Red sauce. White sauce. Butter Sauce. Makes no difference. Put the pot down. Hand me the spoon.
Roll it in front of me.
Give me a stick of butter, a salt shaker and a fork.
And stand back.
I need ten minutes of quiet time…with me and my pasta.
Image Source: anarchy camp
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Yup, about right.
And,
“Eating Season (Nov 5th to Jan 1): My Holiday Preemptive Diet Plan vs. Probable Reality” [Read more...]
Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick.
Add one more stick of butter, and voila, perfection.
Source: Thank you Creatingaquietmind
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The countdown is on…
Sunday afternoons are for…
Hot apple cider served in scooped up apple mugs with cinnamon stick…
Source: Better Homes & Gardens via conflictingheart
Running everywhere but Paris!
One of my followers had asked why there haven’t been any running posts for weeks. Simple question. Simple answer. Because I haven’t been running. Hurt? No. Ill? No. Bad Weather? Of course not. Pathetically lazy? Yes. So, we’re off this morning to break this 30-day streak of nothing. For those of you that are new to my running regime, it is 10% physical and 90% mental. So, I play word association games to keep it going.
So, what was rolling through my mind during my run…
Summer vacation. How long ago it was. (Caribbean vs. Paris and they take Caribbean. WHERE IS THE COMMON SENSE HERE? The King Loses (Again) - and again and again. Mimi has gone more than 25x. Me. Zero.)
Thanksgiving is coming. Turkey. Mashed potatoes. Gravy. Pumpkin pie. (I can feel my energy draining. Tryptophan made a leap from my mind into my body. I yawn.)
Stuffing. Glazed carrots. Whipped cream. Apple Pie. (I’m practically walking now.)
Leftovers. Turkey sandwiches. More pie. Heaping scoops of ice cream. (I stop. I need to re-group. What sort of mind discipline plan are you working on here pal? I take a few deep breaths. And, I start running again. Let’s try a different mental path)
Paris. The Louvre. The Eiffel Tower. The Grand Palais. Palais Garnier. Cobblestones. History. (OK, now that’s better. Keep it rollin’)
Quiche. Baguettes. French Onion Soup. Cheese. (OMG. This is going down hill fast. 911. 911. 911.)
Croque Monsieur, Crepes, thin crust butter pastries, Chocolate Croissants, (Free fall now. I have to stop again. I walk for 1/4 mile. My trusty GPS says that I’ve run 2.1 miles. No, that’s a stretch to call it a run. Let’s call is a walk-run. Yes, that’s better. I need a different mind-word game to get me back in gear. What comes to mind? Where in the world have you run and what comes to mind when you think of the city? Here we go…) [Read more...]
Want this…
…NOW!
Source: Thank you creatingaquietmind via vmvj.fri - “Hot chocolate: a delicious hot chocolate in the form of a spoon of solid chocolate.Heat, mix, enjoy!
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4:01 am. And, Inspired…
Good Wednesday morning.
Yes. If you’ve read my “About” page, you get an understanding of why. Why I do this (blog). To get someone. Anyone. Everyone. To share a laugh. A smile. An “aha” moment. Perhaps a tear. A moment of inspiration. And I’ve come to learn that I “get” far more than I “give.” I had another one of those moments at 4:00 pm on Sunday afternoon. It came unexpectedly in an email from a follower. I don’t know “D.” ”D” is from the other side of this country. I didn’t know he followed my blog. I’m reading his email: “Hello. I’m finally doing what I’ve been meaning to for months. I’ve never written to a blogger before and I am absolutely compelled to do so now. Your blog; your blog! Since I came across your blog a few months ago, I have been inspired and uplifted. Most profoundly, your posts about your kids have moved this xx year old father to tears. I just want to thank you, David, for sharing. I don’t believe that many days have passed without me going to your blog. And, I can tell you that after I have done so, I feel a genuine sense of gratitude for the kindness and goodness you so obviously bring to this world. Yes, I am very grateful indeed.”
Thank you “D.” You moved me. You made my day, my week and likely months to come. Thank you “D” and all of my other friends and followers who take the time to check in to visit each day. You inspire me with long shots of adrenaline to “blog on.” And now on to the inspiring posts of the week from my favorite bloggers:
Kurt @ CulturalOffering with his share he titles “Pause“: “Within a breath or two of emptying my mind, thoughts came flooding in — nature abhors a vacuum. I felt an itch on my face and wanted to scratch it. A great title for my next book popped into my head and I wanted to write it down before I forgot it. I thought of at least four phone calls I wanted to make and one difficult conversation I was going to have later that day. I became anxious, knowing I only had a few hours of writing time. What was I doing just sitting here? I wanted to open my eyes and look at how much time was left on my countdown timer. I heard my kids fighting in the other room and wanted to intervene. Here’s the key though: I wanted to do all those things, but I didn’t do them. Instead, every time I had one of those thoughts, I brought my attention back to my breath…(Read more)
Becky Robinson @ Weaving Influence with her post These Exact Places: “I believe that there is nothing random about my path, about the people I’ve encountered, about the opportunities I’ve discovered, the places I’ve lived…Where I live, where I go, what I say, and what I do, makes a difference. Where you live, where you go, what you say, and what you do makes a difference. There are no accidents. You are exactly where you need to be, right now.” (Read more) [Read more...]
Saturday Afternoons are for…
Crave Ice cream? Like no other man. Addicted? Not!
Join me in taking the NY Times Magazine Quiz: Are You Addicted to Food?
Part A: Answer 0 for never; 1 for once a month; 2 for two to four times a month; 3 for two to three times a week; and 4 for more than 4 times a week.
-
I find myself consuming certain foods even though I am no longer hungry. (DK Score: 4. Actually 4×4=16, if we are asked to uphold a Monk-level integrity standard here. I could eat ice cream 3 meals a day.)
-
I feel sluggish or fatigued from overeating. (DK Score: 2. Shocking actually. I think I have built up a gorging stamina.)
-
I have had physical withdrawal symptoms like agitation and anxiety when I cut down on certain foods (not including caffeinated drinks). (DK Score: Hmmmm. What if your normal condition is being agitated and anxious? Let’s split the baby here and give me a 2.)
-
My behavior with respect to food and eating causes me significant distress. (DK Score: 1. I’m should get “negative” points here. Eating actually brings me incredible joy and peace. That is, until my pants begin to snug up. Then we’re talking sirens.)
Eat.
EAT from Rick Mereki on Vimeo.
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- 16 Seconds to a Guaranteed Smile…
- 30 Gifts to 30 Strangers…
- 4:12 am and inspired…
- Did you enjoy your story?

Do you need to change your relationship with food?
After another weekend of gorging, this blogger’s posts hit home. A few choice excerpts from Craig Harper’s top 15: Nutrition for Dummies.
| 3) | If it comes in an exciting range of fluorescent colours, don’t eat it. |
| 4) | Nobody accidentally eats cake. Own your choices and your behaviours. |
| 6) | Calories consumed in secret count. Your friends might not know but your arse will. |
| 7) | If dieting was an effective way to lose weight permanently, nobody would ever diet twice. |
| 8) | Don’t confuse ‘what your head wants’ with what your body needs. Your mind is a lying b*tch. |
| 10) | If you haven’t had a poo since June, maybe cut back on the processed food. And try a little fibre. Just saying. |
Then he follows up with another solid post titled: Your Body: One Year From Today – A Question of Change. A few excerpts:
“…If you’re serious about changing your body, and more importantly, keeping it that way, below you’ll find 12 relevant, valuable and potentially-transformational questions…
It’s all coming my way…
I’m off and running. (Tipped the scales at new 12-month record. Quite a bingeing week. Proud of yourself Pal? How far are you going to take this up?)
Humid morning, but not overly so for this time of the year. (Yet, you are sweating profusely. Ahhhhh, yes. Thai food last night. Equivalent of 1/8 lb intravenous injection of NaCl. And yes, that accounts for the weight jump. Water retention. Wave of relief – weight gain should be erased by morning. Will just slug back 3 quarts of water today. And Voila – back to sleek, fighting weight.)
Endomondo says that I’m 1/2 mile and 4 minutes ahead of what Garmin is recording. (Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. Third run in a row and Endomondo has been wildly encouraging. And wildly wrong. I retract my prior glowing review. Yellow lights are flashing on this app. My trusty Garmin soldiers on.)
Two Miles. Sweat continues to roll. Rub my forehead with my forearm. Taste the Thai food salt now. (For as much as I’m secreting here, or is it excreting, I should bottle it like Worcestershire…)
Zeke + Buddhist Monk + Almonds = Enlightenment!
Zeke, our four-year old Vizsla, has excellent hearing and smell. But not for the bird hunting discipline that he was bred for – - but for California Blue Diamond Smokehouse Almonds. From a room away, he can hear a 1/2 turn on the top of the plastic Almond container. If he’s outside and comes inside, his nose goes 911 when he sniffs a whiff of a single nut.
Zeke and I have a routine each night. He waits for Dad’s snack time before bed time when Dad and Zeke share a heaping handful of almonds. Most days, it’s one for Zeke, one for Dad, one for Zeke, one for Dad. (OK, sometimes Dad cheats on the allocation when Zeke isn’t looking. OK, OK, more than sometimes.)
Zeke wolfs down his Almond without breaking his eye lock with Dad. No chewing. Straight down the gullet. 1 Almond. 2 Almonds. 3 Almonds. Same pattern. He gives me the same desperate look that he might miss out on his share if he breaks his stare. (Those eyes are telling me that he knows that I’m cheating him out of his allocation.)
I proceed to tell him that “maybe you should chew your almonds and enjoy them rather than just scarfing them down without tasting them – maybe you won’t keep begging for more.” (I’m no different that you other dog owners. I believe he understands me but he just doesn’t want to cooperate.)
Genetics aren’t optional but what we do with them is…
By Craig Harper: Fifteen Lessons From the Gym Floor. A few excerpts
“In thirty years of working with bodies and, more importantly, the people who inhabit them, I’ve learned a bit…
1) Genetics aren’t optional but what we do with them is.
3) Many of us like the idea of losing weight but not the practical reality of it.
4) Some of us have been *almost* changing our habits and bodies for years.
5) Many of us have an unhealthy and dysfunctional relationship with food.
6) In many instances our body is the result. Not the problem.
10) The most effective exercise program is not always the most enjoyable program.
13) Finding a problem requires less effort than finding a solution.
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- Should I work out today?
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- There’s still time today to burn

Running Hard To Stay In Place…
Every morning. Same ritual. Groan in preparation for the morning weigh-in. I take off every stitch of clothing thinking that my underwear somehow will tip the scales. (Am I a child?) I take a deep breath. My food intake from the prior day flashes by. Hoping for a miracle here – thinking maybe, just maybe, my super metabolism worked harder overnight – - given that I slept well and all. (Are you serious? This is going to be bad.) Then, I then step on the scale. Damn it. No miracle. And this is even after grinding out my work-out three days in a row.
Here’s the score card:
| Day | Activity | Distance | Calories Burned | Weight* |
| Friday | Elliptical | 5.3 miles | 525 | 205.6 |
| Saturday | Run | 4.7 miles | 470 | 205.0 |
| Sunday | Run | 5.0 miles | 500 | 205.2 |
(*Who am I kidding adding decimals)
So, I just finished my run. And decided to tally up the tonnage from yesterday’s feeding frenzy – - and humiliate myself in front of all of my closest friends. GOING PUBLIC. LETTING IT ALL HANG OUT THERE. Here we go:
Inspiration & Wonder: From Universe, To Community, To My Stomach…
Are We Alone in the Universe? (Thank you Michael Wade & Execupundit.com)
Charles Krauthammer, Washington Post
“…Huge excitement. Two Earth-size planets found orbiting a sun-like star less than 1,000 light-years away…No earthlings there. But it’s only a matter of time — perhaps a year or two, estimates one astronomer — before we find the right one of the right size in the right place…And at just the right time. As the romance of manned space exploration has waned, the drive today is to find our living, thinking counterparts in the universe. For all the excitement, however, the search betrays a profound melancholy — a lonely species in a merciless universe anxiously awaits an answering voice amid utter silence…That silence is maddening. Not just because it compounds our feeling of cosmic isolation. But because it makes no sense. As we inevitably find more and more exo-planets where intelligent lifecan exist, why have we found no evidence — no signals, no radio waves — that intelligent life does exist? It’s called the Fermi Paradox, after the great physicist who once asked, “Where is everybody?” Or as was once elaborated: “All our logic, all our anti-isocentrism, assures us that we are not unique — that they must be there. And yet we do not see them.”
(Encourage you to hit the link and read entire article. Good. Community and Stomach inspirations to follow below.)
































