Remember on Wednesday, when I nabbed that cozy chair at Victor’s house and said it would be the perfect place to curl up with a good book? I found the book.
Actually, I found a boodle of them at Book Swim, a new service that’s like Netflix, but instead of movies, you receive books. Isn’t that cool? Here’s the press release from lovely Marita Burke:
The happiest time of the year is also the busiest and most expensive time of the year! Make your holiday hosting plans a little easier (and affordable!) this year with the help from BookSwim. Rent books to teach you everything from how to create spectacular decorations to making the best Eggnog. It’s the perfect way to come up ideas for those picky in-laws. Plus, when the holidays are through, you can send each book back, cutting down on clutter (a New Year’s resolution?) and allowing you, also, to rent all new and updated books the following year!
You and your guests can even gather on the couch and enjoy a Christmas classic like The Night Before Christmas!
Limited Plans
1 book per month: $9.95/month, $3.99 outgoing shipping
I love the unlimited plan. This way I can read three cookbooks at one time and enjoy them at my leisure. They go back in a pre-paid envelope when I am finished.
Loving all the holiday titles right now. I can’t help myself! And lookie, here’s a book from Ree, The Pioneer Woman – one of the web’s first food bloggers.
I bet you are getting ready for Labor Day. Me, too. Eric and I are hosting around 70 of our nearest and dearest for paella in the backyard. Someone asked me the other day how I do it. My response was that it is just as easy to cook for 70 as 10 friends. You just add extra chicken. lol
Remember last year’s paella soiree? We learned a lot from last year’s bash.
First, we will build a big wood fire this year. No wimpy propane for us. And we will start the fire early. Eric plans on having the fire up and roaring by 9 a.m. so we can eat at a decent hour. Last year it took 3 hours for that paella to cook and everyone was half in the bag by dinner. Now everyone will only be 1/4 in the bag by dinner, so that’s an improvement.
Secondly, we are asking our darlings to bring wine, beer and booze. That stuff skyrockets a party budget. Everyone is in a bit of an economic crunch these days, so our buddies are happy to contribute.
Thirdly, this year we will buy cleaned and deveined shrimp. Holly and I spent a billion hours peeling and deveining the four pounds of shrimp last year. Not this time.
Dessert will be paletas, or in english, popsicles. As I write this, the strawberries are bubbling on the stovetop with sugar and strawberry nectar. They will go into our popsicle molds and I will start all over again tomorrow with a new flavor. Maybe Mexican chocolate would be good. And easy. Pretty much just chocolate milk with cinnamon. That would be good. When you are making 70 popsicles, easy is key.
Here’s a link to the recipe we’re using. It says it will feed 25-30, but don’t you believe it. It will easily feed 60. With leftovers. Seriously. Maybe 25-30 linebackers.
Some of my favorite shots from last year.
Rick, Teague and Eric discuss the browning of the chicken
I love the look on Eric's face as he stirs this monster...
Have you ever met folks and just knew you all would be great friends? My new friend Victor is one of those folks. Victor is an image consultant and just the loveliest person. Our mutual friend Elizabeth introduced us and on Sunday we all met at Victor’s house for brunch. His house is one of those wonderful places you immediately feel at ease and could stay for hours.
Last month, when Eric and I were in New Orleans, fabulous Chef Matt Murphy hosted us at the Chef’s Table at The Ritz-Carlton’s M Bistro. Oh, it was divine.
I can’t spill all the details yet, because the story is being picked up by a national online magazine, but I can tell you about one dish he spoiled us with. And how we tried to replicate it at home.
You know how it goes – you have something that drives you wild at a restaurant and you are sure you can make it at home. But it never quite seems the same, does it? That’s because they are trained chefs. They went to school for years to drive you wild at the restaurant.
You all know how much I adore living in Atlanta. It’s a town filled with surprises. We are genteel, we are foodies, we love a parade, we love a spectacle. Sometimes we like it rough.
Saturday night was one of those rough nights. Besties Crystal, Teague, Denise, Rick, Eric and I all packed up the food and tailgated before the Atlanta Rollergirls bout at the Shriners Temple. This was my first time seeing the Rollergirls in action, and what a treat it was. But first, we must eat.
Recently, I have been getting so much advice on monetizing the blog that sometimes I just want to scream. I don’t want sell stuff just for the sake of making a few pennies here and there. Plus, I am so woefully bad at it.
But, I am always online looking for cool new stuff for my parties! This Labor Day we will be hosting a paella party for a passel of friends. Maybe 40, maybe 70, who knows? What I do know is that it will be a ball. And that I have got to get cracking on finding the freshest ingredients for our humongous paella pan.
Last year we had a devil of a time locating spanish chorizo. The kind that does not dissolve when cooked.
Guess what?? I found it online this week! The folks at La Tienda offer about a gazillion types of tantalizing spanish chorizo, just perfect for our paella soiree. Yay!
And I almost fainted when I spied the Extra Large Paella Burner. Who knew? Okay, I don’t know if we will be picking this up with its hefty $285 price tag, but golly, it would sure make things easier. We will probably still cook the paella the old school way, over a blazing fire (please, Mother Nature, make it cool this Labor Day).
But all our chorizo will come from La Tienda, for sure. Ole, y’all!
Eric and Teague man the paella station last year. Action shot!
Monetize, smonetize. Lets have fun!
xoxo, Patti
Today blogging to Aretha Franklin – Spanish Harlem
This has been quite the week. Starting with a fab dinner with Mr. Kerry Howard on Sunday night, followed by rising at 4 a.m. the next morning to appear on CBS Better Mornings Atlanta, the podcast that afternoon and finishing up with speaking at the Crave event on Tuesday. It has been a true whirlwind!
I am just now getting some rest, but wanted to share all the fun with you.
Monday morning found our group (the ever-adorable Laura Scholz of Scholz Communication – our camp counselor for these two days and her gorgeous assistant, Brittany, the amazingly glamorous Meridith Ford Goldman, Former Atlanta Journal-Constitution dining critic and food writer and now editorial director of the Atlanta-based marketing and public relations firm, The Reynolds Group, and my sweet friend Christy Annis, CEO of Peas for Prosperity), bleary eyed and in need of coffee at 4:45 a.m. at the CBS studios to talk about “When Life Hands You Lemons, Start A Lemonade Stand” with Tracye Hutchins. We were met by Amanda Harley, segment producer, who made us all feel very at home. And we gabbed. There’s a lot of hanging around when you appear on tv.
Christy, Brittany and I wait for Laura and Meridith
As any fan of design shows would know, Top Design is the ultimate contest. You all know Eddie Ross, and of course you know Kerry Howard. Remember our fun dinner party here?
Well, this time, we were the lucky ones to be hosted by our dear Kerry. I swear, if you met him, you would just want to eat him up with a spoon. He is that sweet.
And there were new friends to meet! You know how I love that.
First off, I know you are dying to hear all about Kerry’s place – fab. fab.fab. Everything is gorgeous – from the old church-inspired mirrors to the original art on the walls. It truly is a showplace. And of course, that fine design aesthetic made its way to the dinner table. I loved the cushioned bench that off-set the dining chairs.
Miss Elizabeth and I recently met for lunch at West Egg Cafe on the Westside. I have no idea why it has taken me so long to get here, as my buddies Laura Scholz and Shameeka Shy Ayers have been singing the praises of Chef Patric Bell forever.
But now that I’ve visited, I will not be a stranger.
The cafe has an open, airy feel to it, making you feel welcome immediately. The menu looks like a secret assignment from CIA, only your assignment is “Burgers and Draft Beer, $10”. Much better than the CIA, if you ask me. Unless your version of the CIA is the Culinary Institute of America.
I didn’t want you to think I had abandoned you, but I was up at 4 a.m. to appear on CBS Better Mornings Atlanta. Here’s a link to the page. The video is called “Start A Lemonade Stand, Part II”.
