There is something magical about pie. Its uniting crust. Delicious innards and heart stopping fat content.
I think the magic also comes from making said pie with a nice person. Collecting the ingredients in a cross-town Sunday dash and putting them all together, to share with some wine and good friends.
Anita and Ben from Rancho Deluxe invited myself and the infamous Kris Wood around to the garage for a Sunday evening pie sharing session. We consulted “Stephanie”, the all encompassing cook book and set our minds on a good old fashioned chicken and leek, with stewed apple and custard for dessert. It was a little trial and error, but really, it all turned out pretty swell. I need to work on my lattice. Perhaps we shall just have to hold another pie night?
Are you getting married in Leigh? Are you looking for a cheap wedding photographer for your wedding budget? We offer a £50, pay by the hour service and you can have all of your photos on a CD or DVD copyright free. For more details please go through the big logo above.
Cheap Budget Affordable Leigh Weddings.
Wedding photography at all wedding venues and function rooms in Leigh.
Wedding photographs at Leigh Sports Village ,Leigh Cricket Club, Leigh Town Hall, Leigh Miners Welfare Institute,We would be delighted if you choose us to cover your wedding photography in Leigh. If you are looking for a professional yet affordable photography company with Leigh based photographers we can attend your wedding and take spectacular photographs on your special day in Leigh.
We can take wedding photographs at all Churches in Leigh.
civil partnership photographers for Lancashire. Photography at the Sporting Lodge.
Wedding photographs at Christ Church, Pennington Church, St Mary the Virgin Chuch, St Josephs, Living Waters Christian Fellowship Chuch,
GENERAL INFORMATION FOR WEDDINGS IN THE UK
Wedding Venues and Function Rooms
Weddings can take place in the UK at a Church or Chapel, a Synagogue a Mosque, a Temple, or other religious buildings including a function room, the Society of Friends (Quakers and the Kingdom Hall or a Catholic Church. Other religious ceremonies include Asian and Sikh weddings, Muslim, Indian and Henna and Mendi celebrations. You may have a renewal of Vows ceremony, a blessing or a Civil Partnership ceremony. Venues for civil ceremonies may include function rooms, a hotel, where marquee may be set up in the grounds; a Stately Home, a Museum, University, a pubs restaurant, or entertainment centres such a theatre, a tower, an ice ring, football clubs and stadiums, cricket clubs, sports halls, village hall, civic centre, or the London Eye and cafes. Many golf and country clubs now have a license for a civil wedding. Ceremonies may be conducted by a Registrar, a vicar or priest, or religious elder or ship’s captains.
Wedding Dresses Formal Wear and Suit Hire
Attire for weddings include the bride’s wedding dress, Matron of Honour, bridesmaids and flower girls dresses. Men’s suites may be bought or hired. Top hats and tails may be worn. Formal menswear includes suites for the Groom, the Best man, Ushers and Pageboys. The Bride’s Mother will choose a special outfit as will the father of the Bride. A bridal wedding tiara is usually worn and can be set by the hairdresser or makeup artist. Wedding rings and jewellery will have been chosen before the wedding day.
Wedding Cars
Wedding cars are often hired for the occasion and the popular models are Rolls Royce, a Bentley, Beauford, Jaguar or a Mercedes. Limousines are popular including a stretch limo and colored limo’s such as a pink Limousine. Classic or vintage cars are a popular choice for couples who are getting married and wish for something special on their day. Other couples will choose to have a horse and cart as their desired method of transport.
Wedding Themes
Many couples set an active theme for their wedding. This is often based around a colour or colors. Black and white, cream or blue and red are popular choices. The balloons, table decorations, favour, stationary and wedding invitations can all be designed around these colors.
Wedding Accessories.
Other important items for consideration at a wedding are the flowers; a specialised florist stocks beautiful wedding flowers and can make the bridal bouquet, flowers for button holes and bouquets for the Grooms mother and the Mother of the Bride. During the wedding breakfast at the reception some couples choose to have a Toastmaster to introduce the people and those who will be giving a reading of a poem or one of the speeches. An old wedding traditional includes the attendance of a piper with bagpipes or a chimney sweep. A choir, harpist or piano player or a string quartet or wedding singer may be hired for the occasion. Most couples have a wedding cake although a chocolate fountain is a popular choice in addition to or including a cake for the menu. Fine wines, champagnes and Bucks fizz may be drank a the reception. Wedding presents and gifts may be left on show at the venue. Evening entertainment can include a mobile disco with a DJ and a casino.
Wedding Photography
A professional wedding photographer can capture the celebrations with a set of photographs. These can be presented as loose prints, photos in a wedding album or a storybook album. They can be supplied on a Cd or DVD disc copyright free for printing on a home computer of at a high street shop.
We love the downtown Winston-Salem blog for keeping our name out there while we work on getting open. Thank you!
This article is cool too because they are also supporting Gusto who is in the fabulous building on the corner from us. If you look at the picture, you can see the corner of our blue awning behind the Gusto store.
We’re mentioned in there along with the fact that our building has vinyl siding on it. We have no idea what it looked like before the siding but we have no control over that. That’s a decision for the building owner to make, not the tenant! It doesn’t detract from the charm of the inside of the building and I hope they will come visit us anyway!
http://npaper-wehaa.com/yes-weekly/2010/03/09/#?article=789502 This was a little blurb that showed up in Yes Weekly.
The lesson of the week this week was that wine and yoga don’t mix and I need to treat my body nicer. All week I was drained. Some of that drain was not my doing, some of it was. For the bazillionth time, maybe I have learned a lesson.
I felt somewhat exhausted early in the week because my dog was waking me up in the middle of the night several nights in a row to go out. I knew something was wrong and it turned out she had a bladder infection. A trip to the vet and some medicine and she was on the mend and I could sleep again. Right? Wrong.
Tuesday night I did a stupid thing during dinner, I drank way too much wine.
Wine normally doesn’t bother me, then again I don’t usually drink that much with my dinner. Tuesday night, after what was actually a really good yoga class, I had some pasta and poured too much wine. My friend Debbie bought the bottle for me for my birthday. The wine had a particularly high alcohol content 15% alcohol by volume, which I forgot while imbibing. I had a glass and then another. I should have just said no. But, I thought there was only a teensy bit left in the bottle. So, I poured another glass. Bad move.
Regardless of whether there was just a little bit left or not, I was already buzzed. I didn’t realize it immediately, but then I noticed I wasn’t as agile as I should have been. (read stumbling) The decision to pour the final bit was such a bad mistake and I paid for it. I could have just dumped it down the drain, but no I couldn’t do that. Stupid.
I slept so poorly during the night. I was already worn out, and the wine made my sleep restless. I don’t think I ever fell into a deep sleep and I woke up feeling like I’d been through a war. I made it through the day Wednesday, but I was very low energy.
I went to yoga on Wednesday night hoping for a great class. What was I thinking? I always try to do my best physically, but I felt like I had weights holding me down. Class was difficult and I couldn’t figure out why. Duh? Then of course it came to me; dumbass you drank way too much and you felt like shit all day. Why I expected my body to perform at peak condition during class I have no idea. But, at least I may have sweated out the alcohol that was polluting my body.
I don’t drink nearly as much as I once did, but I still drink some. I like red wine. But, this week’s yoga class experience makes me realize I need to treat my body better. I’m not saying I’m giving up the vino because I think a little red wine is good for the heart. That’s what my mom always used to say. But, too much is definitely bad.
Yoga is about being aware and being in the moment. Often, I know I can get caught up in the moment and lose my awareness. I was enjoying the red wine a little too much and wasn’t paying attention to my body telling me, ‘hey, you are stumbling a little bit you idiot!’
When I was younger I drank a lot and treated my body badly. I smoked for a long, long time. I felt compelled to smoke and drink because my friends did, but I could have been my own person and not done what everyone else did. I wasn’t that strong. It’s a cliche, but I wanted to be cool. I kept smoking until I learned my mother had lung cancer. I stopped. She died. It’s been about 8 years since I smoked. Now it repulses me. The smell is awful and it just looks nasty.
I drank too much too and that really isn’t an attractive thing. I’m definitely not an ascetic and don’t plan to cut alcohol out of my life, but for the most part I have learned to curb my habit.
Having friends (triathletes, marathoners, yogis) who take care of their bodies has benefits because they don’t do things to harm themselves, like smoking. And, they may drink, but if they are going to run, swim, bike or do yoga the next day, more often than not they aren’t downing mass quantities of booze when they go out. There’s always an exception, like the weekend when there was a whole slew of birthday celebrations. But, mostly my friends are too busy to be boozing. The positive influence has had an impact on me.
Back to the yoga, though. Since my yoga practice has gotten deeper I don’t want to eat really bad stuff or drink a lot because the whole point of doing the yoga is to get healthier physically and mentally. What’s the point of trying to improve your body only to pollute it? I still have food challenges, like craving cheese fries on a rare occasion and my cookie habit – I’m working on it.
But, I really try to limit the amount of processed crap I put in my body now. I’m still making progress and I’m not perfect. But, I eat a lot more vegetables and fruits now than I probably ever have. I have even started eating spinach! That is huge for me!
So, now I plan to limit my wine drinking. I’m not saying I’m not going to drink a glass with my dinner on occasion, but I think I will make the occasions fewer. It will be a good experiment to see how I feel sans alcohol. Thank god the wine is all gone that will surely make it easier!
Clifton-based Papadeli have just announced the dates for a series of wine tasting sessions that they are running at the deli this year. These tasting sessions follow on from similar events that they hosted last year with wine expert Raj Soni.
Further details of the sessions are below – to book, simply email info@papadeli.co.uk with details of the session that you’d like to attend, or phone them on 0117 973 6569.
The wine tastings with Raj Soni last year were superb. Raj is former chairman of the West of England Wine and Spirits Association and is a font of fascinating knowledge about wine. His style is easy and humorous and suitable for all – from novice to connoisseur. The wine is accompanied by delicious papadeli food and the atmosphere is always jovial.
Here are the dates for this year.
Start time 7.30pm
21st April
Burgundy, including Cotes Challonaise, Maconnais and Beaujolais. £35.
18th May
Spanish wines. £30.
22nd June
Loire and Alsace. £25.
21st September
Italy with focus on Tuscany. £25.
26th October
Bordeaux. £35.
23rd November
Champagne, sparkling wine and sherry accompanied by delectable festive foods. £45.
Whew! Yesterday I was in AZ and now am in CA. Let’s backtrack, eh? Get cozy. Seriously. You’re about to read two days’ worth of stories.
Yesterday after I woke up and ate a marvelous plate of eggs, I debated between staying home and going out. I chose the latter, though it did cost me ten dollars to take a taxi one mile or so down the road to the shopping mall. The weather was fantastic and I wore a sundress which felt fabulous. Nobody was home except the dogs and I wanted to bust the cabin fever, so I did what every girl likes to do…shop. After an hour or so, Jake’s friend Anna picked me up and we cruised to Scottsdale so meet Jake at work. I got to see more scenic passes through the valley and the sun felt fantastic. Scottsdale, I learned, is a big city, but it is big in length. Going through the towns is quite lovely. It’s just awesome to see how different things are. Anna and I had lunch at Chik-Fil-A (first time ever) and then we parted ways. Poor girl was in a tizzy about not having her paycheck, and by tizzy I mean ready to deck someone in the face. I do hope she got it, otherwise I feel very sorry for anyone who was responsible.
You may be wondering, “Oh Naseem, why ever did you go meet Jake at work?” Well, you see, yesterday we commuted to San Diego, so we rented a car, and I needed to drive the rental car back to Jake’s while Jake drove home in his car. No big deal, right? Not until I saw Jake whip the car around the corner and pull next to his Civic. No big deal that we drove a frickin 2010 silver Mustang to California. Awww yeah ladies and gentlemen, we rode in style, and this girl got to breeze down AZ freeways behind that wheel with the radio blasting and the biggest shit-eating grin on my face. I. Felt. Fabulous.
We got home, packed, changed, got directions to Bengt and Bitta’s (Theresa, if you will) place (friends of Jake and Kate), then left almost as soon as we came. Despite a few holdups earlier, we made great time in getting ready and hit the road between 5:30 and 6:00 p.m. From the Phoenix area, it’s about a six hour drive to San Diego, but the trip was made bearable by good company and even better conversation. We peeled out of the valley area and drove through Maricopa before we hit I-85 W, and it was here that I really saw the desert, even asking Jake to pull over so I could photograph the mountains and cacti, completely disregarding my open toed sandals and the possibility of snakes and other creatures. By the time we got on the open stretch of road that would carry us into California, the sun was beginning to set, the mountains were turning purple and hazy, and I experienced a sliver of the otherwise vast sensation of what it might have felt like to be a cowboy or a New Englander in the 19th century meandering Westward into the vast depths of our nation. After a while, we pulled into a rest stop for bathroom purposes, and I wandered around photographing the sun actually lowering herself over the desert, finally tucking away beneath the horizon line so all that was left in sight were blue and violet washes in the sky kissed with streaks of glimmering copper clouds. By this time, it was dark, and I felt content with the desert photos I had. We piled in the car and continued Westward. We stopped again in Yuma, AZ to eat and stretch, and it was here the drive got interesting.
The road we took (85 W) grazes the U.S./Mexico border by about five miles or so. Yuma is about, oh, approximately thirty minutes from the AZ/CA border. Jake and I stopped at a gas station and ate at Jack In The Box, which was good but oh so greasy. We felt refreshed after the food and I bought myself a too-sweet hot chocolate, but hey, it’s vacation. We then piled back into the car and continued. Shortly after leaving Yuma, we came to a check point of sorts, indicating that we approached the state border. It wasn’t much of a check. We went through a toll lane and the gentleman at the booth asked us where we were coming from. We answered “Phoenix” and he waved us on, wishing us a good night. All was dandy and then about fifteen minutes later, we noticed that traffic started getting slightly backed up. Then we noticed the bright ass lights rigged up alongside the road. Another check point, although it looked makeshift. Patrolmen were walking along the shoulder with drug-sniffing dogs. No speaking was involved here, you simply drove by very, very slowly, the dog would sniff the vehicle as it passed, and if old Fido didn’t start barking up a storm, you were waved on. At first it seemed like it was a rather epic event but ended up being a little disappointing. We did, however, see ATVs cruising around to our left, shining lights into the bushes, and Jake explained to me that Border Patrol ride ATVs at night looking for illegal crossers sleeping in the shrubs. On our left we saw nothing but vast blackness and occasionally, bright lights indicating the country border check points.
After these escapades, we started ascending into the mountains. The pressure change was annoying at first. We climbed 4ooo feet just zooming along on these roads. There was nothing but utter blackness and I could see every star in the sky. I craned my neck at odd angles to gaze upon them. Seeing the silhouettes of the mountains against the velvety blue of the night sky made me feel small and insignificant and filled me with admiration and reverence.
When we came out of the mountains, we had about thirty minutes left of the drive, and oh what a lovely thirty minutes, as we had descended into the San Diego valleys and the lights just glittered as we drove on. We reached our destination in the Del Mar neighborhood shortly after 11:00 p.m., where we were greeted by Bengt and the chipper puppy, Rossi. He showed us around and we had brief conversation before all three of us retired. What a lovely home in a lovely neighborhood. The best part? The comfy bed. I fell asleep almost immediately after hitting the sheets.
This morning we woke up shortly after 9:00 a.m. and sauntered downstairs where I met Bitta, a sweet woman with pretty eyes and the nicest disposition. She insisted we make ourselves at home and help ourselves to whatever we fancied. Wishing us a good day, she departed for work and we set about making eggs and toast and coffee. Rossi jumped at our ankles and we had a lovely morning. After breakfast, we washed the dishes, cleaned up, and got ready for THE BEACH THE BEACH THE BEACH. A trip to Target was required and Bitta lent us her GPS, TomTom (Watson, we call him, for he has a mild British accent), who led us in a loopdeloop around several highways and local streets, unnecessarily complicating the commute to Target. By the time we were ready to actually go to the beach, it was nearly noon.
The day was spent at Mission Beach, about fifteen minutes away from the B & B resort. Primarily a college beach with white sand, tan skin, and clear water, it was probably the most beautiful one I have been to. There was a rollercoaster on the boardwalk too and some shops, but different from other boardwalk shops I’ve seen on the East Coast. Also, this was a monumental first trip to the Pacific Ocean for me! The parking gods blessed us too, as we found a spot in a public lot right across from the main street that divides the parking from the ocean, and we secured a spot right near the entrance. The beach gods also smiled upon us, because not only was it a clean beach (minus all the washed up seaweed, miscellaneous oceanic flora, and buzzing creatures above said flora), but it was not busy at all. We found a good spot to hunker down, and after slathering on sunscreen, I ran into the waves much like a child. They were cold, but I didn’t care. The seaside is my holy place, its waves my deities, and I always feel so calm and content whenever I am near them. Temperature does not faze me and I felt so lucky to be splashing around in clear water. Many seashells and rocks were collected and many photographs snapped. We stayed on the shore for a few hours, then packed up and sauntered along the gorgeous boardwalk, with its marvelous properties and beautiful people. We ended up exploring on top of a jetty but I felt slightly nerve wracked hopping from rock to rock. I kept thinking I was going to slip, fall, bust my knees, bust my camera, misstep and tumble, but it was fine. Slow going (barefoot at times), but great actually. I got some splendid photos.
Around 5:00 we left the beach and got a taste of California rush hour. After getting back to the B & B resort, we showered quick and departed shortly thereafter to University Heights to visit my Aunt Victoria. What an adorable neighborhood, really old and battered with a charm of its owns that no hoitey toitey neighborhood can match. Auntoria was cooking away in the kitchen and her house, though tiny in size, was big in warmth and attitude. The three of us schmoozed and drank wine and feasted on her fabulous appetizers. Eventually I ended up taking her headshots for her business cards and we had fun deviating from this track and taking silly pictures. Auntoria is a licensed acupuncturist and a shaman so she showed me and Jake her new “toys,” which include a moya drum and tuning forks tuned to planetary frequencies. Her new dig is sound healing and we had a blast being zenned-out by her forks, so much so that we ended up getting sleepy. After a great evening with lots of hugs and laughing, she sent us on our way. Jake and I stopped in Normal Heights, the adjacent hood, to a funky coffee shop so we should buy beans for Bitta and Bengt as a thanks-for-lettings-us-chill-here gift. We got home, oh, around 11:00 ish, and I started writing this at 11:15. It’s now 12:05.
Tomorrow is our last day here. We plan on taking a trip to the Meditation Gardens in Escondido and spending another day on the beach before departing this beautiful city at 6:00 p.m. or so. We had entertained the idea of taking a day trip to Los Angeles to visit friends and see the city, but that would require getting up in five hours to avoid traffic. Yeah not happening.
Thanks for sitting tight and reading! If you went through this whole thing, you deserve a high five. Vacation ends Saturday, but look for a new post Friday-ish.
Patrick and I went to wine country in October and visited this adorable vineyard in the Anderson Valley. (Sidebar – if you’re going, Anderson Valley tasting by FAR outshines Napa Valley tasting.)
Anyway, Husch vineyards was a beautiful experience. The most adorable little cottage tasting room and some truly amazing wines. It was the first place we ever actually, REALLY considered doing a wine club. The wines were fabulous… Their Chenin Blanc is so romantic and we shared a bottle of it on the beach the next day (all the while fighting off sea gulls and Ivy’s prying hands).
We decided to bring home their 2007 Gewurztraminer. A wine that I’m usually not a big fan of. Well, today, St. Patty’s day, almost exactly 5 months later,on the first day of 2010 that was darn near 70 degrees, we finally cracked the bottle and were *so* not disappointed. It was smooth and velvety and absolutely perfect…(and yes of course we drank it over ice, in the sunshine, because that’s what we do in our house).
I’m on my third glass, toasting the close to a gorgeous day, and I think I’ll go sit my tired booty down, open my book and savor the flavor baby.
