Cold Weather Cook: Cooking Up A Storm!

Thanksgiving is this week, and since these chilly nights have rolled in, I've found myself craving those particular culinary creature comforts associated with this type of weather. Among these recipes are Chili,  various Cajun creations, old school homestyle like fried chicken or meatloaf and cabbage right down to homemade chili dogs.  You ever heard of Tater Tot Casserole? I hadn't until my BFF shared this favorite childhood recipe with me recently, and man was it good! lol. So what has inspired this sudden outburst of kitchen creations? Who knows, but my family LOVES it! Much of it probably has to do with me cherishing these rare quiet nights I have at home and giving in to that oh so womanly desire to nurture. Those in the music business and those associated with the music business understand what it's like to go days, maybe even weeks or months without some homecooked food. Needless to say, we learn to appreciate and cherish the simple gestures in life, and for me those simple things include things cooked up in my kitchen!! So, go ahead! Look below to take a peek at pics of what I've made recently!! It just may inspire you to give yourself or your nearest and dearest some homecooked love:)

Roaming & Romance

What are we all soo afraid of? Ok, so that's a dumb question.  Everyone has their own particular hang- ups...apparently.  The issue that makes it (by "it" I mean romance) even more daunting is that so many of us hide behind a fascade, a fantasy that tends to play out in our own heads to keep the real emotions at bay and from surfacing.  Then, of course, what happens next is that all involved parties end up masquerading as this particular character until it rains and a sudden downpour washes off the stage make-up, and we're all left staring at people we don't recognize, sometimes in a mirror.

In this life of roaming from city to city, state to state, place to place....can there exist a stable place for romance? It's all quite ironic. We run to stay, cry to smile, fall to rise, fear to love.

"Who Shot Rock N Roll?"...Art and Inspiration

As art inspires inspiration, I occasionally find myself seeking art at various museums.  Whenever I come across art, I usually can't help but stop, look and listen.  Recently, I went to the Birmingham Museum of Art's exhibit "Who Shot RockNRoll?" and saw some really great shots of artists throughout the decades.  The exhibit offers visitors a glimpse into the personalities and personas of entertainers of past and present.  You know the saying, a picure is worth a thousand words.  I found this to be true when looking at a lot of the pics on exhibit.  My thoughts..... Many of the photos capture the eccentricities of the artists they portray, all the specific and particular querks that draw the public to awe at them.  Other photos attempt to capture a sincere emotion, a rare look inside the heart of the individual. I was completely thrilled at one photo of Elton John in his shiny bell bottoms, both feet kicked up in the air with both hands remaining on the piano as if he were a spastic superman! I had no idea that Elton could get down like that!!  The Elton I've seen is laid back and reserved in nature.  I guess time has a way of chilling us all out!  Another photo I thought was pretty amazing if not completely self explanatory in its attempt to explain its subject, was the one of Tina Turner mid-dance move during one of her electric performances.  The photo is indeed electric with blurred images all around the main image, as if movement could echo.  It's like capturing her when she is speeding.  As if watching her is an electrifying dizzying experience! Dope indeed!!  (Would've included these photos, but museum security shut me down before I got to them lol) While I was staring at all of these perceptually charged pics, I couldn't keep a certain thought out of my mind.  "Do I look this weird sometimes too?" I mean, I'm just saying.  Being that I'm an artist as well, do I ever appear to be off my rocker to people? Um, probably, but who cares! I'm doing me.  So, I've attached a couple pics and video of my experience at the museum.  Oh, one other thing.  The marketing company behind the exhibit's party was on point!  They had 3 booths set up around the premises for guests to take FREE pics.  A very nice touch given the topic of the evening! Of course you know I've included the snapshots of "yours truly" *wink*:)  S/O to  Cool Shots Photo Booth!

Psychological Addiction??

So, it's come to my attention that I may have a psychological addiction. What I'm addicted to is hot, chocolate, sweet and keeps me crunk indeed. Say hello to my love affair with cocoa cappuccinos! Lol..I'm sorry. I know you had your minds ready for somethin juicy and wild, but this is really trippin me out. I mean for real, I can't leave these things alone.  I went into Starbucks the other day, and one of the baristas asked me what was the story behind the name of my record company...Euphratez.  I told him to look it up on my website b/c my brain wasn't awake enough to go into all that at the moment. WTF?! I was soo rude. But honestly, that's how I felt.  That good ol not right now, not today attitude.  How could I be soo rude to not answer this man's simple question when he's never been anything but nice to me and made me the most perfect cup of espresso every time? Immediately after I brushed him off, I felt bad. After I'd taken a couple sips of my cappuccino, I went to apologize for being a butt head and explained the story behind "Euphratez".  I think he was quite forgiving b/c he understood the whole morning mindset BEFORE the caffeine thing.  Especially since he probably deals with caffeine crazies all day long...lol.  He said
he understood and he believes it's a psychological thing. A psychological thing? Ok bruh, so you trynna call me an addict on the low?  After I mulled this particular comment over a bit, I concluded that he may partially have a point.  Yet still, caffeine has a direct physiological reaction in the body.  How do I know?  B/c if I don't have espresso for a day I beagn to experience what they call a "caffeine" headache.  Your head hurts a little due to lack of caffeine. The body usually adjusts w/out it after a few hours. It's probably psychological due to the fact you have to make a conscious effort to break the habit and ween yourself off the luscious liquid. So, we live in a world of caffeine crazies..and apparently, I'm one of them.

Chi-town.. Sade.. and Chardonnay

I had the wonderful experience of seeing Sade in concert a few days ago.  I have been a life long fan of Sade...ever since my Auntie use to sing her to me when I was like 3 and 4 yrs old.  I liked the music even then.  Even then there was just something about it that made you stand still, made you think, made you feel.  Sitting in that arena during the concert, I witnessed thousands of people undergoing that same experience.  Sitting still, not talking,.....feeling.  Oh yeah, and there was the occassional yelling/screaming crunkness from me.

She sang "Pearls" on her knees and brought the whole house down. I was astounded.   Truthfully, I think everybody was.  The next day, I woke up singing "Pearls"....couldn't get it out of my head. That "Hallelujah" part broke something in me...like water pushing against a dam. Atleast, it made me cry.  Little did I know the news of what was happening in Somalia around the world.  Later that same day, I was sitting at the airport waiting on my flight to arrive when I heard about the famine, and that another one of its magnitude had happened in 1992...around the same time "Pearls" was written.  With this knowledge, I'll never hear that song the same again.
What made the show even better, is that I got to experience it with my homie from waay back who is just as much of a  fan as I am! I truly enjoyed my experience in the Chi.  The concert was dope! Actually it was amazing!  Sade was amazing and seemingly effortlessly so.  I've included video of my trip :) Fun times!!

Chi-town and Sade