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Thursday, December 31, 2009
Happy New Year, 15(ish) hours ahead.
The Minneapolis Airport, snowy and cold on December 30th.
Welcome to Japan, more than a day later.
Oh man,
it's not even 5 am here New Years Day in Japan,
and I've already showered and been up for an hour.
We lost a day there, somehow, and I haven't completely figured it out.
13 hour plane flights aren't the end of the world,
but the whole time change thing is so weird.
We're off to go see the sunrise,
the very first sunrise of the New Year.
That's a special thing over here.
And since we're both wide awake,
we're ready to start 2010 off right.
I wish you all an awesome New Years,
whenever it reaches wherever you are.
No time for looking back at 2009,
we're off to see Japan.
Welcome to Japan, more than a day later.
Oh man,
it's not even 5 am here New Years Day in Japan,
and I've already showered and been up for an hour.
We lost a day there, somehow, and I haven't completely figured it out.
13 hour plane flights aren't the end of the world,
but the whole time change thing is so weird.
We're off to go see the sunrise,
the very first sunrise of the New Year.
That's a special thing over here.
And since we're both wide awake,
we're ready to start 2010 off right.
I wish you all an awesome New Years,
whenever it reaches wherever you are.
No time for looking back at 2009,
we're off to see Japan.
Excitement about Friday's Rose Parade
Well tomorrow is the big day, the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California. I'm looking forward to seeing the Rose Parade and all the beautiful flower-covered floats. But as I mentioned yesterday I'm really excited to see The Natural Balance Pet Food float, featuring Tillman and four other bulldogs snowboarding on the float. It's not just any float, it was just certified by the Guinness Book of World Records as the Longest Parade Float in history! I plan to Tweet live from Pasadena, so feel free to follow my coverage commentary on www.twitter.com/RickRockhill Friday morning, starting at 6:30 AM (pacific). I hope you can watch the parade on TV and see this amazing float. One of colleagues wrote an interesting post about it all on the PETCO blog today too. Here is another behind the scenes video that was on the morning news recently:KTLA 5 Morning News Interviews - Natural Balance Part 2 from Natural Balance on Vimeo.
Oh- one other thing. I'd appreciate it if on Friday morning, after the Parade, you would log on and vote for the Natural Balance float as your favorite. Just click hereWednesday, December 30, 2009
Christmas New Year wallpaper
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Rose Parade this Friday- Watch and Win!
OK so I should let you know in advance that the next few days I'm going to be posting a fair amount about the Rose Parade and Tillman the skateboarding bulldog. I'm doing this for a few reasons: First, I'll be attending the Rose Parade Friday morning in Pasadena, CA and will be in the viewing stands along with everyone else. Second, my company is participating in the fun and will be giving away some awesome prizes to people who follow along online or on the parade route. Finally, I'm going to write about it because I'm psyched about seeing the World's Biggest Parade Float (a rendition is above). The float will have a ski slope- with active chair lifts so four different bulldogs can snowboard down the slope during the parade. Tillman, the famous skateboarding bulldog will be joined by Rose, Lyle, Niki and Tank all of whom love to snowboard! It's really quite amazing to watch these dogs in action.
above: they took the float for a test spin last week. Right now they are busy covering it with all the flowers for Friday's Tournament of Roses Parade. Check out this video below:
KTLA 5 Morning News Interviews - Natural Balance Part 1 from Natural Balance on Vimeo.
HERE IS HOW YOU CAN WIN PRIZES ON FRIDAY:
I copied the following information directly from my company blog:
My company is bringing the experience live to all of you through the company blog, twitter, and facebook and giving away over $1000 in prizes. There will be many chances to win BIG—as BIG as Tillman’s fan base, as BIG as the total number of kibbles that Natural Balance makes every year for our pets, as BIG as the float itself! It’s the moment you’ve all been waiting for since the announcement, how YOU can win!
Follow these 3 steps for your chance to win:
1) Follow us on Twitter, Fan us on Facebook:
- PETCO Facebook: www.facebook.com/petco
- Generation Natural Pet Facebook: www.facebook.com/GenNaturalPet
- PETCO Twitter www.twitter.com/petco
- Generation Natural PetTwitter www.twitter.com/GenNaturalPet
2) Keep a close eye on our social sites during the parade and Tune in to the Rose Parade on your television on New Year’s Day on one of the following networks (Check Your Local Listings for exact air times):
- ABC
- Hallmark Channel
- HGTV
- KTLA (Tribune)
- NBC
- RFD-TV
- Travel Channel
- Univision
3) We’ll be asking questions and announcing ways where you can win on our social sites. Watch and watch closely. There will be some clues in tomorrow’s and Friday’s blog posts (wink, wink)!
Attending the parade in person? Make a sign that says “Tillman Shops at PETCO” with your twitter username. Hold it high above your head as the Natural Balance float comes by. If we see your sign, we’ll tweet you live from the float and you could win big time!
Now on to the goodies! What can you win? How about a year’s supply of Natural Balance FoodNew Tillman Tips Treats? Limited Tillman and Rose Plush Toys? Or A PETCO gift card to spoil your pet’s in any way you’d like? (yes, an entire year of food for your pooch or kitty)? The
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Getting out of Town
The footprints, and the footprint makers.
This was the quietest Christmas I can ever remember.
We usually spend the holiday with my parents,
my sister, and my brother in Maryland,
and that house's decibel level becomes terrifying.
If you think I get too loud,
get ready for this admission.
My brother Kyle is far louder.
The volume only multiplies when everyone is trying to shout over everyone else.
The first couple years Meryl hid behind the couch,
until she realized that we weren't actually fighting.
This year, there was none of that.
We had Adam around,
and Ryan and Rebecca brought sexy presents
and vegan cheesecake Christmas Eve.
Then Christmas Day we had Casey, Ardeshir, Adam, and Camden
around the table with us chowing down some banana pecan pancakes that Meryl made.
So good.
In between all of that,
there was a lot of shoveling happening,
and planning for Japan.
In 48 hours we'll be on a plane heading West.
So West It'll be Far East.
Lots of last minute preparations to get done today,
especially since tomorrow I'm cramming in one last work day.
What an a-hole.
(it sounded like a good idea when I booked it)
Someone stole a bag of melting salt off of our front porch last night.
And last year someone took our shovel.
But I won't have to worry about all of this after tomorrow.
It's a balmy 50º in Tokyo right now,
can't wait to be there.
First Trailer from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows released
or if you can't view the video above, try this link below:
First Trailer from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows released
Time to re-read book seven...
Saturday, December 26, 2009
New Panto Group for an Old Tradition
With the old year behind us - "Oh no it isn't!" I hear you say - Budleigh Salterton has yet another entertaining aspect to it in the aptly-named Buscers, who are launching their first production in the New Year.
Budleigh Salterton Community Entertainers will be staging the pantomime Aladdin in the Public Hall on 16 and 23 January, with performances starting at 2.15 pm and 7.15 pm.
Panto director Steve Andrews heads a team of 90 people involved with the show, including 16-year-old Rebecca Clark who is playing principal girl Princess Jasmin. He has been delighted with the enthusiastic response from the Budleigh community. It's going to be, as he says, "a show to remember."
Oh yes it is!
Profits from the show are going to Budleigh Age Concern.
Budleigh Salterton Community Entertainers will be staging the pantomime Aladdin in the Public Hall on 16 and 23 January, with performances starting at 2.15 pm and 7.15 pm.
Panto director Steve Andrews heads a team of 90 people involved with the show, including 16-year-old Rebecca Clark who is playing principal girl Princess Jasmin. He has been delighted with the enthusiastic response from the Budleigh community. It's going to be, as he says, "a show to remember."
Oh yes it is!
Profits from the show are going to Budleigh Age Concern.
Tickets are £7 and £5 for under-14s and are available from The Card Shop Too in Budleigh Salterton High Street, or from Jenny Nicholls - telephone: (01395) 446415.
A sweet idea for a Budleigh shop
Even in Budleigh Salterton one sees sadly empty or boarded-up business premises, like this shop on the High Street. When I pass them I wonder what an enterprising shopkeeper would do to fill a gap in the market, and think how hard it must be in these troubled economic times to come up with a good recession-proof idea which would enhance a small town's high street.
Maybe it's the time of year, Christmas being a binge-time for chocoholics, but I was excited when I read the following news from our sister-town of Brewster, Cape Cod, where the appropriately named Mr Lively has opened a shop selling 75 different kinds of chocolate truffles.
Above: Could Budleigh chocolate truffles become as popular as its pebbles?
In a health-conscious community he could be on to a winner. Chocolate which is high in cocoa solids is now recognised as having many qualities that are beneficial to health. It contains essential trace elements and nutrients such as iron, calcium and potassium, and vitamins A. B1, C, D, and E. Cocoa is also the highest natural source for Magnesium. Magnesium deficiency is linked with hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, joint problems and pre-menstrual tension (PMT or PMS).
*****
Truffle master offers unusual treats
By Rich Eldred
There’s a lot more than just a lotta chocolatta in chef Paul Olaf Lively’s terrific truffles.
The chocolatier hand rolls 75 different original truffles with ingredients as diverse as blue cheese, sugar cane, wild blueberries, jalepeno pepper, sun-dried apples, Sumatra coffee, toasted pumpkin seeds, real live mushroom truffles and, naturally, chocolate.
By Rich Eldred
There’s a lot more than just a lotta chocolatta in chef Paul Olaf Lively’s terrific truffles.The chocolatier hand rolls 75 different original truffles with ingredients as diverse as blue cheese, sugar cane, wild blueberries, jalepeno pepper, sun-dried apples, Sumatra coffee, toasted pumpkin seeds, real live mushroom truffles and, naturally, chocolate.
Paul Lively, right, assists a customer at Chocolate Peddler.
It’s a dizzying array of gourmet dessert treats that he sells at Chocolate Peddler at 2628 Main St. next to True Value Hardware along with (amazingly good) soups, biscotti and sundries.
“When I get into a creative mode, I can mix anything with chocolate. I can take my culinary skills, mixed with the pastry stuff to create phenomenal chocolates,” he said proudly. “They’re all created here, it’s about a three-day process where I infuse chocolate for two days, make a mix and hand scoop and roll. I push them so far they’re off the wall.”
You can buy a Georgia-Ray (for Ray Charles), white chocolate infused with white peach, blood orange and raspberry, or the King Kong BBQ comprising grilled red banana, bittersweet chocolate ganache, fresh nutmeg, sugar cane barbecue sauce and mango.
“I make them because I can and nobody else does,” Lively reflected. “The B.B. King has blueberry (for BB), dark chocolate around luscious Lucille (his guitar) caramel and it’s sweet because he plays some sweet riffs. The King of Pop contains orange Grand Marnier, Fuji apples, smoked Gouda cheese dipped in white chocolate and wrapped in silver foil because those were some of Michael Jackson’s favorite things.”
The Neo contains actual truffles. “A chocolate truffle reproduces the look of a mushroom truffle,” Lively pointed out.
Ingredients come from local organic farms such as Ron Becker’s in Brewster and his landlord, Stephan Brown, is next door in his herb shop. “I said, ‘Would you like to sell my product in your store?’ And he said, ‘no, because I’d like you to open your own store.’ Part of my creativity is because I’m in a place that has almost become my home. And being on an organic farm inspires me,” Lively observed.
Lively came to Brewster from Wareham, where he’d started making and selling his chocolates after leaving New York City, where he had established himself as a pastry chef.
Lively was born in Rockland County, N.Y., and started out as a pastry chef in Manhattan at the Russian Tea Room next to Carnegie Hall before being lured into the world of fine chocolates.
“I got into pastry because I wanted to have a bed and breakfast when I was in my 20s,” he recalled. “My job from December ’91 to Jan. 15, was to make truffles, 25,000 in a month.”
That might have put someone off chocolate forever but it had the opposite effect on Lively.
“I worked a 40-hour week and then stayed afterward to learn chocolate; how to mold chocolate, do sugar,” he recalled.
He worked as a pastry chef at the 21 Club with chef Andre Bonhomme [in New York City] and soon succeeded him as the head pastryman. “Andre taught me the essence of French pastry and myself, and he and Michael Lomonaco came up with the recipes in the 21 Cookbook,” Lively said. “At the Tea Salon is where I got into infusions. Everything was infused with tea.”
Infusion is one of the secrets of Lively’s truffles. “The infusion process is like steeping a cup of tea. The ingredients are steeped into the chocolate so the natural flavors are extended into the chocolate and flavor becomes concentrated and intensified,” he explained. “I’m very particular on how things taste. If you’re infusing shrimp with coconut, you taste the coconut, you taste the shrimp, so one doesn’t overpower the other. I was fortunate to have been a sous chef and then become a pastry chef,” he noted.
Lively intends to produce his own ice cream next year, and add to his line of soups, pastries and organic gourmet takeout meals such as coconut key lime smoked barbecue ribs. He will teach a cooking class in your own kitchen or cater a fancy wedding as your personal chef.
“I really want people to feel welcome. The aura you should feel as you come into the store is comfort,” Lively said. “Everything is the essence of who I am and who you are. Every day is different. I get to experience and meet people and I’m producing a product that is great.”
The shop is modeled after an old mercantile with a soft sofa, copper pots and pans, an old Victrola, several antique radios, cookbooks, photos, jars and boxes of chocolates.
“I have regular customers who come in for soup and food. I love the town of Brewster; it’s one town that really hasn’t changed but where we’re creating a downtown Brewster where we’re all pulling together,” he said.
"Yule find it's so bracing!"
Well, that's what the mad Christmas Day swimmers told me when I joined crowds of Budleigh residents, curious spectators and the swimmers themselves as they gathered on the beach at 10.00 am on 25 December. A new record for both actors and audience seems to have been broken every year as the ritual grows in popularity, and Budleigh's Christmas Day swim is now a great local tradition as well as being officially listed by the UK's Outdoor Swimming Society as one of their 'must do' events.On a sunny morning with silvery calm sea, Budleigh is hard to beat, says the Society on its website and as far as I was concerned conditions couldn't have been better on Christmas Day, with a brilliant blue sky and radiant sunshine helping to make some good photos. The sea temperature of 10 degrees wouldn't suit everyone, and I was quite glad to have the excuse that I'd just come out of hospital. But maybe next year...
http://www.outdoorswimmingsociety.com/index.php?p=swimming_map&id=148g_map&id=148
Just in case of mishaps, the Exmouth lifeboat is on hand for the event at 10.00 am before heading off to the even bigger Exmouth Christmas Day swim a few miles along the coast.
Supporting the RNLI at the event was Gilly Jones from Budleigh. She's been fund-raising for the RNLI for two years, and I hope that she left with a full model life-boat: there must have been 1,000 spectators and 100 swimmers there, she thought. I explained why I wouldn't be going in the water and she explained that she couldn't because of collecting. So her husband Russell had been the one who'd be taking the plunge, his first time. For information about the RNLI see http://www.rnli.org.uk/uk/
Local reporter Simon Horn from the Exmouth & Budleigh Journal was another spectator who had a good excuse not to strip off and join the mad people. He's been attending the Budleigh event for 13 years.
Dave Winter from Budleigh was there with his daughter Hazel. She now lives in Eastbourne in Sussex, where they also have a Christmas Day swim. I unkindly suggested that she might have come to swim at Budleigh because the sea temperature would be higher here than in the snowy South East of England. But no, it was simply "a great family tradition."
So now they're under starter's orders with an exciting countdown from 10 just to build up the adrenalin or whatever you need to keep you upright and alive in this bonkers situation. The countdown seemed to work. Nobody chickened out and ran the other way as far as I could see.
It could just have been a lovely sunny summer's day as they all splashed happily in the waves, but the Santa hats are a giveaway.
Running southwards into the sun does help maintain the illusion that you're heading for a warm bath in the English Channel, I suppose. I didn't know whether this sun-facing shot would come out, but it turned out to be quite arty.
You have to be pretty smart with a camera because no sooner have you taken a shot of everyone heading to the water than they start running back again! Understandable really. I say running, but of course those famous pebbles can be quite painful for frozen feet and this couple look as if they're suffering a bit.
Suffering or not, the face of this young man holding the Santa hat shows all the triumph of his crazy achievement.
Amanda Gulbrantson from Littleham has been doing a Christmas Day swim for 20 years. Both she and her dog Sam look as if they've been enjoying themselves. Ryan Morris, next to her, clearly can't understand why that lone swimmer is carrying on towards Sidmouth. I did hear the word "crackers" being used to describe him.
Ryan told me that the event was "non official" and had no organiser because of dreaded health & safety issues. He introduced me to his father Larry who had started it at Budleigh. "Originally it was a Boxing Day swim but that clashed with a raft race so they moved it to Christmas Day," explained Larry. A keen swimmer, he is a member of the local water polo club and was now on his way to swim at the Exmouth Christmas Day event, which begins an hour later at 11.00 am.
It's "very bracing" says Larry. And this event was clearly just a warm-up for him. "If you think this Budleigh swim is big, come to Exmouth. There'll be three to four thousand people watching and a thousand in the water."
And first-timer Russell Jones' verdict after his little dip? "Fantastic", "exhilarating" he said. But he did admit that the après-splash swig from his mini bottle of sloe gin might have helped.
It sounded fun. Yes, maybe next year...
It's "very bracing" says Larry. And this event was clearly just a warm-up for him. "If you think this Budleigh swim is big, come to Exmouth. There'll be three to four thousand people watching and a thousand in the water."
And first-timer Russell Jones' verdict after his little dip? "Fantastic", "exhilarating" he said. But he did admit that the après-splash swig from his mini bottle of sloe gin might have helped.
It sounded fun. Yes, maybe next year...
Brook welcomes Brit Art icons to Budleigh
Renowned names from the British art world joined the team to launch the Brook’s major Christmas exhibition, The Coriander Studio Show. This ‘blockbuster’ of an exhibition opened on 9 December 2009 and runs to 10 January 2010.The guest list for the private view on Tuesday 8 December included names from the British Art elite such as Brendan Neiland, Brad Faine, Bruce McLean and Sir Peter Blake.
Above: Storm Thorgerson, 'Chrome'
World renowned for its techniques in silkscreen and digital printing, The Coriander Studio’s reputation was honed in the 60s. Now under the direction of Brad Faine, the 500 or so international artists with whom he works are a roll call of Britain’s best, many of which are included in this stunning exhibition. The Brook is also thrilled to be given the opportunity to exhibit for the first time anywhere, two absolutely gorgeous brand new pieces by Damien Hirst – a real coup for an independent gallery.Above: Peter Blake, 'Madonna on Venice beach'
The exhibition will take your breath away with other works by John Hoyland, Gary Hume, Michael Craig Martin, Maurice Cockrill, Sir Terry Frost, Tom Phillips and Storm Thorgerson, all beautifully and passionately printed by Coriander Studio Ltd. British art and its icons are truly celebrated at this exclusive Christmas show and this last exhibition of the year, truly sets the standard for yet another exceptional 12 months of art in 2010.
The Brook Gallery Coriander Studio exhibition is open 10.30 am to 5.00 pm, closed Sunday mornings. Call 01395 443 003 or email info@brookgallery.co.uk
Above: John Hoyland, 'Gnome'
A pebble for your thoughts
Not too many people venture out on to Budleigh beach at this time of the year - apart from the mad Christmas swimmers of course - but that very special stretch of ancient beautiful pebbles will always charm visitors, whatever the season. Some Budleigh people might like to keep it as one of those undiscovered gems of the UK coast. One told me recently that one of the things that induced him and his wife to move here nearly ten years ago was that they had been informed that Budleigh Salterton was "not a tourist town, and catered rather for the residents."
"We have found this to be the case, and have much enjoyed its quiet atmosphere," he wrote. "There are plenty of nearby tourist resorts for those who seek them."
"We have found this to be the case, and have much enjoyed its quiet atmosphere," he wrote. "There are plenty of nearby tourist resorts for those who seek them."
Above: A winter scene on Budleigh beach, looking west towards Sandy Bay and Exmouth
Nobody wants to see a string of amusement arcades along the sea front, but I can't imagine how that person thinks that Budleigh traders or indeed the organisers of its very successful festivals will manage without visitors from the world outside.
So - with a few possible exceptions - we should be pleased to see the comments of one recent enchanted visitor who is also a fellow-blogger. "Walk along Budleigh Salterton's pebble beach," he writes. "There are many places in life that will catch your eyes but only a few that will capture your heart." http://2020chrisong.blogspot.com/2009/12/beautiful-living-beautiful-memory.html
My American readers may be interested to know that this is a New York-based interior designer who spends his life in what he calls "the pursuit of beauty" and whose client-list extends in the USA from the East to the West coast, and across 'the pond' to England.
Above: New York designer Christopher Ong, a recent visitor to Budleigh
Christopher Ong's career has in fact been international, owing much to an East-meets-West experience. After a childhood in the Far East he studied in Toronto and New York City before starting his design business in 2000. 'Manhattan meets Malaysia' is a theme of much of his work, which has embraced everything from lifestyle product designs to the interior design of various critically acclaimed, celebrity-frequented boutique hotels in South Beach, Jamaica and the Bahamas.
But back to Budleigh Salterton. "It was a windy and wet and chilly afternoon," he writes. "We took a walk along the beautiful clean pebble beach. I had never seen a beach like this before. It was beautiful."
Long may it remain so.
Above: Budleigh beach from the sea
Christopher Ong's career has in fact been international, owing much to an East-meets-West experience. After a childhood in the Far East he studied in Toronto and New York City before starting his design business in 2000. 'Manhattan meets Malaysia' is a theme of much of his work, which has embraced everything from lifestyle product designs to the interior design of various critically acclaimed, celebrity-frequented boutique hotels in South Beach, Jamaica and the Bahamas.
But back to Budleigh Salterton. "It was a windy and wet and chilly afternoon," he writes. "We took a walk along the beautiful clean pebble beach. I had never seen a beach like this before. It was beautiful."Long may it remain so.
Above: Budleigh beach from the sea
Christopher Ong's work can be seen at http://www.christopherong.com
It Was A Very Merry Christmas
Another Christmas has come and gone; with a heap of fond memories and a list of things for which I am grateful. I often remind myself in life to savor the good times, appreciate all the little things and live in the moment. I consider myself especially fortunate to have learned some important life lessons earlier than most. Having lost my dad at a young age I learned to appreciate each day and take time to smell the roses. I was reminded of this again yesterday when I saw one of the floral Christmas centerpieces at my friend Amanda's home yesterday. It had roses, orchids, holly and evergreens. Indeed I did smell the roses, they were beautiful. But the roses were a life metaphor and caused me to pause for a moment and reflect on the year. I was at a Christmas day gathering, sitting outside admiring a beautiful vista of the desert floor below. Yet for a few moments I was alone with my thoughts, pondering the past twelve months and placing it all in perspective. I hadn't planned to be so introspective at this particular moment, maybe it was the rush of sugar from the eclairs I had consumed sending me into a blissful zen-like state. I smiled to myself as I realized how fortunate I am at this point in life. So I quietly gave thanks, especially for these deserts below:
above: Check out these incredible deserts. There were loads of others too, but these caught my eye the moment I walked into my friend Amanda and Gordan's home!
above: A few hummingbirds actually flew into the house earlier. One eventually made his way to the feeder hanging just outside the door. I managed to get this photo- they are so quick!
above: During a white elephant gift exchange I received a snuggie in leopard print. I have to say, it is really pretty neat. I love things like this.
above: later we found young Duncan was all snuggled up asleep with his Christmas Penguin toy. It was such a cute photo.
We did a bit of house-hopping, visiting friends on Christmas day, and then returned home for our own holiday dinner with friends. We sat by the fireplace and the Christmas tree, enjoying holiday music as we exchanged presents with our friends. I put out my spread of food so we could enjoy our wine. After dinner we watched Julie & Julia- which I enjoyed thoroughly! When our friends left to go home, and I sat by the fire with John to unwind, I decided it had been a very Merry Christmas.
-Rick Rockhill
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