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November 29, 2005

The leftovers are done and so are the relatives

so let's settle down with a nice big fat book full of really wealthy people indulging in most of the seven deadly sins. "740 Park" is what hit the spot for me this weekend. Finished in 1930, it was one of the best addresses for some of the oldest families in the nation, and in recent days has been home to some of New York's more notorious citizens.

After reading about some of the sordid goings on that have transpired under that roof, anything that your people did over Thanksgiving will seem perfectly normal.

Twenty six days til Christmas!

Posted by JenniferD at 11:10 AM

November 23, 2005

Feeling Bloated?

Aren't we all! This weeks video pick is " Super Size Me". By now the story of Morgan Spurlock is well known, but worth a second look especially after a gluttonous binge.

Can a man live on Fast Food alone and what happens when he does? Spurlock spent a month living soley on McDonalds and what happened to his body is a cautionary tale for us all.

So, buck up and get on that tread-mill! The Hellidays are here!

Posted by JenniferD at 01:20 PM

November 22, 2005

Tofurkey anyone?

"Giving Thanks: Thanksgiving Recipes and History from Pilgrims to Pumpkin Pie" by Kathleen Curtin, Sandra Oliver and the Plimouth Plantation is a wonderful look at how this holiday has come to be a unique American celebration over 300 years in the making.

What we think of as the first "Thanksgiving" was really a "Harvest Home", a celebration of a successful harvest. Puritans only celebrated three holidays, Sabbath, Thanksgiving and my personal favorite, Humiliation and Fasting. In fact, the first "Thanksgiving" wasn't celebrated until 1623 and that was for the end of a drought with nary a cranberry in sight.

This book takes a look at all of the things that we associate with a successful holiday table and tells the stories behind them. From a 1627 recipe for a steamed pumpkin, to the thing that I dreaded the most and still gives me nightmares, green bean casserole, the authors take it all on and have illustrated it with some fun and quirky Thanksgiving images. Yes, even that Tofurkey gets a mention.

All of us here at The Front Desk, wish you a Happy Thanksgiving!

Posted by JenniferD at 02:06 PM | Comments (1)

November 17, 2005

Paris may have been burning this week

but thanks to the movies we can go back and visit a kinder and gentler time in the City of Light. Our movie pick of the week is "Monsieur Ibrahim" starring Omar Sharif as the title character.

Monsieur Ibrahim is an elderly widower who befriends a lonely teenage boy. Sharif eventually becomes a father figure to young Momo (Pierre Boulanger), and Momo awakens a long forgotten wunderlust in M. Ibriham.

Although the immigrant ethnic experience is not the focus of the film, it is interesting to reflect on the attitudes of 1960 era Paris, especially in light of recent events.

Happy Weekend!

Posted by JenniferD at 02:15 PM

November 11, 2005

Can a stranger change the way you look at your life?

The video pick for this week is "Door To Door". William Macy portays Bill Porter, a door to door salesman with cerebral palsy who provided inspiration to all who he came in contact with. With determination and hard work, he overcame his physical limitations and became one of the best salesmen in his company, and in a territory that nobody wanted. This one has a great supporting cast that includes Kyra Sedgewick and Cathy Bates.

Happy Weekend!

Posted by JenniferD at 12:56 PM

November 09, 2005

Not only is it almost like being in love

but eating chocolate has also been found to be exceedingly high in anti-oxidants. The Desketeers are shameless in their pursuit of chocolate, so imagine our joy when the prettiest book of the season crossed our desks. "Chocolate, Chocolate" by Lisa Yockelson has become one of our new favorites. The photography is as sumptious and rich as the best Devil's Food cake, and the recipes are clear and concise.

Go ahead. Indulge your passion. If it is for chocolate, you are doing both body and soul some good.

Posted by JenniferD at 10:09 AM

November 03, 2005

Mostly Martha

is our video pick of the week. In this German 2002 film, we meet Martha, a chef with a passion for food and precision and little else. Sparks fly when her niece, who cares nothing for her haute cuisine, and an Italian chef hired without her permission, enter her tidy world.

This endearing movie combines two of our favorite themes, romance and food. AND it makes us laugh. Truly a great and tasty combination.

Happy Weekend!

Posted by JenniferD at 05:16 PM