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Ortolan - A welcomed addition to Bloordale
Ortolan is a small, bar-like resto on Bloor between Dufferin and Lansdowne, conveniently located next to the House of Lancaster. It quietly opened this past Thursday following a complete makeover, making it nearly unrecognizable from its humble Kathy's Kitchen roots. Like a lot of folks in the neighborhood, I had been waiting for this place to open for the past few months. We have essentially no
The menu is short, and I assume ever-changing since it's up on a blackboard. The menu is split in four - apps, pastas, mains and sides. There were eight wines in total, six of which were available by the glass. Homemade cordials are served with club soda in lieu of name brand sodas. There are maybe 20 seats in all, with two bars.
From the apps, we had the grilled green onion with some kind of tomato/garlic sauce for dipping (it was Spanish, similar to Romesco). The charred flavour of the green onions was quite nice, but perhaps there was too much onion/garlic going on in that dish as we were all tasting it hours later. We also had guanciale with leek vinaigrette and a hard-boiled egg, which was fantastic. The leek vinaigrette was more like a pile of sauteed leeks with a bit of acidity, a perfect complement to the salty pork.
From the pastas, we had the gnocchi with wild mushrooms, which were probably the best gnocchis I have ever had. They were so incredibly light! And the sauce was earthy and creamy, filled with yellowfoot mushrooms. I normally don't even like mushrooms, but this was just fantastic.
I had the sardines with saffron broth as my main. The sardines came with pine nuts and raisins, as well as a thick slice of fennel that had been poached in the broth. I'm a sardine fan, and these did not disappoint. My dining companion had the the pirate's chicken, which had an East African spice + coffee crust. Also delicious.
For the sides, we had the beets with tahini and the honeyed turnips. The beets were particularly good, and almost tasted like borsht.
All in all, I very much enjoyed my dinner at Ortolan. The menu had good variety, the atmostphere was relaxed, the service was very competent (you couldn't even tell that it was only their second night). A welcomed addition to the neighborhood!
re: piccola
There was at least one option in the pasta/soup category (out of three), two in the apps (out of five) and four in the sides (out of five). Decent choice, given the overall size of the menu.
re: eatravel
Perfect, thanks!
re: table4onthefly
hahaha, I was going to comment "...no ortolan?!"
Also: wanted to ask if this was a Toronto outpost of the Ortolan in the states, co-owned by Jeri Ryan...
re: table4onthefly
This is a "food nerd level 10" name for a restaurant, very "I know more ill ___ than you do" vibe.
They had Globe & Mail "style" section paper covering the windows for the whole winter, funny how that translates into the type of restaurant that arrived.
I just wanted to say that I went back recently, and loved it even more than before. My S.O. and I had a fantastic meal with two glasses of wine for $80, tip and tax included. What a wonderful deal, and within walking distance from my house... Amazing!
re: meatnveg
Really? They were so nice both times we were there! And really knowledgeable about wine.
Excellent meal at Ortolan last night.
We ate a socca (chickpea crepe, stuffed with squash, chard and an assertive aged goat's cheese), ravioli with chanterelles stuffed with spinach and ricotta, gnocchi with sausage ragu, kefte (like perfect medium rare Mediterranean bunless little burgers, served with a parsley salad and some spiced yogurt), and a side of vegetable marrow (in actuality a zucchini with a soft centre, served with more spiced yogurt---this is the kind of place where you probably shouldn't mind meeting an ingredient more than once---they're good ingredients, though), vanilla panna cotta with strawberries, a dense, brownie-like burnt almond and chocolate cake.
I was particularly impressed by the skilfully made pastas (which I would put up against anything I had in my single visit to Campagnolo), but it was all very tasty (not a loser in the bunch) and remarkably reasonably priced. Around$110 (after tax) for all that food, a campari and soda, a bourbon, 3 glasses of wine.
Service was very friendly.
After a number of disappointing meals at new and hyped places (how many times have you heard a variant on that opener in this town?) I was so happy to have such good food at what is for now, a little neighbourhood place that has gone mostly under the radar.
832 Dundas St. W, Toronto, ON , CA
I went, it was so so, nothing terrible but nothing screamed at me to return either. The gnocchi meat sauce was seasoned well, problem is that the gnocchi was mushy, very lacking in mouthfeel.
Other plate was a fish dish, probably whitefish, w/ very little ramps on top. It was ok, nothing wrong w/ it. I know it's trend du jour to put ramps on a menu, but having that little on top of a fish doesn't change its flavour much. Yes I know ramps are expensive, but I didn't feel it added much to the dish in that quantity.
Prices aren't steep but as expected w/ these places, portions are very small. If you want to get really full, you're looking at $45ish per person w/o booze. For that $, I rather just spend it at a Chinese restaurant ordering multiple seafood dishes.
I just don't find much value or taste in the mid-range restaurants of Toronto, not singling these guys out, it's a recurring theme. I went because it's my area, so it's worth one shot. Won't be returning. Again, this is my personal preference, I rather save my whitey dining for out of town.
Service was good btw.


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Spring is here again, tender age in bloom. And how do we know? Because the ever-prolific Neil Diablo has put together another change-of-season mix CD for gentlemen's couturier du jour, the wonderful TukTuk clothing. Plotting a fathoms-deep and distinctly nautical course through Balearic groovers old and new, this meditative blend will take you where you need to go, NYCE & SLO. Nicolas Jaar, one of the undisputed stars of 2011, opens the set with his new Darkside alias, before John Martyn's classic 'Dealer Version' and Todd Terje's 'Myggsommer' steer us into gently pacier territory. Fold in a bit of Ta'Boo, Linda Di Franco and Al Usher, and you have the perfect accompaniment to a nap on the bow.
TukTuk Summer is a limited edition and comes handily housed in a denim fabric pocket with button fastening.
Available from Piccadilly Records now.
01. Darkside – Darkside
02. Someone – Beat
03. Lil Louis – Nyce & Slo
04. Quintus Project – Night Flight (Lexx Edit)
05. Tiedye – Fisherman's Bend
06. John Martyn – Dealer Version
07. Todd Terje – Myggsommer
08. New Look – Nap On The Bow
09. Ta'boo – Over The Ledge (Rub Dub)
10. Linda Di Franco – My Boss
11. Al Usher – Lullaby For Robert
12. Born Blonde – Radio Bliss (Seahawks Everything So Green Mix)

subset: commoncrawl


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On any given Sunday from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. you will find happy patrons enjoying an expansive brunch buffet at Menifee Lakes Country Club. For only $23 for adults, $18.95 for seniors, and just $10.95 for children, diners can enjoy a feast fix for a king.
Including every imaginable option, the foyer features a full salad bar with cold pasta, fruit, and vegetable salads; hot breakfast and lunch entrees; a made-to-order omelet bar; carving station; waffle station with all the toppings; dessert bar; and pretty much anything else you can think of.
Classic breakfast offerings include all you can eat bacon and sausage, eggs benedict, French toast, and cherry blintzs. Lunch options include salmon, chicken and rice, veggie medley, potatoes, and cut-to-order oven roasted chicken, ham, and roast beef, to name a few.
After loading up on this week's piled high plate combination, settle in to sip on bottomless mimosas and listen to smooth jazz effortlessly streaming from the live DJ set up.
The main dining area is situated overlooking the lush golf course, where giant floor to vaulted-ceiling windows makes for a beautiful view. The atmosphere is lively yet relaxing and entices guests to relish a leisurely morning meal.
While they are a deemed country club in the sense that they host 18 holes of golf on a gorgeous course, they are open to the public and encourage Menifee residents to come out on Sunday for brunch.
The dress code is fairly casual, but no baseball caps, torn jeans, or swimming attire is permitted, so the ambiance maintains an upscale appeal.
Reservations are not required but they are recommended for guaranteed prompt seating, as the main dining room fills up fast. There is always the option to sit in the lounge and take in Sunday football on the big screen as well.
Menifee Lakes Country Club
Every Sunday, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
(951)672-4824 ext. 115
29875 Menifee Lakes Drive
Menifee, CA 92584


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Main Content
Sometimes things can get a little hectic during a St. Louis Cardinals game, especially when the players from the opposing team try to mess with your son's favorite ballplayers. No matter how much he'd love to run down onto the diamond and join his team in the potential basebrawl, you've gotta let him know to keep his etiquette as a Cards fan. Instead, let him cheer on his players in this Charge the Mound tee from Majestic. The front of this comfy tee features the team name in low-puff screen print above a printed team logo along with the team's establishment date. His Cardinals let their game do their talking—not their fists.
- 100% Cotton fabric
- Imported
- Officially licensed Cardinals shirt
- Screen print graphics
- Tagless collar
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Special event items are produced by manufacturers only after the outcome of a game or event. These are advanced sale items and will ship immediately after they are received in our warehouse.
Manufacturer direct items are shipped directly from the manufacturer. These items are not available for international or expedited shipping.
Customized items can be personalized with options such as your name, your favorite number, and/or designs. Some options may be limited by league rules.


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Hawick Lau hands out red packets to reporters
To prepare for their wedding at Bulgari Hotel in Bali today, celebrity couple Yang Mi and Hawick Lau took an afternoon flight from Hong Kong yesterday. At the airport, Hawick's father, veteran actor Danny Lau gave out red packets – each containing HK$100 (approximately S$16.40) – to the reporters and revealed that he would staying in Bali for three days.
Arriving at the hotel late yesterday night, Hawick also handed out red packets to the reporters who travelled along with them. While speaking to the media, the 39-year-old shared that he is "more nervous" than his wife-to-be.
"I'm worried it would rain [during the wedding]. Hopefully Yang Mi can rest well tonight and I will spend the night making sure that all details are taken care of," he said.
When asked if he prepared a surprise for the bride, Hawick refused to divulge his plans and simply wished that Yang Mi "would like it". The Chinese actress, who was spotted wearing a five carat diamond ring at the airport, will reportedly put on jewellery dowry worth S$1.64 million at the wedding.
Related articles:
Yang Mi and Hawick Lau to wed in Bali
Yang Mi and Hawick Lau: A shotgun marriage?
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Chris Tong is back to Singapore for the upcoming drama "Good Luck"! Check out this video to know how much can a movie star earn! 为了新剧《百岁大吉》,童冰玉回到狮城了!想知... More Chris Tong is back to Singapore for the upcoming drama "Good Luck"! Check out this video to know how much can a movie star earn! 为了新剧《百岁大吉》,童冰玉回到狮城了!想知道电影明星的片酬大约有多少?千万别错过这独家专访!
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by Jim McCoy
KUFALA Recordings (2004)
August 27, 1972, holds a special place in Grateful Dead lore, especially for those who were fortunate enough to actually be in Veneta, Oregon on that day. (This writer would not be born until 8 months later.) Tucked away in rural Oregon about 20 miles from Eugene, tens of thousands gathered for an outdoor concert dubbed the Springfield Creamery Benefit under a sun that brought near-100 degree heat. Although the Dead organization has been reluctant to release any official audio or video of the event due to tuning issues caused by the oppressive heat wreaking havoc on the instruments, KUFALA Recordings has been kind enough to release the set by the opening act, Dead co-conspirators New Riders of the Purple Sage.
New Riders was formed in 1969 after guitarist and vocalist John Dawson invited himself over Jerry Garcia's house upon learning that Garcia had recently taken up the pedal steel guitar. The original line-up consisted of Dawson, fellow lead guitarist and vocalist David Nelson (it is Nelson that actually provides the lead guitar on American Beauty's Box of Rain) and three members of the Grateful Dead themselves- Phil Lesh on bass, Mickey Hart on drums and Garcia playing pedal steel. By 1970, the New Riders were an opening act staple of Grateful Dead shows. After Mickey Hart left the Dead scene temporarily (his father, the Dead's manager, stole funds from the band) and Lesh and Garcia grew tired of playing three full sets each night, the roster that appears on this disc took hold. Spencer Dryden took over behind the drum kit, Dave Torbet played bass and did some vocal duties, and the legendary Buddy Cage played pedal steel in Garcia's stead. (Cage supplied the pedal steel on Dylan's Meet Me in the Morning from Blood on the Tracks.)
Veneta's set starts out rockin' with a version of Truck Drivin' Man that has Cage bouncing up and down his steel in a controlled country-esque fury. Cage's playing is the highlight throughout, with his trademark solo on the late Gene Pitney's Hello Mary Lou blazing like a rocket up his 10-string E9 neck; similarly, his twangy, pronounced double stops bring great life to Groupie and Whatcha Gonna Do. It's not that the other musicians are slackers; in fact, the opposite is true. It's just difficult to not take note of such a unique instrument like a pedal steel in Cage's competent hands. The band in its entirety rocks a near-perfect version of I Don't Need No Doctor (with a nice Nelson wah-wah solo) and a lengthy Willie and the Hand Jive concludes the disc.
The disc's 17 tracks include four tracks of stage announcements. Including this banter was a really nice touch; it really puts the disc into its historical context and gives the listener some insight into the prevailing vibe in rural Oregon that day. The listener is warned not to take the "blue acid with the white stars on it that shaped like a little pyramid" because it will "kill ya." Other announcements speak of lost little girls and 13 year-old runaways, making one wonder if such broadcasts would still be made at a rock festival in today's Amber Alert world.
For those that have not yet been introduced to the fine, unique rock music of New Riders of the Purple Sage, the solid playing and full, crisp studio harmonies of their greatest hits album (with the legendary cover featuring a orangeish tank top worn by a well-endowed woman) may make a better introduction. But for those already familiar with the New Riders - especially fans of Buddy Cage - this recording is an essential. Those Deadheads for which 08/27/72 holds a special place in their collections would also be wise to pick up this disc not just for the sake of having a complete representation of the day in their hundreds of hours of material, but because it is a solid example of live early-seventies rock music in its own right.
Monday, May 08, 2006
New Riders of the Purple Sage: Veneta, Oregon 8/27/72
Posted by Earvolution at 10:54 AM
1 comment:
- RefugioRambler said...
Was at this concert. It was Awesome! We had a food booth, Ye Old Greasy Spoon, serving homemade fare. Kesey and Prankster's, Springfield Creamery and Nancy'y Yogurt were great. What a weekend. I still have my pass.
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Can You Afford to Go Green?
Published on - April 22nd, 2010 (by Sierra Black)
This post from staff writer Sierra Black is in honor of Earth Day.
As soon as you start thinking about how to live more lightly on the earth, your eyes start opening to the myriad ways you can do that. You can eat only organic food. You can bike to work instead of driving. You can insist on high-efficiency appliances. You can line dry your clothes.
Some of these lifestyle shifts will save you money. Others are expensive. Often, I hear cost used as a reason not to "go green". In fact, environmentally damaging products and lifestyle choices are only affordable because we're not paying the full cost of them. While you enjoy your cheap plastic toys, people in the developing world are paying the price in terms of pollution, exploitative labor, and natural resource consumption.
Most of us want to do right by the environment. We'd love to have pesticide-free homes and diets. We want our spending to support small farms, local businesses, and fair wages for workers in the developing world. That doesn't mean we necessarily have the available cash to do what our values dictate.
A lot of green lifestyle changes also have a time cost, associated with them. A few weeks ago, I wrote about how easy it is to slip into Time Debt by thoughtlessly taking on new commitments. Biking to work sounds great, but if it adds an hour to your commute time each day, you're losing an hour at work or at home.
With every green step you take, you need to consider whether or not you can truly afford it.
Here are some inexpensive steps you can take that will "green up" your bank account and the planet:
- Stop buying Stuff. You all knew I was going to say that, right? When you buy consumer goods, you create demand for resources to make, transport and sell those goods. That can be good for the economy, but it's bad for the planet — and your wallet. When you do need to buy something, always investigate your options for getting it used rather than new. Used goods are cheaper and greener.
- Cut back on utilities. You can save about $150 a year worth of electricity by line drying your clothes instead of drying them in a machine. Another $150 can be trimmed just by washing them on cold cycles instead of hot. Using high-efficiency light bulbs, insulating your home, and using recycled rainwater to quench your garden are all small changes that can save you big money. They also leave a smaller ecological footprint.
- Park your car. Biking to work might not be practical every day, but maybe you can do it one day a week. Try expanding your radius for walking and biking, and explore public transit options in your area. My family of four drives less than 500 miles a month these days; much less than that in the warmer months. How low can you go? Make it a game. The prize: more money in your pocket, and fewer emissions into the atmosphere.
Once you've explored your free or cheap options, you may want to take a close look at some of those spendier choices. Should you be buying organic strawberries? What about "green" disposable diapers? How do you know what the best use of your limited resources is?
Making a decision about a green lifestyle change or product is like making a decision about any other expense. You just need to add the impact on the planet into your set of priorities.
It helps to do your homework. I can't afford to buy only organic foods, so I use this handy table to help me understand which foods absorb the highest amount of pesticides. I prioritize getting organic apples and strawberries because they're high on the list, and worry less about sweet potatoes, since they're very low.
It's also useful to consider how the added cost of an eco-friendly item will affect your ability to do other things you value. For example, I cloth-diapered both my children. We used second-hand diapers and washed them in a high-efficiency washer. If you're going to use diapers at all, this is about as low-impact as you can get.
When my daughter's daycare refused to use the cloth diapers, I assumed I'd put her in the "eco-friendly" disposables you can buy at Whole Foods. Those diapers, made in part from recycled paper, can cost as much as ten times what a box of generic disposables costs at Costco. I bought the generics, and used part of my savings to pay for a membership in the Union of Concerned Scientists.
Ultimately, being an earth-conscious shopper is a bit like being a frugal shopper. It's important, but it isn't the whole answer. The simplest, best thing we can do as consumers is to just consume less. That's good for our bank accounts, our environment, and our bodies.
When we do consume, we'd do well to weigh the environmental impact of our purchases and look for used or eco-friendly options. We also need to hold corporations and governments accountable for large-scale change.
Don't buy into the idea that every purchase you make needs to be local, organic, hand-made, or recycled. What matters most is that we bring our lives into balance, value the simplicity of buying less, and work for change on a global scale — as well as in our own backyards.
This article is about Choices, Consumerism
Some of the biggest things that affect one's "footprint" is transportation (fuel) and heating/cooling costs for house. We purposely picked a place to live where both my husband and I could bike or walk to work if needed (we don't do it every day) so we can be a 1 car family and maybe spend $80 a month on gas. Regarding heating/cooling, it is worth it to spend some money on insulation, and have a smaller size home sq foot-wise. This makes the biggest difference, and why ironically most city dwellers have smaller footprints than suburban dwellers. But- the way most cities and towns are designed (or NOT designed) the majority of housing is spread out, and there is poor public transportion. Given the choice of a larger, newer house for less money than a smaller older house close to the center, I can see why not everyone does this. That's why we can personally do what we want to improve the situation, but there needs to be better planning to make the most impact (compare European versus American cities).
Want to make a green impact? Vote!
Public policy changes and laws are the things that will ultimately make a difference. You flushing the toilet a few less times won't.
Here's how I "go green":
- I don't buy or eat processed food. I also don't drink soda so no aluminum cans to try to recycle!
- I don't eat meat more than a couple times a week.
- I only have 2 kids instead of more.
- I work full time so I don't have to heat my house, use the bathroom, or turn on the lights during the day.
- I live and work in a small town so I don't drive much even though I do drive to work.
When I read this article and the comments that follow I can't help but thinking that it must be tiresome to live up to all the rules and expectations of green fundamentalism. I suppose humans have an installed need to believe in something and that must make it worth it.
Excellent post Sierra! I must admit I found some of the responses absolutley hilarious. Does anyone really decide to have fewer children solely becasue it's good for the environment? Come on – these are complex decisions based on a miriad of factors, economics, personal preference, and yes, sociatal impact should have some say. But it is true that green living has become so fashionable that people will think up all sorts of reasons to put themselves in the 'good' camp. The bottom line is that it's all about making concious decisions. Mindless, rampant consumerism isn't good for anyone (expect maybe Sam Walton's children). But neither is getting on your high horse and pointing out how much better you are than your neighbors because you didn't have children. I guess if humans became extinct that might be a good thing for 'mother earth' – but isn't the point of keeping the earth green so that it remains habitable for us?
@49 GolfingGirl
The point is, don't do the things that are super hard or expensive, and focus on what's easy to do.
I used to bike 12 miles each way to/from work on the interstate, but I'm into biking. I wouldn't expect others to do it. But what's the point of a snarky, bitter post about how it's too hard to be environmentally friendly? What was your point?
If it does take you round trip an hour to ride your bike to work, why would that be a bad thing?
You have to exercise anyway, so that saves you an hour in the gym. And money on multiple levels.
Regarding line drying, you can still do this if you live somewhere without a garden (e.g. a flat). I haven't used a tumble dryer in years; instead, I have something that looks like this:
That takes about two loads of washing, and I can fold down some of the segments if I want to dry something like trousers, i.e. have them hanging from the top rail, past where the middle rail would be. When I'm not using it, it just folds up flat, so it's not in the way. I can't remember how much mine cost, but it wasn't much, and I've had it for 13 years (surviving 3 moves).
I fold T-shirts in half and hang them over the rails to dry. For work shirts, I put them on hangers and then hook them over my shower rail. That also has the fringe benefit that I don't have to iron them afterwards. (I don't even own an iron!)
Uh, maybe some think this is gross but we don't flush every time we pee. We drink a lot of coffee in the morning, live in Seattle where water isn't cheap, and saved $60 on our last water bill by simply only flushing when really necessary. Lots of water saved as well as money. No judging others who flush every time but just a thought to those who are open to the idea.
FYI–The bit about having fewer children was actually a joke….. I agree that sometimes people sound a bit sanctimonious over their "green" choices, which are usually just what they choose to do anyway green or not.
My resposne would be "How Can You Not?"
Start off with green steps that will SAVE you money, then use this savings to afford the green steps that cost a little.
My favorite part: "…environmentally damaging products and lifestyle choices are only affordable because we're not paying the full cost of them. While you enjoy your cheap plastic toys, people in the developing world are paying the price in terms of pollution, exploitative labor, and natural resource consumption."
Thank you.
I think a point that has not been discussed enough is that in *most* cases, the green choice is also the frugal choice. People tend to focus too much on the few counterexamples. For instance, they think of "green" clothing as pricey organic cotton, bamboo, Tencel, and so on. But secondhand clothes are even greener, because they use *no* new materials and reduce waste at the same time, and they're also a lot cheaper than equivalent items purchased new. Similarly, buying organic produce may cost more, but planting a garden, if you have room, will save you money on food and give you fresh, local, organic produce at the same time. (Yes, there is a time investment, but it doesn't have to be a huge one, especially with container gardening.) Line-drying clothes, biking to work, switching to CFLs, using your local library–all of these are good for the planet *and* your wallet. (True, as Sierra Black points out, you have to consider the cost in time as well as money, but in many cases the time cost is quite low compared with the financial payoff.) I'd like to see a greater awareness of "ecofrugality"–the concept of "waste not, want not"–as a single ideal, not two separate and conflicting ones.
Being environmentally friendly is not just a bandwagon you can hop on and spend money. What people don't realize is that the frugal choice, the practical choice, the choice that avoids waste, is also the green choice. Environmental degradation is the natural outcome of wasteful, extravagant lifestyles. Therefore, if you avoid waste and extravagance, you are "green" whether you like it or not.
I look at green strategies in categories.
1. the changes that cost me little or nothing in time or money. Switching to reusable bags at the grocery andother stores is one of these. It doesn't really cost me more money as I already had cloth bags around the house and it doesn't cost me more time. I just have to change my habits. No brainer on these things.
2. Changes that cost money. Yeah, it costs more to buy free range chickens or no hormone beef but I can balance that extra cost by simply eating less meat. Sometimes it does cost too much more and I have to balance what I can and can't afford.
3. Changes that cost time. Hanging my clothes on the line, riding my bicycle to work… Again, I have to balance what time I can afford and if it gives me pleasure otherwise. Maybe I really enjoy that bike ride. That's worht something.
Nice post. Thanks.
Why is having kids not green? That sounds horrible.
Why would having kids be green? Having more kids is going to use more resources than having less kids. I am a firm believer that we need to start instituting a population control program soon .
Wow, great post and comments. I have a few thoughts…
- 4 R's: Refuse, reduce, re-use, recycle – love it! Should always be done and in that order.
- to Crosby: "It's namby pamby, followed up by the pseudo science of global warming." Pseudo science? Are you living on another planet?
- Giving up meat is something more of us need to do. Methane produced in raising cattle is 13 times more damaging to the environment than CO2. It's also responsible for a lot of the cancers in America. Don't eat red meat more than twice a week and try to eat more fish. Your colon and your planet will thank you.
Going green is more than a movement. It is quickly replacing religion in America. It's hard to believe in a church that lets priests harm our children. It's easy to believe in doing something with scientific evidence that supports its "goodness." Green living is becoming something more of us can believe in.
The synergy of going green and saving money is a sometimes on, sometimes off thing. But in the end, even if you spend a little more to practice green living, you end up with fewer health problems and save money that way.
By the way, there's another synergy here: mindfulness. When we pay attention to our choices and really think about our actions before we buy, we are doing more for our souls too! It also helps combat greenwashing. You can't just buy things because of a green label. You have to think about the claims and look them up.
Has anyone seen the Good Guide? It's an iPhone app that lets you look up the "goodness" of a product environmentally and socially. See something touted as "green?" Look it up in the good guide first. If enough people make purchase decisions based on its affect to society and the environment, manufacturers will naturally make more environmentally and socially responsible products.
It doesn't work if you are going green but nobody else is going green. Here, you can't ride your bike to work unless you want to be killed or sweaty and smelly like a pig at your desk.
If you have ever visited a third-world immigrants here in the States, going green is not a big deal at all. They eat out much less, conserve water, conserve everything. So if you want to go green, the only way is to have your brain washed by living in a third-world country and recalibrate your mind about how to live. Otherwise, it's like a weight-loss program: you go fasting for a while, then you go back to eat like a pig and the cycle repeats.
I think a better question is, "can we afford NOT to go green?" So doing things in a green way may take a little or a lot of initial investment. However can we afford to not reduce our dependency on oil and other fossil fuels. Can we afford to not reduce our emissions.
So many things we can do as individuals are fairly easy. It a more plant based diet. Go vegetarian one or two days a week. Or go vegetarian all the time this can really make a huge difference. Air dry your clothes on a clothes drying rack or a laundry line. This will save 6-10% of the domestic energy use in the USA. Not to mention saving you money and your clothes will last longer as well.


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SoundDiego covered Sunset Sessions extensively last year, providing videos, interviews and pictures to keep you in the loop on the exclusive music-industry event. We'll be heading back to the event this weekend to bring you more coverage, but in a rare glimpse behind the curtain, you can actually attend a show with one of this year's big draws on Wednesday when reggae legend Jimmy Cliff performs at the Belly Up. The night should be a memorable one, with Cliff sharing stories from his colorful life and impressive music career. If that doesn't suit your fancy, Howlin' Rain is at the Casbah, eukele master Jake Shimabukuro shreds at the Balboa Theater, and guitar legend Ottmar Liebert performs two shows at Anthology.
Wednesday, Feb. 15:
Rosemary Bystrak writes about the San Diego music scene, events and general musings about life in San Diego on San Diego: Dialed In. Follow her updates on Twitter or contact her directly.


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1.StopLipstick Vogue 3.35
2.StopNo Action 2.02
3.StopBig Tears 3.11
4.Stop(I Don't Want to Go To) Chelsea 3.11
5.StopThis Year's Girl 3.22
6.StopMiracle Man 3.3
7.StopPump It Up 3.18
8.StopClean Money 2
9.StopTiny Steps 2.44
10.StopWednesday Week 2.04
11.StopMystery Dance [Live at Hollywood High] 2.03
12.StopYou Belong to Me [Live at Hollywood High] 2.38
13.Stop(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love & Understanding [Live] 3.32
14.StopGirls Talk 1.57
15.StopKing Horse 3.01
16.StopLover's Walk 2.19
17.StopUmcomplicated 3.27
18.StopHoney, Are You Straight or Are You Blind? [Alternate Version][Alternate 2.12
19.StopBaby's Got a Brand New Hairdo 3.25
20.StopI Hope You're Happy Now 3.07
21.StopTokyo Storm Warning 6.25
22.StopWelcome to the Working Week [#][Demo Version] 1.26
When Elvis Costello's back catalog from 1977-1986 shifted from Rhino to Hip-O in 2007, the third major EC reissue campaign was inaugurated by the just-the-basics hits set The Best of Elvis Costello: The First 10 Years and its companion, Rock and Roll Music, the first of a projected series of thematic trawls through Costello's back pages. Since it arrives hand in hand with a compilation that deliberately serves up nothing but the usual suspects, Rock and Roll Music is a welcome fresh take on Costello's catalog. Compiled by Elvis himself, the set has a few hits and standards found on most Costello comps -- "Pump It Up," "(I Don't Want to Go To) Chelsea," "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love Understanding," "Tokyo Storm Warning" -- but the intent isn't to serve up familiar tunes, it's to showcase a particular musical side of his many-faceted musical personality, which this does very well. As the title makes plain, Rock and Roll Music focuses on his rock roll recordings, which sometimes have been overshadowed by the musical explorations taken by Costello ever since he signed to Warner in 1989. This tremendously entertaining 22-track compilation proves that at his peak Elvis was a thrilling, hard-edged rocker, particularly when he was backed by the Attractions -- which he is on all but two cuts here, both taken from his Attraction-less debut, My Aim Is True (that is, if the collector bait of the previously unreleased solo demo version of "Welcome to the Working Week" counts). Costello does rely heavily on the two hardest Attractions records here -- there are five cuts from 1978's This Year's Model and four from 1986's Blood Chocolate, if the alternate of "Honey, Are You Straight or Are You Blind?" is counted -- but he also sprinkles in B-sides (all also appearing on the 1980 U.S. compilation Taking Liberties) and digs deep into albums for largely unheralded gems as "King Horse" and "Lovers Walk." These are a couple of minor revelations for big fans, but this isn't quite aimed at the hardcore, who, after all, will be very familiar with these 22 songs. This is for the casual (or former) fan who wants to explore further, and for them, this will be an excellent supplement to a hits disc. But this is really for the skeptical neophyte who never believed that Elvis Costello was a punk rocker -- for them, this compilation provides ample proof that, yes, he really was. Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi
- Rock
- Rock & Roll/Roots, Pop/Rock
- Punk, College Rock, British Punk, Pub Rock, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, New Wave
- May 1, 2007
- Elvis Costello
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Lori Willis
Schnuck Markets, Inc
Schnucks Gets Cooking with Kids Summer Camps
ST. LOUIS – Schnucks Registered Dietitian Kara Behlke is partnering with the team at Schnucks Kehrs Mill, located at 2511 Kehrs Mill Road (63017), to deliver Summer Cooking Camps for young foodies ages 5-8 and 9-12. Camps start Monday, June 10 and run through Friday, Aug. 9, but it's based on a flexible schedule so campers can also register for individual classes.
Each action-packed day offers a different theme and a new hands-on food adventure. According to Behlke, the summer program will offer a complete learning experience with cooking and nutrition lessons as well as related crafts and activities. "This is not like your typical summer camp. Our schedule is designed to be flexible in order to fit into every family's busy summer schedule. Young foodies can sign up for one class, for a morning or afternoon session, a full week or multiple weeks," she said.
Behlke and the Schnucks summer nutrition team are making learning fun and exciting with themes like "Campfire Cooking" and "Magical Wizardry" for the younger set and "Chuckwagon Chow" and "Tie-Dye Surprise" for the older age group. "Kids will learn to cook with recipes, work with kitchen equipment, create crafts to take home and participate in activities all focused around making food fun and learning how to prepare nutritious foods," Behlke said. "Smaller class sizes and a team of support staff, means more individual attention and more happy campers!"
As the program grows and evolves, Behlke says, "The idea is to take it into Schnucks stores across the St. Louis region so that we can reach and teach more young people on the importance of making healthy food choices."
Classes range from $20-$30 or $90-$130 for a full week pass. Don't delay, spaces are filling up fast! Sign up now and your children will have foodie fun all summer long!
Schnucks store Kids Cooking Classes Coming Soon to Schnucks!
An ongoing education program focused on teaching children to cook
Starting in June, the popular Schnucks Kids Cooking Classes will be held at the following stores. These classes were developed specifically for five to eight year olds to get them more involved in the kitchen and excited about cooking nutritious foods.
Schnucks Ballwin – Monday, June 17, 1-2 p.m.
Schnucks Chesterfield – Tuesday, June 18, 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Schnucks Woods Mill – Thursday, June 20, 2-3 p.m.
Schnucks Eureka Point – Friday, June 21, 10-11 a.m.
Schnucks Twin Oaks – Monday, June 24, 11-noon
Schnucks Wildwood – Thursday, June 27, 10-11a.m.
For a full schedule of all kids camps and classes, visit www.schnuckscooks.com/for_kids.asp.
Founded in St. Louis in 1939, Schnuck Markets, Inc. operates 100 stores and 96 in-store pharmacies in Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and Iowa. Follow Schnucks on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Schnucks.
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Sky Talker
The Sky Talker provides speech access to programme and channel information, as well as Sky+ play/pause functionality. It works with Sky Digibox, Sky+ and Sky+HD settop boxes, making it possible for blind and partially sighted people to browse and choose programmes to enjoy on Sky TV.
Setting up the Sky Talker
The Sky Talker is a small box (roughly 15cm x 10cm in size). It has four sockets on the back, one button on the top, and another button on the front. With the back of the Sky Talker pointed towards you, the four sockets are (from left to right):
- Power (plugs into the wall).
- Data (plugs into your settop box).
- SCART (plugs into your settop box).
- Audio (plugs into a speaker). Required for Sky+ HD only.
Turning on the Sky Talker
- Turn the Sky Talker on by pressing the button on the front. It will say "Ready", followed by the date and time.
- Press the button on the front of the Sky Talker again to turn it off, and you'll hear it say "Standby", before the Sky Talker shuts down.
Configuring the Sky Talker
- Hold down the button on the front of the Sky Talker to enter the Settings menu.
- Use the button on the top to move left/right through the options for the first setting.
- Press the button on the front of the Sky Talker to move to the next setting, and repeat the step above.
- Hold down the button on the front of the Sky Talker to exit the Settings menu.
Using the Sky Talker
The Sky Talker works through your Sky remote control. As you move through channels, the Sky Talker will announce the channel number, channel name and programme name automatically.
You can hear more detailed programme information by pressing the Programme Synopsis button on your Sky remote control. The Sky Talker also provides speech feedback when you use the Sky+ Pause, Play and Rewind buttons on your Sky remote control.
Order the Sky Talker
The Sky Talker costs £60. We can arrange for an engineer to visit your house, install the Sky Talker and show you how it works.
Please contact Sky's dedicated accessibility customer service team to order your Sky Talker.


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I'm Pam Newman.
I am awesome every day & you are too.
Ask me!
Follow my butt on Twitter!
I'm a writer of aricles, poems & songs. Here's some cool stuff I wrote.
Don't be jealous of how I look like a movie star when I get out of bed and hit the internets, y'all.
Last night i watched Kill Bill volume I and the Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. Those movies are aging just as gracefully as I am.
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Event Details
As January approaches, so does one of the most anticipated nights of the year - New Year's Eve! New York City is one of the most popular destinations in the world. Nothing compares to the experiences that the sights, sounds and entertainment that NYC provides. But rather than sticking to one venue on a night that truly gives you the opportunity to make memories that last a lifetime, why not spice things up by visiting some of the best venues in the Big Apple? The producers of the world's largest Pub Crawl, PubCrawls.com, are hosting yet another popular event that will feature the best nightclubs and bars that New York City has to offer, the official NY New Year's Eve 2014 PubCrawl!
On Saturday December 28th, Monday December 30th and New Year's Eve day, Tuesday December 31st, Bar None will hold registration for Pub Crawlers that are looking to take advantage of all the New Year's PubCrawl festivities. Feeling really courageous? Take advantage of the 3 Day All Access Pass ticket and enjoy the PubCrawl on all 3 days! It's a great package for ringing in the New Year in one of the great cities in America while enjoying the best drink specials. $3 Draft Beers and 2 for 1 Well Mixed Cocktails will be offered at Bar None and other select participating venues.
Tuesday December 31 tickets are available below. Event ends at 4AM
Participating venues include: Bar None, Mama's Bar, Coyote Ugly, Destination Bar, Planet Rose, Company Bar, Durden Bar and more!
* Rules/Restrictions
Must be 21 years old to participate; valid State ID required. Advertised drink specials are subject to change and may vary at certain venues. 2 for 1 drinks means you get 2 drinks for the price of one. Actual drinks offered are at the venue's discretion, and are subject to change. Participating venues and advertised times are subject to change. PubCrawls.com promotes safety and urges all participants to drink responsibly. Participants must bring their Print At Home Ticket to the registration venue. No refunds. All sales are final. Each venue may only participate in the drink specials for a 2 hour period. If a venue is at capacity then you may have to wait or proceed to another venue. To retrieve your PubCrawls.com wristband and map, you must visit the registration venue during the designated registration times in order to meet our event staff. Prices are subject to change while supplies last.


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Credits & Info
- Uploaded
- Jun 5, 2009 | 9:10 AM EDT
- Weekly Users' Choice June 9, 2009
- Review Crew Pick June 9, 2009
- Daily Feature June 6, 2009
If you liked this, check these out!
Plenty more like this here!
Author Comments
The Mastermind calls a meeting with the most loyal of his lieutenants.
Thanks go out to Hans van Harken and Andy Dennis for lending me their unequaled vocal skills, to Tony for talking out the Cherry Cola gag with me and NOTHING MORE, and Christina for covering the female vocals in a pinch.
Now go enjoy Mastermind 4 you jerk.
Rated 5 / 5 stars August 31, 2011
ur fkn hilarious
i love the ending "What? I FKN LOVE PAPER!" good job bro
Rated 5 / 5 stars August 23, 2011
Best thing on newgrounds
i loved every second of it but my top 2 moments were with the cat and the very end and the "What?. I F***ing love paper." absolutely perfect. I literally watch it every time I get on NG which happens to be about every night now lol, and its still funny. Bravo
Rated 5 / 5 stars August 20, 2011
How funny!
How funny can a freaking villain be?! LFMAO, this is like the best series ever!!
Rated 5 / 5 stars August 19, 2011
wow sex in my mouth cause of cherry cola like haveing sex in ur mouth lmao
thats priceless love it lol
Rated 4.5 / 5 stars July 10, 2011
Excellent gags, great quality animation, red color scheme gives off evil villain vibe. (as if it wasn't obvious enough) Loved the "in 20 mins this place is going to be a gas chamber." quote from Mastermind after ordering a cheezy bean burrito. His patsys are strangely resilient to his shenanigans, i would simply lose it if i had to put up with this BS every meeting :P. only 1 point off 4 lack of subtitles because some of the lines aren't as audible.


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Tel: (408)365-9298
Grades: PK - 8
Celebrating 45 years of learning and fun, Challenger School is an independent private school that focuses on academic excellence, individual achievement, strong logic and thinking skills, and self-reliance.
School Overview
|Religious Affiliation
|Grades Offered
|Grades Prekindergarten - 8
|Year Founded
Student Body
|Total Students
|Student Body Type
Academics and Faculty
|Admission Deadline
|None / Rolling
School Notes:
- Our curriculum focuses on the foundations of knowledge: language arts, math, and logic. Early mastery of these basics prepares students for advanced studies and learning at an accelerated pace.
- Breathtaking Results - Our uniquely structured classes yield astonishing results in young students. Challenger students achieve scores on average in the 90th percentile on the national Stanford Achievement Test (SAT). This means that our average student outperforms nine out of ten students who take that test. Challenger School offers preschool through eighth grade programs that prepare children to live happily and successfully for their whole lives.
Nearby Schools:
All Schools |High Schools High Schools |Elementary Schools Elementary Schools |Preschools Preschools |Public Schools Public Schools
Show me:
- School Location Miles Students Grades
San Jose Apostles Lutheran School
5828 Santa Teresa Blvd
San Jose , CA , 95123
(408)578-4800(Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod)0.6 mi | 193 students | Gr. K-11
San JoseLegacy Christian School
420 Allegan Circle
San Jose , CA , 95123
(408)225-5976(Christian)0.7 mi | 217 students | Gr. NS-12
San JoseSt. Stephens Episcopal School
420 Allegan Circle
San Jose , CA , 95123
(408)365-2927(Episcopal)1 mi | 201 students | Gr. PK-7
San JoseSpectrum Center Schools-randol Campus
762 Sunset Glen Dr
San Jose , CA , 95123
(408)281-2435Special Education School1 mi | 50 students | Gr. PK
San JoseAction Day Primary Plus Allen School
San Jose , CA , 95123
(408)896-1637Early Childhood / Day Cares1.5 mi | 19 students | Gr. PK-KG
School Reviews
Area Statistics
Recent Articles
Updated September 15, 2014
"Because I heard it is a good school." That may well be, but there are some other factors in the private school selection process we need to consider.
Running a small to medium sized private school? Can't afford marketing staff and expensive marketing programs? Read on.
Getting involved with your child's school benefits both you and the school. It's a win-win for all concerned.


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There's something different
about her these days....
I just read an article suggesting that, although there's no scientific proof, blah, blah, blah ... it's possible that dogs may be able to sense a pregnancy. Even before the mama in question knows she's pregnant.
Apparently, some pregnant women report that their pooch developed a new found sense of love and attachment to them -- essentially becoming clingy and protective -- right around the time they found out that they were pregnant.
It's possible that their uber-keen sense of smell could detect hormonal changes, but dogs are attuned to subtle emotional changes, too. Some CafeMom moms have also been talking about how their pets picked up on the change in preggo status.
What do you think? Have you ever had a pet that you think sensed your pregnancy?
When my daughter was pregnant with her first child my chihuahua suddenly took an interest in her and she never did in the past. She constantly wanted to lay on her tummy through the whole pregnancy. She seemed very protective of her tummy. It was really cute!
Absolutely!!! My dogs would not leave my side when I was pregnant. Whenever I was sitting or still, they were there. They were extra protective and would bark at the slightest thing. Now they are super protective over the kids. When they are outside, they stand watch over the kids. It is kinda funny though because they are a shih tzu and a maltese but they try. :)
Interesting! I think it could be possible, a dog can sense a storm coming, why not pregnancy.......
Yes I believe dogs can sense your pregnancy. My dogs have both changed since I became pregnant. I wrote about it before as well.
I don't know about dogs but with both my kids my cat Franklin was very protective of me and laid on my lap all the time. My other cat just love my food craving he loves cantaloupe and we would eat one every day.
I am with PP, I don't know about dogs, but both my cats are very sensitive to me being pregnant. Even before I know it. With my second pregnancy after I found out I was like, Oh THAT's why the cats have been bugging me. :) And this time, same thing. I didn't know I was pregnant, but both cats were just hugging up to me and bugging me constantly.
I know my dog did. Around 5 months the dog stopped wanting to go up and down the stairs. I would have to carry him up. It went on for about a month before I snapped, yelled at him and he went flying up the stairs. I think he knew something was going on and that was his way of showing it. He also once came up to me while I was laying down and pressed his ear against my stomach and looked really serious. I wish I would have gotten that on tape :-D.
Yes my dog has become a pain in the butt. She will never leave alone since I have been pregnant
I think so for sure! I also think that it is true for the other way as well. I had a dog once whom I did not care for as much ,because she was always jumping on me and was hyper , but when I found out she was pregnant my heart went out to her and I became very compassionate and sensitive to her.
Travel Agent
Travel sites
Do it yourself
Concierge service through your credit card


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Norton is a recognised leader in security software that protects PC users against a variety of threats and harmful attacks. Stay safe with the comprehensive, easy to use protection from almost any threat that comes your way.
Norton 360 version 6 protects your precious photos, music and other important files from loss. It can prevent cyber criminals from stealing your identity and money when you surf, shop, socialise and bank online. With it you can e-mail, chat and download files with protection from threats, cybercriminal attacks and online scams.
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Our Field Experience Gives You a Shortcut to Success
One of the best ways to get to the top is to stand on the shoulders of proven performers.
That's the advantage Shurwest has over all other IMOs. Before he founded Shurwest Financial Group in 1985, Ron Shurts was an insurance agent selling life insurance, fixed-indexed annuities and long term care insurance to farmers in Western Nebraska. Although he enjoyed a high level of success, he grew increasingly frustrated with the products and level of support he was getting from insurance carriers.
Ron felt that the cookie-cutter fixed-index annuity products made it difficult for him to differentiate himself from his competition. Even worse, he had to spend too much time—time that could have been spent making sales calls—dealing with a home office that didn't view the world from the producer's perspective.
As a result, Ron spent countless hours:
- Chasing down 1035 exchanges.
- Calling repeatedly to get issues resolved for his customers.
- Leaving voicemail messages that mostly went unanswered.
- Resolving error notifications he received at the 11th hour.
- Dealing with customer service representatives who gave incorrect or vague answers.
He thought there had to be a better way.
Where Advisors' Needs Come First
After talking with many insurance agents, financial advisors and registered representatives, Ron discovered others in the field felt the way he did. He felt there had to be a better way to provide fixed-index annuity products and services to the field.
In 1985, Ron co-founded Shurwest with his friend and business associate Mark West. With a combined 33 years of field experience to draw on, Ron knew he could build a successful company that operated from the producer's perspective.
From the start, Shurwest Financial Group focused on three concepts:
- Building solid relationships with producers
- Creating a customer service model that put producers' needs ahead of carriers' needs, and
- Developing products and innovative marketing concepts that would ensure the success of Shurwest's producers
The focus on fixed-index annuities and quality service still remains. But today there is a greater emphasis on providing the advisor with retirement income-planning strategies and using a fixed-index annuity as a fixed-income alternative.
Shurwest offers innovative sales and marketing strategies to help advisors attract new clients, increase their case sizes and raise their closing ratios. To learn how you can benefit from Shurwest's success, call Marc Montini, our Chief Marketing Officer, at 800-440-1088.
To learn more about our Sales Strategies click here. To learn more about BRAND:YOU click here.


text:
Festival embodies Niles' goodwill
You don't even need a nickel in your pocket to enjoy the Four Flags Area Apple Festival. Read more
Superintendent search needs you
Hiring a superintendent is one of the most important decisions a school board will ever have to make. Not only will that person lead the ... Read more
Let cooler heads prevail in sewer dispute
The constant bickering between the Ontwa Township Board and residents over the sewer project really needs to stop. Read more
It is time to exercise your right to vote
It is once again time to get out and cast your vote. Michigan will hold its primary election on Tuesday and there are several key ... Read more
Leader Columnists
Here's to another 50
This weekend, I was one of the many guests in attendance at Southwestern Michigan College's 50th anniversary party. Unfortunately, I was too busy taking photos ... Read more
Seeking your opinion instead of your money
At its core, it is really a simple question — albeit with lots of complex answers — that I have asked a few times before: ... Read more
Change is going to come
Some of the fondest memories of my childhood involve sitting in the old creaky seats watching movies at the Ready Theater in downtown Niles. Read more
Now is time to learn about candidates
When it comes to elections, America needs to do a better job of two things: overcoming voter apathy and providing more education to our citizens. Read more
Editorial Cartoon
Letters to the Editor
Absentee voting can be tricky
Many of us will be marking our absentee ballots soon for the Nov. 4 general election and perhaps don't know that we can vote a straight party ... Read more
Totten is right choice for attorney general
Mark Totten, Democratic candidate for Michigan attorney general, was recently endorsed by our state's former governor, William Milliken, a Republican. Read more
Opinion Columnists
Communication is key
This month's final Do 1 Thing tip concerning communications involves being informed. We are encouraging readers ... Read more
Getting driving lessons at the diner
"Just remember, 50 percent of all engineers graduated in the bottom half of their class," Harry ... Read more
The wrecking ball has come to town
It didn't take long but the wrecking ball paid Niles a visit, leveled three prominent buildings, ... Read more
Elvis at Edwardsburg History Museum Sunday
Elvis is coming to Edwardsburg and the Edwardsburg History Museum. Read more


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Yesterday's public finance figures were a tale of two countries: the public paid more and corporations paid less.
Last month Treasury receipts from VAT and income tax – which we all pay – rose by 6.4 per cent relative to October 2011. But corporation tax receipts – levied on the profits of the largest firms in the land – fell by 10 per cent on the same month a year earlier. In October companies poured £7.8bn into the state's coffers, down from the £8.7bn they handed over last year.
And this shortfall was not just a monthly aberration. Since George Osborne delivered his Budget in March companies have paid £24.9bn in corporation tax, 9.8 per cent less than the £27.6bn they handed over in the same period of last year.
The trend is an ominous one for the Chancellor. In March Mr Osborne's official fiscal forecaster, the Office for Budget Responsibility, predicted that corporation tax receipts would grow by four per cent this financial year. But they are presently running about 10 per cent lower.
The shortfall in tax revenues is one reason why many analysts expect that the Chancellor will be compelled to announce further spending cuts and tax rises in his autumn statement on 5 December to meet his "fiscal mandate". This requires Mr Osborne to put plans in place to eradicate the structural deficit within five years.
The Treasury suggested yesterday that weak corporation tax receipts over the past seven months are largely due to a collapse in North Sea output this year after a gas leak, which means that large energy firms have been paying less tax. There is some truth in this. Output has been disrupted by problems on the Elgin Platform and maintenance work elsewhere.
Yet the Government's own figures also suggest that corporations are evading and avoiding many billions of pounds of corporation tax. Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs performs a regular estimate of the "tax gap", which is the difference between what it believes companies ought to be paying in corporation tax and what the state is actually receiving. In its latest estimate for 2010-11, HMRC put that figure at £4.1bn. Some campaigners, such as Richard Murphy of Tax Research UK, think that the real figure could be £12bn or more.
To put that in context, even the HMRC figure represents a sum that could finance the construction of 300 new schools. It could be used to build 25 new hospitals. £4.1bn would pay the annual salaries of around 153,000 nurses, or 164,000 police officers. It would pay for 430,000 nursery places a year. The money could be used to fund a penny cut from the basic rate of income tax.
According to HMRC large businesses accounted for £1.4bn of this unpaid tax. Multinationals such as Amazon, Google and Starbucks, which have attracted criticism for the low amount of corporation tax they have been paying in Britain, apparently legally, would be included in this category.
Read More: Here
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AUDIO: DATSIK and Excision's 'Vindicate', Set for Release Jan 8
Rolling into 2013, bass music leaders DATSIK & Excision join forces for Firepower Records' first release of the New Year with "Vindicate" out January 8. The track-a fan favorite as heard on DATSIK's "Firepower" Fall 2012 tour-serves as first single from the first edition of his two-part Cold Blooded EP out January 22. This marks the first piece of original music from DATSIK since his debut album Vitamin D was released last April. Listen to "Vindicate" below!
Both DATSIK and Excision hail from Kelowna, Canada and are known for their hard-hitting productions and high-octane DJ sets, but when they collaborate they form the ultimate powerhouse duo. The pair set the scene with an icy, menacing intro before unleashing a ferocious web of twisted beats and morphing, intertwined basslines. Bursting with pent-up energy and power, the track ricochets through the speakers with the kind of dynamic force that these two do so well.
This heavyweight track is the perfect way to kick off DATSIK's 14-date "FIREPOWER RELOADED" tour launching January 9 in Ottawa, Canada. Joining him on various dates are supporting acts Brillz and GRiZ, along with two up-and-coming FIREPOWER acts Barron and Rekoil, who both recently released EPs on the FIREPOWER label, except on the Nashville date which will feature Paper Diamond and Savoy. On select dates, DATSIK will engage his one-of-a-kind "Vortex" DJ performance booth with groundbreaking, real-time 3D-mapping technology created by V Squared Labs, pushing the evolution of custom visuals and mind-altering effects. "FIREPOWER RELOADED" is also amping up the audio experience with an additional 50,000 watts courtesy of Canada's PK Sound. Locked and loaded, the combination of DATSIK's dark, dirty dubstep and V Squared Labs' cutting-edge technology will be a marriage of mind-blowing sounds and visuals that cannot be missed. Tickets are on sale now for all shows at www.reloadedtour.com.
The "FIREPOWER RELOADED" tour dates are as follows:
Ottawa, ON
Ritual w/ Brillz & Barron
London, ON
London Music Hall w/ Brillz & Barron
Toronto, ON
The Guvernment w/ Brillz & Barron
New York, NY
Best Buy Theater w/ Griz & Barron
Washington, D.C.
9:30 Club w/ Griz & Barron
Syracuse, NY
Westcott Theater w/ Griz & Rekoil
Providence, RI
Fete w/ Griz & Rekoil
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April 17, 2014
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LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WHAS11) -- Shively Police arrested a Louisville man Sunday night after learning he was trying to solicit sex from a prostitute.
Officers carrying out an investigation in the parking lot at "Showboat," an adult book store, said they were given consent by a store patron to search and review his cell phone.
Police said text messages between the patron and one of the store's employees, Christopher Kinzie, 37, revealed Kinzie was asking to be set up with a female prostitute named "Star."
Kinzie is charged with promoting prostitution.


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When the names of the graduates are announced, they will walk up onto the stage from the steps on the right side of the stage and exit by walking across the stage and down the steps on the left side of the stage after receiving a diploma folder and shaking hands with the President. Graduates should sit down immediately upon returning to their seats. When all graduates have received their diploma folders and are again seated, they will be instructed to stand and turn their tassels from the right side to the left side of their caps which officially signifies that they are now graduates.
Immediately after the ceremony, graduates who are just completing their programs of study with the Spring Semester 2014 will be able to pick up their diplomas in the Rehearsal Hall.
Signs will be posted on tables on the stage of the Rehearsal Hall where advisors and staff from the Academic Advising Center and the Office of the Registrar will distribute diplomas to those graduates who completed their formal degree requirements in Spring 2014. The Rehearsal Hall is the same location where all degree candidates line up for the processional into the Concert Hall.


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General Aviation FBO Terminal
In 2011, Outagamie County Regional Airport (ATW) was one of 10 airports selected nationally by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to participate in an initial Sustainable Master Plan Pilot Program. This unique framework for the master plan process factored in focus areas as they relate to the economic, environmental and social impact of the airport. Mead & Hunt, a national planning, architecture and engineering consulting firm was contracted to provide the professional services.
Unique to all of the program participants was ATW's desire to propose and develop a demonstration project that could provide a real life case study. Using the planning goals set forth in the Sustainable Master Plan, ATW moved forward in establishing a general aviation (GA) campus to the south of the commercial air service passenger terminal. Taking advantage of existing infrastructure, the campus includes a Fixed Based Operator (FBO) terminal, a corporate hangar and a storage hangar capable of housing multiple corporate jets.
The terminal building is designed to meet the rigorous goals for Net Zero Energy buildings. This means that the building will provide as much renewable energy as it consumes in a calendar year. Specifically, the terminal measures emissions tied to building operation. This is consistent with the mission statement of the airport of being carbon neutral by 2030.
The building design includes the following energy efficiency measures:
The GA terminal building has a target of 80% total energy savings, including the offset provided by on-site renewable energy systems. The remainder of the building's energy needs would be purchased from off-site renewable sources, making the south GA terminal a Class D NZEB – Net Zero Emissions Building (NZEB). A Class D NZEB produces or purchases enough emissions-free renewable energy to offset the emissions from all energy used in the building annually.
The GA terminal design is projected to consume approximately 54,000 kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity annually, which is less than one-third the energy consumption of a similarly-sized, traditionally-designed building. The terminal will produce the majority of its electricity on-site with a 25 kilowatt (kW) solar photovoltaic (PV) panel system.
LEED, or Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design, is transforming the way we think about how our buildings and communities are designed, constructed, maintained and operated across the globe. Comprehensive and flexible, LEED is a green building tool that addresses the entire building lifecycle recognizing best-in-class building strategies.
The U.S. Green Building Council's LEED green building certification system is the foremost program for the design, construction and operation of green buildings. Over 100,000 projects are currently participating in the LEED rating systems, comprising over 8 billion square feet of construction space in all 50 states and 114 countries. By using less energy, LEED-certified buildings save money for families, businesses and taxpayers; reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and contribute to a healthier environment for residents, workers and the larger community. For more information, visit www.usgbc.org.
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Germany Cancels Further Euro Hawk Procurement
Germany's Federal Ministry of Defense (MoD) as a cost-cutting measure will not buy four production models of the RQ-4E Euro Hawk unmanned aircraft system as planned. The MoD's decision to stop the program after acquiring one demonstrator aircraft was disclosed earlier this week. During a parliamentary debate, Defense Minister Thomas de Maiziere said of the decision: "We prefer to pull the plug. … Better an end with horror than a horror without end."
Euro Hawk is a signals intelligence (Sigint) version of Northrop Grumman's high-altitude, long-endurance Global Hawk. In January 2007, the MoD awarded a $559 million contract to Eurohawk, a joint venture of Northrop Grumman and EADS Cassidian to develop, test and support the Sigint version. Northrop Grumman flew the first demonstrator aircraft to Germany in July 2011. Based on the success of flight testing and military certification, the German air force planned to buy four more Euro Hawks for delivery between 2015 and 2017.
The MoD, which is implementing a range of cuts, was to spend another €500 million ($645 million) on the Euro Hawk program. On May 15, defense ministry state secretary Stéphane Beemelmans told members of a parliamentary defense committee that the decision to stop the program "is based on previous test results of the prototype Euro Hawk full-scale demonstrator," according to an MoD account.
Northrop Grumman did not immediately comment on the decision. In emailed remarks, EADS Cassidian CEO Bernhard Gerwert defended his company's role in the program as the Sigint system developer. "The mission system developed by Cassidian in Germany is the currently most advanced of its kind. The first flight tests have demonstrated the superior performance of the system," he said. Gerwert added that the mission system could also be integrated with other platforms. "The development and therefore the investments made at Cassidian can thus be used in total to close the capability gap of the armed forces at signals intelligence," he said.
Referring to reported concerns that certifying the Euro Hawk to fly in European airspace is cost prohibitive, Gerwert said future procurements would benefit from "full access" to a system's technology and data. "Only when certification standards are taken into account during the development of a flight system can future lengthy and costly post-certification be avoided," he said.
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text: Cowiche, Washington is located in Yakima County. Cowiche has a population of 429 and has shown -1.6% growth since 2000. Of the 129 households in Cowiche, 79.1% are owned, 17.2% are rented and 4% are not currently occupied. The median age of homes in Cowiche is 36 years and 26.0% of the homes have been occupied by the same residents for more than 5 years. Learn more about Cowiche, Washington real estate at coldwellbanker.com.


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In Touch - Jan. 15, 2007
by Dr. Charles Stanley
Setting Goals to Achieve God's Plan
God has a purpose for our lives and goals for us to accomplish. (Ephesians 2:10) To fulfill His plans, we need to set goals that are consistent with what He has in mind for us. Once we know the direction God wants us to take, we can begin taking steps toward fulfilling His purpose.
First, we must have a clear picture of the goal. The more defined and well thought-out our mission is, the more sensitive we'll be to the opportunities God places in our paths.
Second, we need to be confident that we can succeed through Christ. We should look to the future in light of God's presence within us, His infinite resources, and His unwavering promises. (Philippians 4:19; 2 Corinthians 1:20)
Third, we should have a consuming desire to accomplish God's plan. This is based on the value we place on accomplishing our goals and focusing on the One who has set those goals. God's sacrificial, unending love will serve as a great motivator. (1 John 4:9-11)
Fourth, set a course of action. Break a large goal into smaller, achievable tasks and cover each step with prayer that seeks instruction from God.
Finally, establish a timetable. Deadlines help to keep us moving forward. But it is okay to adjust them as circumstances change.
In Genesis 24, Abraham's trusted servant is a picture of the characteristics needed to reach a godly objective. Those characteristics are to know our goals, maintain confidence, be passionate, have a plan, and set deadlines. What is the Lord's purpose for this season of your life? Are you moving ahead step-by-step to achieve it?
The Ways of God
from Dr. Charles Stanley
God's ways are always perfect, and following them leads to fulfillment and success. One of life's undeniable truths is that your choices will ultimately determine your future. While you can decide for yourself what career field to enter or who to marry, nothing compares with seeking God first and relying on the wonderful principles of His Word. In this series, Dr. Stanley teaches that as you serve God and seek His ways, you'll be blessed with peace, wisdom, and guidance for the journey ahead. Order here now!
To see more resources from In Touch Ministries, please visit us at www.intouch.org or go directly to our bookstore at
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15 Cookbooks from 2012 That Made Me Love Cooking More
What a great year for cookbooks. Despite the almost daily release of a new culinary app, and despite the thousands of incredible online cooking resources [wink, wink] and the continuing explosion of cooking shows, people are still enamored of good old-fashioned cookbooks. In the end, most of us still want to spread a cookbook out on the kitchen counter, a rolling pin holding the binding open, grease splattering across recipes, and we also still want to curl up in bed, turning the pages and feeling the paperstock of a good cookbook. They line our bookshelves and top our refrigerators like art.
While I can name at least fifty outstanding cookbooks published this year, I don't want to overwhelm you. So here are just fifteen that really stood out to me; books that reminded me of why I love to cook.
LudoBites: Recipes and Stories from the Pop-Up Restaurants of Ludo Lefebvre ($16.49) by Ludovic Lefebvre
Lefebrvre is French chef in LA who runs a "restaurant event" called LudoBites. I have not eaten his food, but with this book on my shelf, I'm catching the Ludo bug. Recipes like Sushi-Rice Ice Cream and Ham Sandwich Soup are odd enough to put Ludo in the "out there" category but not so out there that the book is a museum piece, like The French Laundry Cookbook or Modernist Cuisine. He intends for the reader to actually make these dishes, and it's more than possible. Once you start reading LudoBites it feels almost necessary to enter his world through your own kitchen.
(See our review of Ludo's Squid Pad Thai here and a tour of his Los Angeles home kitchen here.)
Nick Malgieri's Bread: Over 60 Breads, Rolls and Cakes plus Delicious Recipes Using Them by NIck Malgieri ($19.51)
Malgieri is a master baker. I trust everything he does. Previously he's published books on cookies, cakes, chocolate and other baking topics, but this is his first bread book. I have at least a dozen books about baking bread and no, it's not too much. Bread books are a breed of their own: the good ones aren't just re-inventing classics, they are using the almost spiritual act of baking bread to teach the reader about how to relate to ingredients, to equipment, to the whole experience of cooking. And for that, I am grateful.
Japanese Farm Food by Nancy Singleton Hachisu ($21.19)
Holding Japanese Farm Food, you feel you have something sacred in your hands with its Japanese silk spine. Opening it, you enter a world of Japanese cuisine not dominated by sushi and noodles, rather by attention to the earth and sea's gifts and the provenance of every ingredient mentioned on its pages. With many recipes having only four or five ingredients, this is a wonderful book to begin with if you've never made Japanese food before. It will not overwhelm you. It will be completely authentic, quiet, nourishing, surprisingly simple, and more delicious than you would have imagined.
The Epicurious Cookbook: More Than 250 of Our Best-Loved Four-Fork Recipes for Weeknights, Weekends & Special Occasions by Tanya Steele and the Editors of Epicurious ($16.20)
Of all people, I can attest to the wonders of online recipes - for searchability, comments and rate-ability, not to mention having millions in one place; the little metal box where we keep recipes has gone from something note-card sized to something tablet or notebook-sized. The mothership of them all is the Epicurious recipe archive. So why come out with a book? The editors culled the site's 180,000 recipes to get the very best recipes; those four-forker recipes that had the highest rating, and those that the editors know readers visit again and again. This floppy, glossy cookbook is one to give to anyone who likes the sort of cookbook that has a little of everything, and all of it reliable.
CookFight: 2 Cooks, 12 Challenges, 125 Recipes, an Epic Battle for Kitchen Dominance by Kim Severson and Julia Moskin ($19.79)
I can't say that CookFight wins for only for its humor – that would be denying credit for the work of the two accomplished and thoughtful cooks behind its pages, Kim Severson and Julia Moskin. Sure, it's entertaining, but it has 125 really great recipes for dishes you actually want to make, collected from twelve spirited meal challenges where Moskin and Severson faced off, pitting each others' kitchen strengths and styles against the other. The friendly banter between these two New York Times colleagues is a valuable reminder of the benefits of cooking that go beyond nutrition, budget and family bonding. Forget about all that, you know that by now. This is a book that will solidify your belief in how irreplaceable an experience it is to cook beside someone, to disagree, to flex your muscles, to laugh, and then to break bread.
Edible Selby by Todd Selby ($21.88)
In his latest book, photographer Todd Selby manages to make me want to get into the kitchen without actually giving many recipes. Edible Selby is a collection of profiles of forty characters from the culinary world, from Noma chef René Redzepi in Copenhagen to a Buffalo Cheese making family in New Zealand. We watch them in kitchens that haven't been tidied for the camera, but shown as they truly are in their natural, chaotic, beautiful state. Selby profiles each subject his usual Selby-esque way: with hand-written text, quirky ink and watercolor illustrations, and arrows scrawled across photographs. Save for a handful of recipes sprinkled throughout, most of the cooking instruction is done by caption: "A roasted onion petal is stuffed with concentrated onion soup and floated in a consommé." This is a book to read on the couch and leave there. Next you'll want to go to the kitchen and get crazy and make a mess. You will let your hair down, and the meal will be infused with life.
Southern Living Home Cooking Basics: A Complete Illustrated Guide to Southern Cooking by the Editors of Southern Living Magazine ($19.77)
I'm always on the lookout for basic instructional books. These are great gifts for new cooks and young folks, but they're also a good resource for experienced cooks. Sometimes you forget how to deep-fry a turkey or smoke brisket. Southern Living Home Cooking Basics will help. It's not a hip and trendy presentation, but it will get you in the mood to learn the basics of Southern cooking, lard 'n' all.
Canal House Cooks Every Day by Melissa Hamilton and Christopher Hirsheimer ($26.73)
There are very few emails I actually look forward to receiving regularly these days but there's one that I know will get me to stop what I'm doing, click through and quietly sigh, each and every time. It's the Canal House Cooks Lunch series from Melissa Hamilton and Christopher Hirsheimer, collaborators on the Canal House magazine and the author/photographer team that brings this latest collection, Canal House Cooks Every Day which offers a year of seasonal recipes for the home cook. Reading through this book empowers you to feel like you can cook a five-star meal in your blue-jeans with just an old wooden spoon and a few fresh ingredients. Classy has never looked so at-ease.
101 Classic Cookbooks: 501 Classic Recipes by The Fales Library ($31.50)
For the cookbook aficionado, here is a brick of a book from the epicenter of food studies, the Fales Library at NYU, where every cookbook known on earth has a home. With this volume you get the best of the best, 501 recipes from the most loved cookbooks of the 20th Century. It's the only cookbook I know of with an Advisory Committee. Here's one for the country house for weekends of reflecting back on the great cooks of our time, or for the studio apartment dweller who has no room for the originals.
Hugo Ortega's Street Food of Mexico by Hugo Ortega ($23.07)
This is the first cookbook from James Beard Foundation Award-Nominated Chef Hugo Ortega. It was in Ortega's native Mexico City where he began to really understand the idea that Mexican street food represents the best of traditional Mexican cooking. Street Food of Mexico is his ode to the street foods not just of Mexico City, but of the outskirts of Mexico's vast array cities and villages. This book is not just a culinary tour of Mexico, but it is a visually rich tour of Mexico's vibrant street life.
Lidia's Favorite Recipes: 100 Foolproof Italian Dishes, from Basic Sauces to Irresistible Entrees by Lidia Bastianich and Tanya Bastianich Manuali ($14.97)
Instead of owning seven Lidia Bastianich cookbooks, like I did, you can have this one and know you're getting the recipes she loves and adores most. When you read a Lidia recipe, you can tell how much love there is in it. If you have seen her on television or have had the pleasure of meeting her, you know what I mean. The recipes always work and they always make the people I cook for talk. That's a sign of great food. As for the seven Lidia books I "did" own, well, now I have eight. Join the club.
American Cookery by Amelia Simmons ($14.10)
Years ago, long before I was a food writer, I took a class on the history of food writing and I learned about Amelia Simmons's American Cookery, the first known cookbook published in America (1796). It seemed like something to study, not something to have. But I've changed my mind. These recipes are the first printed attempt to represent the British/Colonial style of cooking using native ingredients like corn, and it's fascinating. It also has what's thought to be the first recipe for turkey, paired of course with cranberry. This year the book was re-released with a pithy introduction by Melissa Clark. Anyone with an interest in food history or who simply wants to learn how "To Dress A Calf's Head. Turtle Fashion." I suggest you pick up a copy.
Small Plates and Sweet Treats: My Family's Journey to Gluten-Free Cooking, from the Creator of Cannelle et Vanille by Aran Goyoaga ($18.99)
Even though most anything Aran Goyoaga touches looks like a woodland angel cooked it, blessed it, and found love beside it, her work isn't just about a pretty picture. Her food is also very grounded and she has a wealth of knowledge about gluten-free cooking. Raised in a food-centric home in Bilbao, Spain with professional cooking experience in the States, it was after 2008 when she started casually posting her recipes and photographs to her blog, Cannelle et Vanille, that she began to adopt a gluten-free lifestyle. Her site took off. Now she is considered one of the top destinations for gluten-free and family-focused food writing and recipes. I'm so glad there is finally a book to immortalize the last several years of her website: this is the kind of book I refer to not just when gluten-free friends are coming to dinner, but also when I want some inspiration, both from pictures and words.
Secrets of the Best Chefs: Recipes, Techniques, and Tricks from America's Greatest Cooks by Adam Roberts ($18.01)
When Adam Roberts had the idea to visit great chefs in their kitchens and pull their recipes, tips and tricks out of them, I kicked myself repeatedly for not thinking of it first. What I love about Adam is how he puts himself out there joyfully and modestly as a true Amateur Gourmet. For this book project he cooks with Alice Waters, Lidia Bastianich, Sara Moulton, and José Andrés among others. I know many professional cooks who probably couldn't get into those kitchens. After his stint with each chef, he adapted and tested each recipe in his home kitchen. "The end result is recipes that retain all the excitement and brilliance of the original chef recipes but with a slightly more down-to-earth approach." For you and me that means no foie gras and no sous vide. Thank you, Adam!
Jerusalem: A Cookbook by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi ($19.85)
The term "mouth-watering" is one of those food-writing no-no's but to be perfectly honest, like Pavlov's dog, even sitting here typing these words, looking at the cover of Jerusalem, A Cookbook, my mouth, indeed, is watering. The recipes are simple and yet mysterious combinations that jump off the page (Wheat Berries and Swiss Chard with Pomegranate Molasses... Pistachio Soup... Panfried Sea Bass with Harissa and Rose) and they are paired with vibrant photos of Jerusalem's food culture and recipe shots that feel truly alive. It's the kind of cookbook folks get really excited about. They have, I am, you will.
(This isn't the first time we've talked about it. See Emma Christensen's full review of Jerusalem here.)
I know I missed dozens, so now's your chance to share with each other about what cookbooks blew your mind this year and which you're giving as gifts. I have my good old pencil and paper out, and I'm ready to take notes.
Related: Our Readers' Top 5 Cookbooks of 2011
(Images: Courtesy of publishers)
15 Comments
Wonderful selection! This was also a good year for books on specialty diets and allergies. One small book that came out this year is a genuine lifesaver for people at high altitude. The High Plains Sifter is a small e-book with over 300 high-altitude baking recipes that really work. A good year for small books.
What a great selection! Thanks for putting this list together. Now I can start on my holiday 'wish list' to myself!
I see at least two or three that I covet. Anything by Yotam Ottolenghi is worth having and Kim Severson is a riot. Thank you!
I've heard great things about Jerusalem. My dad LOVES Lidia so maybe I'll get him that for Christmas...and that Mexican street food cookbook looks soo good!
Good nod to Yotam Ottolenghi. His new book, "Jerusalem" is a sure winner in the kitchen.
<3 Lidia <3
One book that is going to make my gift list is Simon Bryant's Vegies
Simon is an English born Australian chef who starred with Australian legend Maggie Beer in the TV series The Cook and The Chef.
I love vegetarian cookbooks because more often than not the food is interesting and most often "tweakish" plus you can always add an extra bit of primary protein for those that think they need it.
Thanks for sharing this list—want to add a small book that's big in heart: The Surreal Gourmet
Just received the copy of Jerusalem I purchased for my fiance's sister and I had to page through it before I wrapped it. The pictures are gorgeous and the essays about the food add a whole new level of depth beyond just the recipes. I first heard of this book on The Kitchn, so thanks for the great recommendation!
Thank you. I really like the look of Japanese Farm Food.
I really enjoyed this post. Among the medium-sized but growing collection of cookbooks on my shelf, the ones this post brings to mind are "Discovering Korean Cuisine: Recipes from the Best Korean Restaurants in Los Angeles" (Allisa Park, editor) and "Tender" by Nigel Slater. The slim Korean cookbook is one I pull off the shelf regularly, especially when my Korean mom is not on hand to tell me how to make something. It culls recipes from some of LA's Korean restaurants and offers clear, beautiful photographs to boot. The recipes are streamlined and easy-to-follow, perfect for beginners. I often deviate from them, based on my mom's advice and my own taste, but they are still a great jumping-off point and also a good collection of some more popular Korean dishes in the States.
I've only tried one recipe from Tender so far; the recipes often seem to be loosely written with some gaps. But I love the weight of the book, the feel of the pages, the photography. Where some books are loud and flashy, this one is quiet and calm. Plus it gives me a deeper appreciation for vegetables (and Slater).
Whoops, I meant to preface that comment with "These aren't books from 2012, but I still love them." For 2012, I am eyeing Edible Selby and Jerusalem for sure.
What about the Dirt Candy cookbook?! Amazing restaurant, and a book that's equally fantastic.
What about the Dirt Candy cookbook?! Amazing restaurant, and a book that's equally fantastic.
I'll have to take a look at the Japanese Farm Food book. I think I will love it.