J-E-L-L-O

Goodbye Jello shots and HELLO Pudding shots!

I have to preface this with a shoutout to TB for introducing us to such a creation during Francis' fabulous limo bus party. Thanks TB!

So some friends decided to make the traditional Jello shots for the party...while watching the chefs do their work, Tommy B found some boxes of Jello pudding and thought, "Why not?"

I believe the spirit of choice for the spiking was peach schnapps...and I have to say, it wasn't bad. It was a good start to a genius idea. I love pudding, I love alcohol...sounds like a winning combination.

After some intense discussions on optimizing the Pudding Shot, we came up with Baileys, Kahlua, any flavored rum, just to name a few. If you are going to improvise, proceed with caution and keep in mind the combination of flavors. For example, chocolate pudding and Kahlua would work perfectly...but lemon pudding, not so much. You get the hint.

I also found some recipes on the major recipe websites for the Pudding Shot. So we're not crazy, we just need to help support the cause.

Here's a recipe to get ya started:

Ingredients:
1 (3 1/2 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding mix
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup vodka
1/2 cup Baileys (or Kahlua)
8 ounces Cool Whip
Lots of itty bitty Dixie cups or steal some ketchup cups from Wendys.

Directions:
1. Mix pudding and milk until well blended.
2. Add vodka and Baileys, mix well.
3. Fold in Cool Whip
4. Pour into Dixie cups or "borrowed" Wendys cups.
5. Keep in freezer
6. After pudding is set...cheers!

Let me know of your own creations. I'll be enjoying these at the beach next week...

Do the Voodoo 2008

The Voodoo Music Experience lineup is out! Unlike last year, I will not miss the festivities. This is the tenth anniversary of the fest, so they are referring to it as The Tenth Ritual. Check out more online: www.thetenthritual.com


Highlights of the lineup include:

• JUST ADDED: Lil' Wayne (Hells yeah! Done and DONE!)
• Stone Temple Pilots (C'mon, what 80s baby doesn't want to see STP??)
  
• Deathcab for Cutie (yes I need to see them a third time)
• DeVotchKa
• Cold War Kids (saw them at ACL last year and loved them!)
• Lupe Fiasco (duh)
• Thievery Corporation
• Ghostland Observatory
• Joseph Arthur
• Tokyo Police Club (yay!)
• Ozomatli w/ Chali 2Na (They rocked at Jazz Fest..need to see them again!)
• Big Sam's Funky Nation (they put on a TERRIFIC SHOW)
• Grace Potter and the Nocturnals

I will be purchasing tickets for the fest.

New Orleans, October 24, 25 & 26th...why WOULDN'T you go? I'm in for getting a hotel...anyone else???

Confessions of a CC's addict

Hi, my name is Brandie and I'm addicted to CC's.  Every morning I curse the fact that Houston doesn't have a Community Coffee House and dream of having enough capital to put up so I could open my own franchise.  It would kill...I know the other Crescent City transplants would agree.  But until that day comes, or until I move back to Nawlins....Catalina Coffee is pretty close. 

I met the owner, Max, the week before the Washington Street joint officially opened.  He raved about how he had also become a CC's addict during his time in New Orleans and aspired to open a comparable place to get your caffeine fix.  Named after his madre, Catalina coffee is right around the corner from my apartment and is the perfect place to chill, work, listen to live music and drink the best coffee in Houston.  Oh yeah, and they have fresh French pastries and ice cream that Max makes in the store.  Mmmmm!

He's a perfectionist when it comes to coffee.  Even his ice coffee is 24-hour brew...because according to him, that's the optimum brew time for a perfect cup o chilled java.  I'll never forget the time that I ordered an ice coffee and he said, "Sorry it's not ready yet...still got another couple of hours."  

Catalina has been featured in this week's Houston Press...way to go guys!  Best of luck.

Music Report...FINALLY

I know, I know...I've heard it from many of you and the music report is back.  My apologies!

I'll start with some tracks that I can't stop listening to...

The Russian Futurists, "Precious Metals":  It's poppy and fun and you need it.

Mason Jennings, "Be Here Now":  I found it on my iPod while it was on random, and it is a terrific song. 

John Mayer, "Say":  So the guy has been making some mistakes lately, but this song is too good to toss to the side.  Just give it a listen.

Now for some albums (and thanks to those of you who provided the recommendations!):

Coldplay "Viva La Vida":  C'mon, you all knew I was going to mention this one.  I have to admit, that contrary to every other Coldplay album, I didn't LOVE it the first time I listened.  It definitely had to grow on me...but aside from the first two singles, Viva La Vida and Violet Hill, the track Strawberry Swing is my favorite.  The lyrics are stellar and the guitar is hypnotizing...

Cut Copy "In Ghost Colors":  If you like to dance and you love 80's music, then you will appreciate these Aussies.  It's very different than anything I've heard, which is always a good thing.  Tracks of note are Lights and Music & Out There On the Ice.

Wintersleep "Welcome to the Night Sky":  I love the lead singer's voice and the Weighty Ghost track is reminiscent of Peter Gabriel.

My Morning Jacket "Evil Urges":  Contrary to what the reviews say, you need this CD.  "Thank You Too!" is my favorite song and I definitely put it on repeat over and over again...

Elbow "The Seldom Seen Kid":  I've been a fan of Elbow for a couple years now and this new album is buy-worthy.  Grounds For Divorce and One Day Like This are my two favorite tracks.  

Amp Live "Rainydaze":  This is a free download from a San Fran DJ who remixed some of the In Rainbows tracks.  I'm a pretty harsh critic when it comes to remakes and remixes of music that I feel passionately about, but this is unbelievable.  There are rhymes by Too Short, Del, Chali 2Na....and a soulful cover of 15 Step...wow.

Well I think that's enough musically deliciousness for today.  Overindulge and enjoy!

Oh yeah...and the tickets for the Houston Coldplay Show (11.18) will go on sale Saturday 6.28 at 10am.  Let's hope I get my pre-sale this week...

For those of you who are curious why I'm traveling the globe...

I'm working with the major chemical and investment companies who want to produce polysilicon for solar energy purposes. I attended a solar technology conference in Moscow and had meetings there, Seoul and Taipei. We signed two contracts for new plant designs in the 12 days we were gone and we are going to Italy for another signing next week!! It's ridiculous how many companies and investors are jumping into this booming market and the press is JUST now starting the buzz...

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Investing/SuperModels/ItsSolarPowersTimeToShine.aspx?page=1

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Investing/JubaksJournal/OutOfTheSpotlightSolarWillThrive.aspx?page=1

Bee-lieve in the Nawlins Hornets!!

Tonight is Game 6 in the Hornets vs. Spurs semi-finals...and I will be glued to the TV at my favorite local watering hole to cheer the bees onto victory! I'm not used to this much excitement during the spring. This is when I start counting down the days till football season begins. Lets hope this GENIUS is there! I still can't believe they took his Eva Longoria poster away after poor Frenchy Parker missed both free throws.

The Soul Rebel Brass Band has put out the Hornets "Fan Up New Orleans" theme song on their MySpace page. It's so good, that I'll probably go check them out live the next time I'm in NOLA.

The New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA) is having a Cajun Day and Hornets Day on Saturday, May 17th. This will feature Louisiana's own Blue Dog man George Rodrigue, Hugo and the Honeybees (I know Kent will enjoy that!). Free Cajun dance lessons at 1pm and great Cajun music in the Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden. I wish I were in town for this!

Best of luck to the Hornets tonight and I'll have my Peja on a Stick ready!

Nostalgia Is All Around Us!

It seems as though my fellow products of the 80's are now in positions to create things that make us say "When I was a kid, these guys ruled!". Sure it makes us feel old because we now sound like our parents, but who cares...I'm super excited about it!

NKOTB: Yes, I know the sounds of Joey, Jordan, Danny, Donnie and Jon send straight men running for the hills...but us ladies will always love them even if they're dirty old men. The boys will be back on the block this Friday for their first stage performance in almost 20 years! I saw the clips of them practicing and they still have the mooooooves.

Sex & The City: Maybe this identifies more with where I am now than where I was when the show originally aired. Regardless, I cannot wait to see the fabulous four ladies on the big screen!

Down in Fraggle Rock: Was this my favorite show when I was a kid? Hells yeah! It was just announced today that it is being turned into a live action musical flick!! I can wait to see Mokey and Wembly again...and the Doozers!! What about Marjory, The Trash Heap? Anyone else remember that one....

Indiana Jones: I don't care how old Harrison Ford is...I'm still psyched about seeing the new movie! Every time I see the preview I get more and more excited about it. I'm hoping to catch it on the Imax screen...with the new age of special effects it has a chance at being a HUGE hit! Let's hope Lucas Films did it right!

I know there's more...but I'm drawing a blank!

BIG Houston Concert Announcements

These concert announcements are not to be taken lightly.  I will most definitely be attending these fantastic performances!!

COLDPLAY - Toyota Center - November 18 - Tickets go on sale June 14

Madonna - Minute Maid Park - November 16 - Ticket release date not listed yet

The Roots - Warehouse Live - June 18 - Tickets on sale now (I need to get mine...asap!)

Sheryl Crow/James Blunt/Toots & the Maytals - Woodlands Pav - August 14 - Tickets TOMORROW

Let me know if you want to come with to any of these shows...I already got my tickets to Neil Diamond in October.  Why Neil Diamond you ask?  Why not....when else are you going to sing Sweet Caroline with the man himself?  Exactly...

Random Raves

I have been neglecting my bloggerly duties for way too long, things have been crazy! I have some random raves:

Rave 1: The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival was awesome! I attended opening day, which ended up being the only dry day of the two-weekend celebration, with my concert buddy Richie and we had ourselves a big time in the Big Easy! The weather was perfect for enjoying Cochon de Lait Po-Boys and Southern Comfort beverages. We started it off at the Fais Do Do stage where some Norwegian band was playing. This stage is always dedicated to the best of Cajun folk music, but they DID have two accordians and people were promenading, so I fully embraced it. Next, we moved on to Big Sam's Funky Nation...I had never seen this crew and now I'm a HUGE fan! Big Sam was stylin' and profilin' and playing New Orleans funky jams...during their cover of Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy", I saw a cute little old grandma singing along. Niiiiiice! Can't wait to see Robert Plant and Allison Krauss again at ACL, they make great music together. By far my best Jazz Fest experience ever to date was skipping Sheryl Crow to see Ozomatli! The guys know how to put on a show! At the end, they second-lined into the crowd and everyone danced and sang together. I was speechless...

Humorous Happenings: Some chick asked me what I was eating...I replied, "A cochon de lait po-boy"...she replied " Uh yeah, I don't know what that is. Is it like pulled pork or something?"...Poor girl has NO IDEA how much better a cajun roasted pig is than plain ol' pulled pork. I hope she got her cochon-ON!

I witnessed a lady who was 60+ pop a squat on the urinal...in front of everyone. Now THAT's talent...

Day two was soggy, but I saw the Benjy Davis Project and Billy Joel. Both were stellar performances...I ate my weight in crawfish bread...and it rained so hard that my umbrella started dripping through the fabric. After 4 hours of torrential downpour, I surrendered, took off my flipflops and danced in the rain to Billy J! All that was missing was a Pat O's Hurricane.

Rave 2: The movie IRONMAN. Since he has sobered up, Robert Downey Jr. has become one of my top actors. His performance in the Elton John video "I Want Love" & "A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints"he's come a long way. I won't go into details, but being both an engineer and a (dare I say it) Marvel comic dork....I had a huge grin on my face the entire movie. Can't wait for BATMAN!! Christian Bale...sigh....

Rave 3: Frozen Green Tea Matcha protein drink at Path of Tea. It's matcha powder, soy milk and soy protein....and it tastes like a dessert. The Path of Tea is a legit tea house on W. Alabama between Kirby and Shepherd. When you check it out, pop in to Field of Greens next door for some healthy grub. Not as good as Ziggy's Healthy Grill, but still rave-worthy!

Rave 4: Happiness! I'm currently reading the book, "Happy Yoga" by Steve Ross. You don't have to be a yogi or a yogini to reap the benefits of this book. In fact, there are poses at the end of each chapter...but it's not like you have to actually do them. Steve gives great insight into why there's nothing to worry about and brings to light the reasons why you can be happy. There are playlist suggestions (we all know I dig that), questions that you should ask yourself, and motivational quotes and funny stories.

My favorite quote thus far: "Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony" - Mahatma Ghandi

For the health food nuts...

I was finally in the Greenway Plaza area on Saturday and craving a cold sweet treat...so I stopped at Berripop.  The frozen yogurt tastes like actual yogurt and isn't loaded with sugar like TCBY.  There are four different soft serve flavors and more mixin's than marble slab!  Of course there are the unhealthy options like Oreos, Heathbar, etc.  There's also Cap'n Crunch and Fruity Pebbles to top your cup o' goodness.  I decided to go with the pomegranate and raspberry topped with almonds...delich!!  It reminds me of this place, Counter Culture, that I used to love when I lived in Baton Rouge. 

So far the only location is on Richmond @ Westlayan in the strip mall with about twenty other eating establishments....Oporto, Collinas, some Thai place...  The good thing is that its designed for franchise opportunities...so who's gonna open one in my neighborhood???

www.berripop.com