Chains & Potlucks

Something I wanted to mention today is that I DON'T eat at chains. (I should have included that in my "You Are WHERE You Eat" post a few weeks ago.) You and I both know that food doesn't taste the same once there's a second location or worse, a franchise. Food trucks are different because they're just moving into a permanent spot without wheels. So the food quality doesn't go downhill (again, until they open that second location). 

Speaking of food, don't even get me started on POTLUCKS. Ugh. I stopped going to any events (baby showers, church parties or neighborhood shin digs) years ago where more than one person (especially an amateur who isn't still in debt from culinary art school) provided the food. You can't trust any food that was prepared on a tile counter, formica counter or outdated granite countertops. Who knows what kind of bacteria is living in that tile grout, on the surface of the formica or has seeped into any unsealed granite slab?

In general, to avoid getting sick and wanting to FEEL BETTER both physically and mentally, meals prepped in professional kitchens, cooked in really nice restaurants or made by your personal chef are the safest and cleanest ways to eat.

When Lifes Gives You LuluLemons...

"When Life Gives You LuLuLemons, Have Some LuluLemonade."

(If you are reading this on your phone, look at the Desktop version so you can see the YouTube link I embedded for the music video.)

I recently heard Angela, on American Housewife, sing that in the Musical episode. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE that song sooo much! I watch that show to identify with those Westport housewives. I know how stressful it is to always look perfect, have everything together and have an immaculately clean house (thanks to your staff). I LOVED their song to that frump mom and have now adapted it to the West Coast for my theme song (minus the mom and kids stuff). 

GO FULL NEWPORT!

A Gated Community

If people are honest with themselves, gated communities are NOT for security reasons. It's for the prestige. Some people have told me they think gates are a false sense of security, and I 100% agree with them. Anyone can still sneak past a gate. Why I live in a gated community is for the WOW! factor. I want WOWs all along the path to my house from people who have never been there before.

#1: Pull up to the guard station: Wow!

#2: Drive through the FIRST gate: Wow!

#3: Drive past the water fountains, clubhouse, pools, and tennis courts: Wow!

#4: Drive up to the second guard station (my house): Wow!

#5: Drive through MY gate: Wow!

#6: Drive up my driveway and see my home in all its glory even before walking inside: Wow!

Now THAT'S why I live in a gated community -- it's an easy, daily way to keep feeling good about your life.

A "Cute Meat"

After posting a little about my hubby's job, some of my new readers have asked what I do or did before becoming a stay-at-home wife. I'm so happy to share! I used to be a freelance food stylist. I still take occasional jobs depending on how many miles I have left on my lease to drive back-and-forth to LA. I worked for some BIG and POSH brands (can't be named here due to contracts I signed long ago). It was a blast. 

One funny story: Years ago, I was working on the set of a steak commercial. My assistant called in sick that day, so I had to sear a half dozen steaks ON MY OWN to get them looking really plump and juicy -- just the way the director wanted them before the butter, sour cream and chives went on. It was SO stressful. I usually only did the staging and styling, NOT the actual food prep grunt work. 

The steaks weren't searing the way I wanted, so I ran them to a nearby grill outside in Craft Services on the backlot. It had rained the day before. As I was running outside with a hot plate of steaks, I didn't see the puddle right outside the studio door and went hydroplaning. The steaks went flying into the air and I fell back fast like a Michael Jackson moon walk gone bad. Like really bad. There was a woman from Craft Services standing nearby who tried to catch the airborne hunks of cow. She tried to deflect them, using her forearms like a volleyball player, before they all landed on the wet asphalt. It was devastating and my work was RUINED.

The poor lady's arms had second-degree burns from hot meat and olive oil. I felt so badly that I personally walked her to First Aid to get help. She was out of work for weeks, but we laugh about it now. That's how I met Terri, my SYANM committee Treasurer. She only wears long sleeve shirts these days. And that's why she's so passionate about organic peanut butter. She used it daily after that tragic day to help soothe her burns. 

Speaking of studios and backlots... If you've ever studied the formula for a rom com, a "cute meet" is when the couple first meets in the story. (Now my title for this post will make more sense. HA!) I don't know about you, but hearing about other people's misfortunes (like Terri in this post) ALWAYS makes me FEEL BETTER.

Public Restrooms

Public Service Announcement: I would rather die than use a public bathroom. The only exception I make is unless I'm at a really nice restaurant, and know their facilities are squeaky clean. Otherwise, NO. 

There's nothing that will make you FEEL BETTER about your stressed or depressed life by using public facilities, especially ones that don't have someone in there handing you a REAL hand towel to dry your hands.