LED interactive table tops… they are so cool! check them out:

TOUCH LIGHT BAR on youtube

WORLD’S LARGEST TOUCH-LIGHT BAR on youtube

BRASILIAN TOUCH-LIGHT BAR on youtube

ya see? you shouldn’t throw away anything! you could be making millions on recycled vinyl coasters right now… good news is, you can still buy ‘em. a set of authentic vinyl coasters will run you $18 for 6.

VIA UNCOMMON GOODS

the resourceful peeps over at RESOURCE REVIVAL have come up with all sorts of cool uses for old bike parts. the bottle opener is just one of them… $12 each or 2 for $20.

today, october 17th, i went to the liquor store in nutley, new jersey. and what to my wondering eyes should appear? but a fucking christmas wreath, in fact many jolly wreaths strung up on lamp posts lining the street. ok, as jen would say, this town needs a TIME OUT. it’s not even near halloween yet, never mind thanksgiving. and for the record it was 75 degrees today and i was sweating bullets as i drove by this shocking display. but that’s another global warming topic for another unseasonably warm day. why am i ranting about wreaths in october? because it’s ridiculous and i want it stopped. bah humbug. can’t we celebrate one holiday at a time? ok, fine, walmart and the drug stores have some christmas stuff out, hidden in the back of the store. but such a blatant display? have some couth. granted, consumer buying has kept us out of a recession… but at least give us ’til halloween’s over before bombarding us with commercialism. kudos to nordstroms, who religiously abstains from holiday adversting until black friday. if only more stores would have that kind of class.

this season, make it a BIRD FRIENDLY HOLIDAY WREATH

october 15th was the first of hopefully many BLOG ACTION DAYS. this day was created so that blogs can spread the gospel to the people. each year the theme is different, and this year, the gospel was the ENVIRONMENT. next year, who knows… we’ll have to wait and see. the only rule is that the blog must publish a post on that day pertaining to the theme. easy peasy. i missed it this year, but next october 15th… here i come! check out some good soldier blogs that did answer the call: THE INADVERTENT GARDENER , LIVING CRUELTY FREE, DESIGN VITALITY and KAISER PENGUIN

VIA REUTERS

mint is ruled by none other than the planet of love and kisses, venus. you’ll want to have plenty on hand when she’s in your chart as there’s a strong likelihood you’ll be gettin lucky – keep that breath fresh! such a pleasant & fragrant aroma must belong to the intoxicating & aphrodisiacal planet of venus. VENUS, as in APHRODITE, as in APHRODISIAC.

mint is actually quite jupiterian in nature, as it’s an semi-invasive species. if you do plant mint in your garden and don’t want it to spread, plant it in a large container and bury the container in the ground. that will ensure the root system does not extend beyond the wall of the pot and take over your entire lawn. mint comes in many varieties. i have in my garden, orange flavored mint, chocolate flavored mint, apple flavored mint, and a few others i can’t remember. if you rub the leaves they will literally smell like chocolate, orange, apple, ect. it’s crazy! last week i made a mojito using the chocolate mint and you could definetely taste a subtle cocoa flavor in the drink.

a handy trick with mint is to use it as a deer repellent! yes, it’s true, deer and livestock actually hate mint. puree mint in food processor and add to water. put in spray bottle and spray on plants you wish to keep safe from the hungry mouths. and one last tip… mint (and all herbs) freeze great. throw some leaves in a ziplock in the freezer and have mojitos all winter long.

CHEATER MOJITO: mojitos are easy to make in a pitcher and involve NO MUDDLING! when you’re serving 20 at a time, who’s to know you cut a few corners?

depending on the size of your pitcher, add the following:

3 parts white rum
1 part fresh squeezed lime juice
1 part sugar
5 or so sprigs mint

allow to sit for about three hours, stirring every so often to dissolve sugar. adjust to taste. when guest arrive, simply pour this mixture over ice filled glasses and top with seltzer (and stir).

PAN FRIED TOFU WITH MINT DIPPING SAUCE: my mom used to put her mint sauce over lamb which i was never a huge fan of. it’s actually not bad over pan friend tofu…

this is another easy party dish that can be prepared beforehand and stored in the fridge. it’s always a good idea to have at least one vegan dish on hand in case one of those crazy herbivores shows up.

MINT SAUCE:

20 sprigs mint
2 cups raw organic sugar
1 cup white vinegar

puree 10 handfuls mint leaves in blender with 1/2 sugar. after mint is chopped, add another 1 1/2 cups sugar and puree some more until mint is finely chopped. then add 1 cup white vinegar and puree until mixture is fine. sauce will keep in fridge for months.

PAN FRIED TOFU:
buy organic tofu in any consistancy except silken. extra firm is best. add to pan a blend of 50% olive oil and 50% canola oil. (if you use only olive oil it will burn quickly.) cut tofu into cubes and saute until browned, stirring frequently to avoid sticking to pan. remove to paper towel (MARCAL is awesome) lined plate to absorb oil and arrange on platter. sprinkle with sea salt and store in fridge.

BON APPETIT, A VOTRE SANTE LOVER GIRLS…

thanks to THE LIQUID MUSE for hosting MXMO XX.

if any sign is going to drink a carrot juice cocktail, it will be virgo. that said, however, i do know a mildly overweight virgo… so bear in mind that other aspects in a person’s chart impact the effect of one’s sun sign on personality. but for the most part i think they’re a pretty healthy bunch. dietary nazi madonna has virgo rising, and adonis tom ford is a virgo who’s quoted to have said when his pants get too tight he simply stops eating. damn, why can’t i have that kind of will power?

imbibing in this pleasurable apertif will not only wet your appetite, but get you a good portion of your daily vitamins, and make you see better too. why, you can just taste the healthyness as you drink your vegtables – just like mom told you to! which brings us to our topic at hand, WEEKEND HERB BLOGGING, held every week for the last two years. creator, kalyn has planned a celebratory event to commemorate it’s second birthday by asking that we use BOTH a herb and a VEGGIE in our entries. (normally entrants are required to use one herb, veggie or fruit in their dish.) so, here’s to you kalyn, and WEEKEND HERB BLOGGING’S continued success – cheers to the CARROT TOP.

the CARROT TOP was inspired by a new york times’ tipple, THE DILLETTANTE, created by SERENA BASS, who proclaimed she was tired of serving fruity drinks. well, rebellion is delicious! the base spirit of her creation is HERB’S DILL VODKA, which belongs to virgo. plants ruled by mercury, and hence virgo, typically have a feathery ethereal quality to them, like the wings of the angels they represent. virgo is the sign of angelic purity, clarity of thought and unadulterated anything. being so good all the times gotta be hard work… i think virgo needs to chill out and get a little dazed and confused, don’t you? time for several CARROT TOP cocktails…

RED HEAD
1 1/2 oz dill infused vodka or HERB’S DILL VODKA*
1 tsp fresh lime juice
1/2 cup fresh carrot juice
1/2 cup REED’S EXTRA GINGER BREW ginger ale (adapted from sprite; i’ve got a small hatred for commercial soft drinks. something about high fructose corn syrup and sodium benzoate i guess.)

add all ingredients to ice filled shaker and shake away for a good ten seconds. pour over ice filled collins glass and garnish with a sprig of dill.

place three handfuls fresh dill in 750 ml bottle of vodka. allow to infuse for a week in a dark location, agitating daily. strain and use.

thanks to KALYN’S KITCHEN for hosting WEEKEND HERB BLOGGING #104.

hippies and trendsetters alike can treat themselves to barware made with genuine crystal. shotglasses, goblets & coasters carved from your choice of crystal, ranging from tourmaline to rose quartz to amethyst. beautiful is an understatement. so is expensive with prices starting at $500. (THE CRYSTAL CONNECTION)

VIA HOUSE & GARDEN

using leftover factory scraps of industrial wool, JOSH JAKUS creates innovative and sculptural, yet practical everyday items. each piece is a blend of 85% wool and 15% mixed fibers; all made in the San Francisco Bay Area. they’re even affordable. what’s not to love? check out his amazing folding handbag and way cool folding eggflat – they are true pieces of art.

ok, should i be the one to tell ICERBERG VODKA that their ad campaign SUCKS, or should i let someone else do it? the fact that they actually have the audacity to boast their vodka is made from genuine glacier melt is embarrassing and troublesome. oh, and the best part… check it out… on the website, they actually show footage of an iceberg MELTING! with like real drops of water, polar bear blood and all. heeeelllllooooo, wake up and smell the iceberg, fire your ad agency. now if they were cool enough to do a tongue and cheek ad campaign, that would be another story. for example, we here at ICEBERG VODKA meticulously collect pristine water from the unfortunate melted icebergs as they float haplessly down the northwest passage. preserving them ever so carefully in the form of ICERBERG VODKA for you to enjoy long after the polar ice cap is gone. and did we mention we also donate a portion of all proceeds to save the polar bear foundation? yes, i suppose an ad like that MIGHT be ok. but this ad campaign, and entire concept… NOT OK! i guess someone doesn’t turn on the news, read the paper, surf the web, or get out much at all.

watch polar bear video