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@alisoncook Try Colt & Gray, great brunch. Wynkoop Brewery is my old standby in LoDo - try Chili Beer, & defo TAG. All 3 w/in a few miles11 minutes ago
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5 Reasons I am not a fan of your business on FACEBOOK
Published March 31, 2010 | 
This one is compliments on Letter Girl AKA notgoingpostal.com and I must say when I saw this I could not believe her timing as Kristy and I were just talking about this. Seriously I think Letter Girl is in both of our heads!!
Girl … it’s dangerous in here … you might want to rethink that choice 
!! HEHE
Seriously … if you are not reading Not Going Postal … you are TRULY missing out. Please make sure and check out her site… she always seems to have incredible things posted!!
So here is her “BRILLIANT” post titled – 5 REASONS I AM NOT A FAN OF YOUR BUSINESS ON FACEBOOK!
1. I’m not a customer.
Don’t get your feelings hurt. Maybe it’s because I just don’t need your services. Maybe you’re a very nice independent insurance agent and my husband already works for the best insurance company in the world. (Not a paid endorsement.) Maybe you sell fertility vitamins and I would gouge out my eyes with a rusty nail before I would try to get pregnant. Maybe you’re hawking high-calorie shakes geared towards helping people bulk up and, seriously? DO I EVEN NEED TO EXPLAIN WHY I’M NOT SIGNING UP?
Of course, it could also be that I’m not a customer because I had a bad experience, like another company better, or think you’re in an industry responsible for eroding the America I know and love.
Either way, I’m not going to fan your page. Because first, I don’t volunteer to get marketing messages from a company I don’t use. And second, becoming your “fan” is a subtle endorsement. And I don’t endorse things I don’t use just to be polite.
2. You’re a tool.
Even if I do like your business, if when I look at your page, you are posting nothing but specials and advertisements, and not really interacting with customers, I’m not becoming a fan. Social media is soft-sell and relationship-based. I don’t want to be looking through my Facebook news feed and see advertisement after advertisement for buy one, get one free widget sales.
3. You’re A No-Show
On the other hand, if I go look at your “fan page” and you haven’t posted anything or responded to any questions from customers, I’m not becoming a fan, either. Don’t get a Facebook page just because someone said you should and then ignore it.
Worst example I’ve ever seen of this? Chrysler. They’ve gone in and cleaned up their fan page, but for a while, it was nothing but angry customers wanting answers about problems with their cars and getting no response. You really don’t want to put up a page where all that’s happening is people talking about how bad you suck. (Which, Chrysler? You pretty much do. But that’s a story for another post).
To read the rest of her hilarious post … go HERE
So here is our DAMN question: DO YOU AGREE????
Chipotle Mac n Cheese with Bacon.. Extreme Comfort dish!
Published March 29, 2010 | I ran across this baby on either foodqawker or tastespotting not sure as for me sometimes they run together!! But my mouse almost as if it had a mind of its own stopped dead on this creation 
When I clicked on it I was quickly taken to an incredible foodie site – The Homesick Texan and if you have never been to her site make sure to pay her a visit!! Truthfully, I could not print this recipe fast enough, Nor could I wait to make this incredible side dish. I am so glad I did because it was amazing - What was even better is that there are leftovers to I can sneak to the fridge for a few more bites!!
Insane Comfort food
Chipotle macaroni and cheese with bacon – Compliments of the Homesick Texan www.homesicktexan.blogspot.com
Ingredients:
2 cups of dry elbow pasta
2 cups of milk
1 cup of cottage cheese
Call me a tease but if you want the rest of this incredible recipe as well as far better photo’s please click the link below!!
http://homesicktexan.blogspot.com/2010/02/chipotle-macaroni-cheese-bacon-recipe.html
Chipotle Chili Cornbread Bake… Fantastic and Easy
Published March 22, 2010 | CHIPOTLE CHILI CORNBREAD BAKE
My friend Stacy who is an amazing cook knows that I have been on this Chipotle kick lately. This recipe is one from her from her Secret Personal Favorites Collection and I am so DAMN happy she shared this with me. I cannot begin to tell you how easy and yummy this is. This one does not disappoint and I am already planning to make this again… and again… and yes again
Chipotle Chili Cornbread Bake
Ingredients:
1 medium green bell pepper (I also added a red bell pepper as well)
6 green onions with tops, divided
1 lb (450 g) 90% lean ground beef
1 can (16 oz or 398 mL) chili beans in sauce, undrained
1 cup (250 mL) chunky salsa
2 tbsp (30 mL) Chipotle Rub or finely chopped whole chili in sauce
1 pkg (8.5 oz) corn muffin mix (I used Jiffy)
1 container (8 oz or 250 mL) sour cream
1 egg
1 cup (125 mL) shredded cheddar cheese (optional to some but mandatory for me)
1 plum tomato, seeded and diced (optional)
Directions:
1. Coarsely chop bell pepper using a Food Chopper. Thinly slice green onions, separating white and light green bottoms from tops. Reserve 1 tbsp (15 mL) of the onion tops for garnish.
Listed below are 2 cooking options: I personally used a skillet but you can use a dutch oven or if you have stoneware based on the instructions listed in #2b and it works just the same
2a. In a skillet cook beef and pour off juices. When beef is cooked add peppers and onion bottom. Cook together for a few minutes. Then add beans, salsa and chipotle seasoning. Mix together and let simmer for a few minutes.
**OR**
2b. In Deep dutch oven or stoneware combine bell pepper, onion bottoms and beef; mix well. Microwave, covered, on HIGH 7-9 minutes or until beef is no longer pink, breaking into crumbles. Remove baker from microwave using Oven Mitts; carefully pour off juices. Add beans, salsa and rub to beef mixture; mix well. Cover; microwave on HIGH 5 minutes or until hot.
3. Meanwhile, combine muffin mix, sour cream and egg in batter bowl **(optional add a well chopped chipotle chili in sauce to the mixture) mix well. Scoop muffin mixture evenly over chili; Microwave, covered, on HIGH 7-9 minutes or until center of cornbread springs back when lightly pressed. Sprinkle cheese over cornbread, if desired; cover and let stand 5 minutes. Garnish with reserved onion tops and tomato, if desired.
Cooking options: I removed the mixture from the skillet and put it into my baking dish then I did a layer of cheese before the final touch of the cornbread mixture.. Baked it at 400 for 15 – 20 minutes or until the cornbread was golden brown.
*** You could also substitute Turkey for beef and it is just as yummy!!
Thanks Stacy – you can share your Personal Favorites with me anytime!!
LUCK OF THE IRISH DRINKS!
Published March 17, 2010 | In honor of Saint Patty’s Day I wanted to pass along these fun Drink recipes that I found over at a wonderful wine site – Eve’s Wine 101 and they were too good not to share!! Thanks Eve for these great recipes.
Luck of the Irish Drinkers!
http://Evewine101.blogspot.com
SHAMROCK SMOOTHIE
2 shots SKYY Melon Vodka
½ shot triple sec
Splash of orange curacao
Juice of 2 limes
Pour all ingredients into a shaker filled with ice.
Shake until frothy.
Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
Irish Pirate
1 cup whole milk
1 pint green mint chocolate chip ice cream
1 tps pure mint extract
3 tbsp dark rum
Mint sprigs, for garnish
Put milk, ice cream, extract and rum into a blender.
Blend on high until smooth, about 15 seconds.
Pour into 2 chilled glasses.
Garnish with a sprig of mint.
Irish Eyes
1 oz Kilbeggan Irish Whiskey
¼ oz green creme de menthe
2 oz heavy cream
Add all ingredients to cocktail shaker.
Shake with ice, strain and serve in a rocks glass.
Garnish with a maraschino cherry.
Jameson Juice
2 oz Jameson Irish Whiskey
1 oz peach liquor
1 oz blue curacao
Orange juice to taste
Add all ingredients to cocktail shaker.
Shake with ice, strain and serve in a rocks glass.
Decorate with an orange twist.
Irish Car Bombs
1¾ pint Guinness Stout
½ shot Bailey’s Irish Cream
½ shot Jameson Irish Whiskey
Pour Guinness into a pint glass and let it settle.
Float Bailey’s on top of Jameson in a shot glass.
Drop shot glass, carefully, into Guinness.
Drink quickly, before it curdles.
(From http://www.kegworks.com/company/st-Patrick-s-day-drink-recipes?source=blog)
Some boring stuff, then some interesting stuff, then more boring stuff . . .
Published March 16, 2010 | So my friends have begun really riding my not a twenty year old’s ass about my failings as a blogger. Here is my response to an email exchange with my friend, Dullass (as in Dull Ass) in New York. He’s the THEATER (serious business) actor dude, who is now becoming a physicist or something like that. You know, the science over god, guy. Come on, you guys love him. Well, I love him.
Dullass: no-post-y-you-y? (and then a whole bunch of other crap which means something to me but probably won’t mean anything to you).
Me: yes, yes, i know. i write the posts in my head all the time, but find one reason or another not to commit it to the void of the internet.
my eyes are always at the top of the list. i’m having another bout of iritis again so that must mean we are adopting. again. and we are. did you know that? for some reason those two things go hand in hand for me. the last time i had iritis we were adopting monkey. now that we’ve started the process to adopt monkey number two, it’s back. the doctor thinks it’s stress induced. what stress? there’s no stress in adopting. she’s crazy.
so yeah, we are in the process of trying to adopt a special medical needs child from hungary. our dossier paperwork is almost ready to be sent over to hungary and the search to match us with a child will begin right away. our agency is telling us it might go rather quickly and then we can travel as soon as all our other paperwork is done, so wow.
we will travel to budapest and stay for six weeks. yeah, that’s what i said. SIX WEEKS. but how awesome will that be. then i think about traveling on a plane with monkey and a new two year old (or something like that) who can’t understand english yet. really, what stress? hubunit said he’ll meet us there and then have to come home early. uh, dude? so not even funny.
monkey is signing up for swim team next week and is beside himself with excitement. he is such a great swimmer and we’ve already been in the pool a bunch of times this past month. i know, that’s our winter in so cal. the sky got dark and it rained one day. then winter was over.
how are you guys??? hope things are going great and you’re still enjoying school. when do we start calling you dr. dullass? that sounds like a soap opera character. which kinda suits you. are you and your main squeeze in the same state? hows the pooch? monkey still talks about zane (our old dog) almost every day. i’m hoping soon he has to start talking about elvis the cockroach cat in that same past tense. but no. elvis is going to be twenty this year. TWENTY years of putting up with an annoying cat. and no end in sight. his fur got all weird about a month ago and it was ugly and clumpy and falling out – looked sad for him, but happy for us. but then he MOLTED. all that weird fur fell out and he now has the coat of a cat nineteen years his junior. AAAARRRRGGGHHHHHHH! the power of another of his nine lives harvested . . .
anyhoo. that’s the news from here. hubunit is fine and he will get to live, as long as he comes on the plane ride with me.
So see? Now you’re all caught up and it’s like I’ve never been gone. Oh, and Dr. Dullass thinks the word IRITIS has entirely too many I’s in it to be a real word. But it is. Real. And the eyes have it. Both of them. Yippee.
Please blog. Please, Please, Please start blogging again.
Published March 15, 2010 | The other morning I was looking at the Sunday paper and noticed a preponderance of bikini ads. Which sparked this conversation:
Me: I’m kinda commited to getting into a bikini this summer.
Hubunit: Why kinda? Why not be 100% commited?
Me: Well, because it might get hard and then I’ll quit.
Me: Duh.
Hubunit: Please blog.
Posted in Dream a Little Dream, Mirror Mirror on the Wall | 
bikinis, Blogging, daily life, humor, husband, love, Wife | 
5 CommentsThe Ground keeps shaking: Earthquake Prep tips
Published March 8, 2010 | The ground seems to be shakin all over this world of ours and for a very long time I thought that California was just about the only place that big quakes (or threat of quakes existed) As a kid I was always told that when I grow up I should be land in Nevada so that I could have ocean front property! It seams that in the last few years the ground is really movin all over this world of ours. Based on the scary fact here are some tips on being / getting and staying prepared.
How can I prepare?
- Become aware of fire evacuation and earthquake plans for all of the buildings you occupy regularly.
- Pick safe places in each room of your home, workplace and/or school. A safe place could be under a piece of furniture or against an interior wall away from windows, bookcases or tall furniture that could fall on you.
- Practice drop, cover and hold on in each safe place. If you do not have sturdy furniture to hold on to, sit on the floor next to an interior wall
and cover your head and neck with your arms. - Keep a flashlight and sturdy shoes by each person’s bed.
- Bolt and brace water heaters and gas appliances to wall studs.
- Bolt bookcases, china cabinets and other tall furniture to wall studs.
- Hang heavy items, such as pictures and mirrors, away from beds, couches and anywhere people sleep or sit.
- Install strong latches or bolts on cabinets.
- Large or heavy items should be closest to the floor.
- Learn how to shut off the gas valves in your home, and keep a wrench handy for that purpose.
- Keep and maintain an emergency supplies kit in an easy-to-access location.
- Make sure in your supply kit that you have food for your 4 legged family members as well.
- If you have the money and the space a generator is a great investment. What should I do during an earthquake?
If you are inside when the shaking starts .
- Drop, cover and hold on. Move as little as possible.
- If you are in bed, stay there, curl up and hold on. Protect your head with a pillow.
- Stay away from windows to avoid being injured by shattered glass.
- Stay indoors until the shaking stops and you are sure it is safe to exit.
If you must leave the building after the shaking stops, use stairs rather
than an elevator in case there are aftershocks, power outages or other
damage.
- Be aware that fire alarms and sprinkler systems frequently go off in buildings during an earthquake, even if there is no fire.If you are outside when the shaking starts …
- Find a clear spot and drop to the ground. Stay there until the shaking stops (away from buildings, power lines, trees, streetlights).
- If you are in a vehicle, pull over to a clear location and stop. Avoid bridges, overpasses and power lines if possible.
- Stay inside with your seat-belt fastened until the shaking stops. Then, drive carefully, avoiding bridges and ramps that may have been damaged.
- If a power line falls on your vehicle, do not get out. Wait for assistance.
- If you are in a mountainous area or near unstable slopes or cliffs, be alert for falling rocks and other debris. Landslides are often triggered by
earthquakes.
** A personal tip: Make sure that you have a couple bottles of wine and a wine opener carefully and safely secured. Trust me after dealing with the 1994 Northridge quake and losing every stitch of glass and all alcohol in the house this tip will come in handy!!
PLEASE PLEASE SHARE YOUR TIPS!!!!
Call me Crazy … but I want a pothead!
Published March 3, 2010 | Not THAT kind of a pot head – haha. If “I” ran the zoo … I would have a garden design like THIS:
Actually, I would like a few of them to put in a group like this but they don’t have to be exact. I like that he’s got pedestals for some so that they aren’t all the same height etc. and I like that each face is different (as are the plants in the head). It’s kind of like having your very own Mt. Rushmore but with greenery – haha. I found them here: http://stonefacecreations.homestead.com/
What is even MORE fun though … to go through the plant containers here: SHARE YOUR HEAD SECTION.
Talk about unique garden gifts – haha. So who’s with me to be all home and garden in creating a Mr. Rushmore style garden this year?
Boutique Winery in Paso that ROCKS!!!!
Published March 1, 2010 | 
http://www.greywolfcellars.com- 2174 Highway 46 West – Paso Robles, California
I love this wine – I really wanted to write a specific review on my favorite varietals but I found that impossible because I PRETTY MUCH LOVE THEM ALL! My New Hubby and I stumbled upon this winery about 4 years ago (we just started dating then) & (literally stumbled) and just fell in love with every wine that hit our lips. One wine really struck us not only because of how wonderful and smooth it tasted but because of the name, “SOULMATE”(new couple thing – I know oh how cute!!) Side note we bought more cases than our trunk could hold but we saved until our Wedding night the very last bottle of Soulmate that we bought on that first trip in 2005.
This is a family winery and the young, adorable and award winning hotshot wine maker “Joe Barton Jr” is amazing – They have an Old World Wine Making Philosophy – They are very hands on and use only French Oak Wine Barrels and American Oak Wine Barrels. All their wines are crushed, barreled and bottled on the estate.
Here is a list of all the wines here that I have personally had the pleasure of swirling and swallowing!!!
LONE WOLF – Red Table Wine – We bought cases of this “everyday drinker”
2005 SOULMATE – Red Rhone Blend – Wedding Night Wine – That says something about how great this is and in 2007 we went back for more!!!
2006 ZINFANDEL – The Jackal- This Zin does have attitude
2005 CABERNET SAUVIGNON – Alpha – YUM
2005 ZINFANDEL – Barton Family Reserve – Oh Yea – So great
2003 BARTON ESTATE – Red Estate Blend – Thumbs Up
2004 BARTON ESTATE GROWN CABERNET SAUVIGNON – Yummy
2005 ZINFANDEL – Big Bad Wolf – The after party after drinking this was amazing – Ha
2004 Petite Verdot – Silky and smooth like the website says -
All the wines here are excellent and if you get to Paso Robles (Highway 46 West) do not pass Grey Wolf Cellars up!!!
Cheers
Cathy
** AS Grey Wolf says, ” Life is too short to drink bad wine”
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