An On the Road Song for D.

Heard this song today and thought of a special man, who is on the road this week with a band... Turn the Page by Bob Seger



On a long and lonesome highway, east of Omaha.
You can listen to the engine moaning out its one lone song
You can think about woman, or the girl you knew the night before,
But your thoughts will soon be wandering, the way they always do.
When your riding sixteen hours and theres nothing much to do
And you don't feel much like riding, you just wish the trip was through.
Say, here I am, on the road again. there I am, up on the stage.
Here I go, playing star again.
There I go, turn the page.

Travel Safe, Love.

Song for tonight: Like a Hurricane

This song was a gift, meant to be savored with a good Aussie Shiraz, for which I want thank a certain Stone Pony . . . even if my eyes aren't brown.

Neil Young--Like a Hurricane



Once I thought I saw you
in a crowded hazy bar,
Dancing on the light
from star to star.
Far across the moonbeam
I know that's who you are,
I saw your brown eyes
turning once to fire.

Breakfast with a Lover

You wake up after a wild night at the clubs. There's a man in bed next to you. How do you get past that awkward here's-your-pants-thanks-for-coming moment? Let's face it, until you've known a man for years, mornings are a bitch. Plan ahead. Have a few simple ingredients always on hand and you can enjoy the morning after just as much as you enjoyed the night before.

First and foremost you must invest in sexy robes. Yes, we know that you prefer to schlep around in the beat up terry-cloth thing you've had for years, but face it. . . that's not helping you look your best. Beauty doesn't have to be uncomfortable. I like a thigh-length Chinese silk wrap (I have several and can testify to the comfort of these!), or a cotton Japanese yukata (I have a fav in black with dragons; unbelted it sweeps the floor and trails behind as I walk--nicely showing a lot of leg).

Set up the coffee the night before (assuming you are capable of rational thought after clubbing or whatever). If you are smart and wake up first, do a bit of primping, throw on the robe, and start coffee before waking him with kisses. If he wakes first, send him to turn on coffee while you go primp.

Now you fix breakfast together:

Gevalia Coffee with Biscotti
Fresh Fruit and
Executive Home Fries

Executive Home Fries are a specialty of a little restaurant I love in Kent, Ohio. All you need are white potatoes, a variety of other ingredients, and at least three cheeses.

Depending on your preferences, either grate or finely dice 2-3 medium size potatoes with one small onion. In a large saute pan fry these on med-high heat in a couple tablespoons of virgin olive oil, flipping often.

While you fry the potatoes set him to chop the other ingredients. I usually add whatever I have in the fridge that seems suitable. Any cooked meats: leftover beef or pork bits, precooked sausage, ready to eat bacon (a good thing to keep on hand for adding to your cooking), deli ham. Any vegetables: broccoli, asparagus tips, celery, grated carrot, fresh tomatoes (little grape tomatoes are best), mushrooms, capers. With vegetables fresh is always better, but if all you have is frozen run them under warm and pat dry before throwing them in. Add ingredients as you go, adding things like tomatoes that need less cooking at the end. You want the potatoes fork-done and browned, all vegetables still a bit crisp. Some fresh herbs to add at the end could include (pick only one or two, don't overpower your flavors): parsley, savory, chives, tarragon, lovage (leaves), and, of course, fresh ground pepper and sea salt.

You also want to grate about a 3rd cup each of 3 different cheeses. My favorite combination is Jarlsburg swiss, asiago, and a tiny bit of crumbled feta. At this point turn off the heat, sprinkle the cheeses on top the potato mix, and cover it while you set the table with nice china and linen napkins.

Your fresh fruit can be whatever is in season, but think about presentation. Fill half of a stoned peach with tiny raspberries or blueberries. Toss pineapple and melon cubes with fresh mint leaves. Add a dollop of vanilla yogurt to a bowl of mixed berries.

If he offers to help with the washing up, he is a keeper. And after a luscious night and a delicious morning you can be pretty certain he'll back. If you want to insure that, drag him back to the bedroom for another round of morning calisthenics before he heads off to the gym or work or wherever!

Rules of Flirting: Rule #4

Rule 4: Don't discuss other men with the man you are with. When you are serious in your flirting, be sure to make the man you are with the center of all your attention. I suppose that works both ways, and the same applies for women too. Even if you don't intend it someone may feel "compared." We humans are fragile things, especially when falling in love.

Here's my song for today. . .

On and on the rain will fall
Like tears from a star like tears from a star
On and on the rain will say
How fragile we are how fragile we are
-- Sting from the song "Fragile"

Song du Jour: I Wish it Would Rain by Phil Collins

I Wish it Would Rain by Phil Collins
Here's the song for today. . .
. . . I never meant to cause you no pain, but it looks like I did it again . . . .
Enjoy.

Menu for a Romantic Dinner for Two

Ladies, you've met that special man. You want to make a special night of it. Don't ask him to take you out, cook for him. Here's the menu:

Filets wrapped in bacon with melted blue cheese
Grilled fingerling potatoes with herbes de Provence
Tossed salad of mixed greens, fresh herbs, and flowers

First the potatoes. You want the tiny new fingerling ones, 1"-2" round, no bigger. Cut them in half, or quarters, pieces small enough to fit easily in a shot glass. Sliver a small onion. Toss this together with enough olive oil to coat. Depending on the season you can add any or all of several fresh herbs: rosemary (has to be fresh, dried rosemary is nasty), buds of lavender (best when full and round but not yet bloomed), or savory. Experiment. Find the herbs, the scents, the flavors that you like, that he likes. If mixing flavors scares you buy a bottle of "Herbes de Provence"--a blend of these and other flavors. Put the potato mixture on a sheet of heavy duty aluminum foil in a single layer and seal the edges. Throw this on the grill first, it will take about 15-20 minutes. Turn often. (If your grill is small, you can do these in the oven at about 400 degrees. Still need to turn often!)

Now for the steaks. You want two 7 oz. fillets (9 oz. if he's a man of hearty appetite). Roll the edges in crushed peppercorn, then wrap a thick slice of bacon around the edge. Secure with toothpicks. Let him do the grilling. It more fun to play together. Meat is more tender when rare, but the center must be barely warm (not cold) and still red (but not too bloody). At the very last minute add some crumbled Stilton bleu cheese to the top of the steak.

While he's grilling the steaks you toss the salad. Mixed spring greens are best, some carrot shredded, more fresh herbs (cilantro, tarragon, a tiny bit of fresh mint), some little grape tomatoes, maybe some mandarin oranges, strawberries sliced, some sunflower seed, and some fresh flowers. There are many edible (and tasty) flowers to add to your salad. Rose petals are good--be sure they are from the tiny Damask roses or wild roses, not those huge hot house flowers from the florist that have neither flavor nor scent!) Nasturtium blossoms add a peppery taste. Purple chive blossoms add a hint of onion. No, you are not likely to find these in your corner market, you have to grow them. It isn't hard, but it does take serious advance planning!

You can use any salad dressing you like but I recommend a raspberry-walnut vinaigrette. You can make your own or if you want to go with store bought, Ken's and Newman's are both good brands. Go easy on dressing, you want to flavor, but not overwhelm a salad.

Drinks? A red wine: a Merlot or a Shiraz. I am partial to the Aussie reds. Find out what he likes though. Is he a beer drinker? I like Blue Moon with sliced oranges, but some men find that a bit frou-frou. Get him to try something new. Tsingtao, a light Chinese beer or Negra Modelo a dark creamy Mexican brew.

Let's talk about salt and pepper. None of this canned black pepper or iodized salt junk. You need, if you don't already have them salt and pepper grinders. There are many peppers: red, green, white, pink and black. I prefer a mix of several. As for salt, sea salts are the best. I use Celtic grey sea salt for meats, a lighter Hawaiian red alae for vegetables.

Set the table for two in the garden (double benefit to growing your own!); use the best china, silver, linen napkins, fine crystal. Light candles everywhere. Dress up a bit, something slinky.

Music is your own choice, I'd uses Vangelis' soundtrack to the movie Blade Runner.

Enjoy the meal. Speak only of happy things, beautiful things, let go of the stresses of the day.

Dessert? Did I forget about dessert? No, I didn't. Be dessert. Make it sweet for him.

The song for today: Fields of Gold

Can't get this song out of my head ... can't get a certain man out of my head either....

Fields of Gold by Sting

You'll remember me when the west wind moves
Upon the fields of barley
You'll forget the sun in his jealous sky
As we walk in the fields of gold . . .

. . . See the west wind move like a lover so
Upon the fields of barley
Feel her body rise when you kiss her mouth
Among the fields of gold
I never made promises lightly
And there have been some that I've broken
But I swear in the days still left
We'll walk in the fields of gold
We'll walk in the fields of gold . . . .