ANTM… What Are You Thinking?

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Last night I followed my usual Wednesday night routine by plopping myself down in front of the TV and watching America’s Next Top Model.

The show was progressing d’habitude and then a commercial break.  A man and a woman were watching top model TOGETHER, joking about Allison’s “booty tooch”

Not only was I disturbed by this but I was thoroughly disgusted.  Gross!

I have to practically tie my husband to the chair and force feed him vodka to get him to watch ANTM – and he only succumbs for reruns!  I found myself sneering at the screen and then of course, expressing my disgust as if someone could actually hear me!

I have no idea what they were thinking!  Men watch football.  Women watch Project Runway.  Men watch the History Channel.  Women watch ANTM.

Maybe I’m just old-fashioned… tough!  Get a grip channel 11.  My disgust runs deep.

© 2011 J. H-M and CultureChoc2010.

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Broccoli Rabe & Chicken

Chez moi, we love anything with broccoli rabe.  The dishes are endless.

Last night I realized that I had a fresh head of broccoli di rapa in my fridge, took out some chicken breast and started my creation.

Jacq’s Chicken & Broccoli Rabe

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
flour for dredging
Herbes de Provence
salt & pepper
1 head of broccoli rabe, rinsed and cut up (remove hard stems)
6 garlic cloves, sliced
hot crushed red pepper, to taste
1 chicken bouillon cube
extra virgin olive oil

Butterfly and / or pound breasts to desired thickness.  Season chicken with salt, pepper and Herbes de Provence.  Dredge in flour and shake off excess.

Add olive oil to a hot non-stick pan and cook breasts until they are browned and cooked through.  Do not overcook or the chicken will be dry!  Set aside to keep warm.

Meanwhile, blanche broccoli rabe in salted water for a couple of minutes.  Reserve 1 cup of cooking water – set aside.

Drain greens in a colander – set aside.  In the same pan that you blanched in, add olive oil and heat.  Add red crushed pepper, the bouillon cube and garlic.

Cook until garlic turns golden (do not burn).  Add drained greens, salt to taste and the cooking water that you reserved.  Cover and steam until broccoli rabe is tender and the flavors meld.

Pour over chicken and serve.

Serves 4.

At least that’s what I think I did!  Enjoy!

© 2011 J. H-M and CultureChoc2010.

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Wolfgang Puck’s American Grille at the Borgata

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My husband and I do not gamble but we always manage to spend a mint in Atlantic City on food and drink.  Whether we’re snacking at The Sunroom or enjoying a meal at one of the Borgata‘s fine dining establishments, we always enjoy ourselves and leave very satisfied.

Wolfgang Puck‘s American Grille located in the Borgata Hotel is one my favorites.  The restaurant has 2 menus:  The Tavern and The Main Dining Room.  Both are fabulous but we tend to eat in the more casual Tavern area.  To start, try the Truffled Potato Chips with Maytag Blue, the Creamy Clam Chowder or the Spicy Tuna Tartare (my fave).  My favorite entrée is the Pork Wienerschnitzelwith Warm Potato Salad, Arugula and Pumpkin Seed Oil.  I’m never disappointed.

I also like the Grilled Rib Eye Steak with Peppercorn Sauce, Bleu Cheese Hollandaise or the Almond Crusted Salmon with Horseradish-Potato Purée and Red Wine Reduction.

If you’re eating in the main dining room start with the Agnolotti Pasta with Five Cheese Filling and as a main course try the BRAISED KUROBUTA PORK OSSO BUCO WITH SWEET PEPPER ROMESCO (and I’m not a fan of goat).

I prefer the Tavern menu but the food is good and the service, excellent.Although I thought our server was a little pushy on Monday.

So next time you’re in AC, check out Wolfgang Puck’s American Grille.  It will not disappoint.

© 2011 J. H-M and CultureChoc2010.  Re-published.

Check out my other Atlantic City blogs:

http://culturechoc2010.wordpress.com/2011/02/24/the-sunroom-at-the-water-club-atlantic-city-nj/© 2011 J. H-M and CultureChoc2010

http://culturechoc2010.wordpress.com/dinner-at-the-bar-2/seablue-the-borgata-atlantic-city-nj/

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The Eighties Dude: Villain or Just Misunderstood

Cover of Valley Girl

After watching Valley Girl twice in the past week (oh – btw I have it on DVD too) I started thinking about the 80′s movie guy who we loved to hate.  Remember him?  The hot guy who thinks he’s all that and treats everyone around him like garbage.  You just want to jump through the scream and knock them out!

I’ve known a few of them in my lifetime and I’m sure you have too.

Let’s examine THAT 80′s GUY:

• Valley Girl: Tommy.  Julie’s conceited, no-good boyfriend who stomps on everyone like a spoiled child when Julie breaks up with him and wants to move on to greener pastures.  He also sleeps with her “loose” friend and makes her feel even worse.  VILLAIN.
• Some Kind of Wonderful: Hardy Jenns.  Hardy is a stuck-up, rich, poor example of a man.  He takes the girl from the other side of the tracks, makes her “famous”, then makes her feel like sh** under his shoe by turning everyone against her.  Nice guy that Hardy.  VILLAIN.
• Pretty In Pink: Steff.  Steff is another rich boy who comes between his friend and an outcast from the poor side of town.  He treats people like dirt but the truth comes out in the end.  VILLAIN.
• Weird Science: Where do I start?  Chet – Wyatt’s brother.  Gross, disgusting and just a greedy human being.  Ian & Max.  The good-looking, cool boys who have the girls, leave the girls and lose the girls.  Part Villain, part MISUNDERSTOOD.
• Back To School: Chas.  Can you say A-hole?  The swim team star who gets off by being deceptive and condescending to poor Jason.  VILLAIN.
• The Breakfast Club: John Bender.  Bad boy turned around – but not before causing some emotional drama.  MISUNDERSTOOD.
• Just One of the Guys: Greg Tolan.  I hated this guy.  A muscle-head sadist who picked on the weak.  VILLAIN.
• Girls Just Wanna Have Fun: Here’s a twist.  A villainess.  Natalie Sands.  Rich bitch Natalie gets served up a big dose of her own medicine.  I love her coming-out party.  VILLAINESS.

Did I forget any?  I’m sure I did.  Who is your favorite 80′s movie villain or villainess?

© 2010 J. H-M and CultureChoc2010.  Republished 2011.

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More ROOTS than Alex Haley?

When my husband tells me that I have more ROOTS than Alex Haley, I know it’s time to have my hair done.  Yes, it’s true, I’m long overdue, but sitting in the salon for hours and hours is not my idea of fun.

Losing a few hours in the chair is only part of it.  It will cost me +$200 + tip to get a cut, color and highlights and then have to wait a week for my hair to recover from hair-shock before I actually start liking it.  And the color?  The color is NEVER the same.  It’s either too blonde or too red or too ashy or too “not what I wanted”.

My hairdresser is great with color so it must be me.  I never seem to be satisfied with my “do”.  Maybe that’s why I wait so long to go back.  After 3 weeks my roots grow in but I tend to wait months.  Don’t forget about the cost of shampoo, conditioner, Keratin Mist, hair shine, silk infusion, root lift and hairspray.

As women we also have to worry about our nails.  I need to get them done at least once a month (not bad) and that’s not including warm-weather pedicures.  Our eyebrows, among other things,  need to be waxed.  We have to take care of our “stache” and buy a load of face creams, serums, collagen, $24 face wash, tightening lotions and makeup.  Don’t forget about teeth-whitening products and $45 body lotions.  All so we can look good and feel good.

What do men do?  Maybe some moisturizer?  Gel for their hair?  Men are usually not even concerned with changing their skid-marked underwear for a pair of new ones.  Most could care less if they wear brown, blue, black and beige all at the same time.  Yet even though the studies say, women dress for women and not men, we still want to look good for our spouses whether we’re 200 pounds or 100.

If I go out in sweats and no makeup, my husband says, “You’re going out like that?”  Make me feel good why don’t you.  So why don’t they think the same way?  Duh!  Because they’re men.  So ladies, raise your hands if you agree.  Try not to fault them no matter how much they piss you off.   Just love them for who they are…  farting, burping, loving husbands.

Image: photostock / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

© 2010 J. H-M and CultureChoc2010.  Republished 2011.

You Know You’re A Shopaholic When… A Re-post

You know you’re a shopaholic when:

1. You hide your purchases in the trunk of your car until it’s SAFE to take them inside.
2. You throw out your bags and boxes in neighbors’ garbage cans.
3. You actually shop in the 3 minutes you have in between classes.
4. You are obsessed with QVC and HSN.
5. You rationalize that you saved $700 instead of spending $200.
6. You love to shop for clothes, shoes, purses, cooking stuff, household items, candles, soap, vases, makeup, cat paraphernalia, music, software, food, etc.  There are no limits.
7. If caught with a new item, you say that it’s old and you brought it home from your parents’ house.
8. You start buying meat on HSN.
9. You have 10 tabs open… 1 Facebook and 9 online shopping sites.
10. You buy things you don’t need with money you don’t have.  The obvious.
11. You have moved into every closet in the house and taken over.
12. You build a BIG shoe closet and can only fit 1 season at a time.
13. Your jewelry armoire weighs 101 pounds empty.  God only knows when it’s full.
14. You have to buy every new gadget and electronic available in due time.
15. You have way too many things with tags still attached.
16. You can dress for an entire year without wearing the same outfit more than once.
17. You own an olive pitter, a butter curler, a crumb cleaner, an egg yolk piercer – among other things…
18. You have over 10 different sets of dinnerware, over 16 types of vodka behind your bar, every piece of exercise equipment made and over 15 comforter sets stuffed in your attic.
19. You possess over 300 pairs of shoes, about 150 handbags, over 100 dresses and gowns and list goes on.
20. You always looking for a new venture to support your habit.

Pray for me please!

© 2010 J. H-M and CultureChoc2010.  Re-published 2011.

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