Doris Roberts: An Inspiration

Doris Roberts: An Inspiration

Jesse Bluma at Pointe Viven. All rights reserved.

We lost a star and heaven gained a brilliant soul.  

"5-time Emmy® Award winner and 11-time Emmy® nominee Doris Roberts is seen on television and in film every day, all around the world.  Voted #3 ‘Favorite Mom of All Time’ in an audience survey by ABC News and People Magazine, her character ‘Marie Barone’ is a cherished icon in over 160 countries – a role that earned 4 of her 5 television Emmys®. 

'I knew I wanted to be an actor when I was in kindergarten,' says Doris.  'I was cast in a school play where I had only one line: ‘I am Patrick Potato and this is my cousin, Mrs. Tomato.’  When I heard the audience burst with laughter, I knew I wanted to be an actor!  That’s the bug that bit me and it’s been biting me ever since."

Doris Roberts exemplified impressive range as an actress.  Her character, Mildred Krebs, in Remington Steele is most memorable and a personal favorite.  A mix of good acting, nostalgic references to old movies, and a sometimes over the top spirit make it better than so many other programs.  The cast includes Stephanie Zimbalist, Pierce Brosnan, Doris Roberts, James Read, Janet Demay, Beverly Garland, Maryedith Burrell, Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. (Stephanie’s father), Cassandra Harris (Pierce’s first wife), James Tolkan, and many other great actors.  The show’s music and theme by Henry Mancini.  The city of Los Angeles acts as a great setting-- Century Plaza Towers providing home base for much of the mystery solving and action. 

Doris’ charitable work on behalf of the elderly and animals, drive to continually work and learn the craft of acting, and her perseverance after the passing of her husband make her an inspiration.  In addition, her roles on Angie, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, Everybody Love’s Raymond, and more will live on as a terrific legacy of love, laughter, and strength.  She was a classic.

Stephanie Zimbalist noted, "My heart goes out to Doris's son Michael, wife Jane and grandchildren, and the legions of her fans and supporters.  What a dame she was.  When you needed Doris, she was right there.  Flights of angels, dear Doris."

Pierce Brosnan also paid tribute to Doris, "...my dear Doris, I am so very saddened to hear the news of your passing, I loved you Doris, we had so many good laughs together, and you always knew where the laughs were, you never forgot the audience...my heartfelt love and condolences go out to your family... You will be missed by many, forever and the day, but your work shall live on. Love life and laughs ...God bless.  ...dear Doris, we had fun did we not...you were a joy to work with, you made me laugh and you made my work better for the laughter... Love life work and laughter...here's to higher ground ...RIP".

Join the fans of Amazon Prime. As an Amazon Prime member, you receive many shipping, shopping, streaming, reading, and other benefits. Prime Video stacks up in the universe of streaming. 

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Credits

https://www.facebook.com/OfficialDorisRoberts/?fref=ts, 

facebook.com/Stephanie-Zimbalist-Fan-Page,

https://www.facebook.com/piercebrosnan/?fref=nf

Martha Stewart Café: Martha’s Blend Coffee Review by Jesse Bluma

Martha Stewart Café:  Martha’s Blend Coffee

Jesse Bluma at Pointe Viven. All rights reserved.

The Martha Stewart Café provides a wonderful assortment of coffee, tea, and baked goods.  Martha’s Blend ground coffee is a medium-roast sourced from beans across the globe, including Kenya, Guatemala, and Indonesia.  I enjoyed the warm, chocolate aroma and flavor of this bold and well composed coffee.  The coffee beans are curated from Kobrick Coffee, Jersey City, New Jersey, who provide sustainable products.  

“Welcome to the Martha Stewart Café, a dream of mine that has finally become a reality!  Inspired by the wonderful coffee shops I’ve visited all around the world, it’s a place where I can share my favorite handcrafted coffees, teas, and bakery treats with customers who will enjoy them as I do. I hope you’ll make the Martha Stewart Café a part of your daily routine—or a stop on your itinerary when visiting New York’s exciting High Line district!  I promise you a delicious cup as you explore this vibrant part of the city.”

For information on visiting the Martha Stewart Café or ordering go to marthastewartcafe.com.

See more...

Cappuccino--A Must at the Martha Stewart Café New York City

Take Your Cues from the Martha Stewart Café

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Credit:  marthastewartcafe.com

Independence Day Party Planning and Menu Ideas by Jesse Bluma

Independence Day Party Planning and Menu Ideas

Jesse Bluma at Pointe Viven. All rights reserved.

"We hold these truths to be self-evident" are eight of the most important words we can honor with a celebration.  July 4 is in part for remembering new beginnings and cutting ties with England in 1776.  

The following ideas make an excellent blueprint for your next Independence Day party and can be adapted to almost any other celebration you host.  One of the most important steps to take is to backwards plan. Your goal is to celebrate and make it possible for your guests to enjoy it too, while not exhausting yourself.  Keep that in mind and your party will be doable.  

1.  Set a date and time of course.  

2.  Invite guests:  family, friends, co-workers, neighbors, or a mix.

3.  Look at your finances and stay within budget.  A buffet may be your best bet.

4.  Remember to have music:  This could simply be songs you select to play, radio, web or TV station music, or live performances depending on the type of party.

5.  Select one day to bring out any decorations for cleaning and dusting or to purchase any items:  flags, party poppers, theme napkins, balloons, stars on strings (hung up from ceiling using non-stick hanging strips), punched out paper stars, punched out Happy Birthday messages, et cetera.

6.  Select a day to take out your serving platters, plates, glasses, tableware, et cetera to wash, clean, and polish and determine anything that you may need to purchase.

7.  Select a day to go food and drink shopping.  Often guests will offer to bring certain drinks.  If you can have a guest bring clear ice for drinks, that is great.

8.  Make most of the food one to two days before the party.  Purchasing a few gourmet items, such as cookies, cheeses, and specialty meats ahead of time will save you time and energy to prepare other dishes.  The day of the party you can make items such as salads and assemble your dishes.  Keep your food items to a minimal variety as to ensure they are quality dishes.  It is far better to spend money you would have spent on ten bags of potato chips on a quality appetizer or main dish.  

9.  The day before your party is a good day to set the table, iron tablecloths, set out any platters, and label each platter to organize your food.

10.  Games, crafts for kids, and a pre-dinner outing to the beach are good activities to make part of your party.

Table

A printed menu framed on the wall.

(Create this for your party after you have cooked your food, 

in case of any last minute changes.)

Menu

Appetizer

- Genoa Salami and Kalamata Greek Olives

(Slice the salami the day before.)

Dishes

- Roasted Vegetables with Dip

Preheat oven to 425° Fahrenheit or 218.3° Celsius.  Trim stems off 2 pounds broccoli and 1 pound cauliflower.  Cut flowerets into bite size pieces.  Mix broccoli and cauliflower with 2 cups sweet corn.  In a large bowl, in three batches, toss vegetable mixture with 1 Tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, and 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika powder.  Spread on parchment lined baking sheets.  Cook for about 15 minutes in oven.  Dip:  Mix together 1 cup organic yellow mustard, 3 Tablespoons organic honey, 2 teaspoons chili pepper, 1 pinch black pepper, 1 teaspoon olive oil, 3 Tablespoons lemon juice, 1 pinch lemon zest, 1 Tablespoon very finely chopped red onion, 1 Tablespoon very finely chopped shallot.

- Endive Wrapped Sausage Hot Dogs

with dried cherries, apple matchsticks,

goat cheese, toasted walnuts, and

Michigan Dressing

Wash and dry endive lettuce leaves--a mix of green and red Belgian the day of the party.  Grill soy chorizo style sausages according to package directions--you can do this the day before and then warm them up during the party.  Preheat oven to 375° Fahrenheit or 190.5° Celsius.  Crush walnuts into smaller pieces.  Put walnuts on parchment lined baking sheet. Toast walnuts until they begin to brown--5 to 10 minutes.  This can be done the day before as well.  Michigan Dressing:  1/2 cup Honey Greek Yogurt, 1/3 cup maple syrup, 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, 1/2 cup olive oil, pinch of salt and pepper.  Place in a Mason jar, close lid, and shake.  You may make the dressing ahead of time and remember to keep this dressing cold on the table as it has milk product.  Slice 1 apple per 8 sausages into matchstick size pieces.  Immediately place the apple matchsticks into a bag with lemon juice.  This will prevent browning.  Slice the apple prior to the party.  Include a jar of ketchup as well on the table for guests.  I mixed 1 cup organic ketchup with 1 Tablespoon chili pepper.  Guests can wrap their own sausages with endive leaves and top with their choices of dried cherries, apply matchsticks, goat cheese, toasted walnuts, Michigan dressing, and ketchup.

- Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

topped with baby Swiss cheese and chives

Prior to the party cook 6 ounces of meatless soy chorizo per mushroom following the package directions.  Preheat oven to 425° Fahrenheit or 218.3° Celsius.  Stuff the mushrooms with the cooked soy chorizo and bake portobello mushrooms on a parchment lined baking sheet for 25 minutes.  Carefully remove mushrooms with oven mitts.  Add a slice of baby Swiss cheese to the top of each stuffed mushroom.  Bake for about 5 minutes to melt the cheese.  Wash and snip chives.  Carefully remove mushrooms from the oven and top with a few snips of chive.

- Marinated Garbanzo Beans

Prior to the party soak and cook garbanzo beans according to package directions.  This usually requires soaking over night.  Drain water and allow garbanzo beans to cool after cooking.   Add 1/4 cup olive oil per 15 ounces of garbanzo beans.  1 clove of diced garlic per 15 ounces of garbanzo beans.  1 Tablespoon salt per 15 ounces of garbanzo beans.  1/2 teaspoon chili powder per 15 ounces garbanzo beans.  Mix and serve.  *Note:  If you use canned garbanzo beans then you will need to alter this recipe.

Drink

- Black Cherry-Mint Cocktail

- Orange Mint Water

Make the orange mint infused water the morning of your party and place in refrigerator to cool.

Treats

- Patriotic Sandwich Cookies

- Manhattan Cupcakes

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Why You Need a Fire Escape Ladder

Why You Need a Fire Escape Ladder

Jesse Bluma at Pointe Viven. All rights reserved.

We have all heard the fire safety reminders before.  These messages in media and school can saturate our brains so much that we tune them out.  Fire safety is important and being proactive is essential to protect life and property.  Emergency response varies from place to place.  That is one reason to be as prepared as possible, as any fireman will tell you.  "Fire escape ladders should be in every occupied room with a window, on each floor above the main level.  Someone in the U.S. dies in a home fire every three hours, according to the The National Fire Protection Association, which recommends one ladder in every occupied room on floors above the main level.  

If your home has two floors, every family member (including children) must be able to escape from the second floor rooms. Escape ladders can be placed in or near windows to provide an additional escape route. Review the manufacturer's instructions carefully so you'll be able to use a safety ladder in an emergency. Practice setting up the ladder from a first floor window to make sure you can do it correctly and quickly. Children should only practice with a grown-up, and only from a first-story window. Store the ladder near the window, in an easily accessible location. You don't want to have to search for it during a fire."

There are many resources for fire safety information.  Discover more about fire safety at The National Fire Protection Association.  NFPA has worked to promote fire safety since 1896.  

Visit Amazon for your fire safety detectors, alarms, ladders, fire extinguishers, and more.

According to Deirdre Lockwood, communications specialist for he Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences (DEOHS) in the University of Washington's School of Public Health, "Firefighters risk their lives responding to emergencies, but they also jeopardize their long-term health through exposure to toxic chemicals and other occupational hazards. As a result, firefighters are at increased risk for cancer, cardiovascular disease and other health conditions" (Preventing Long-term Health Risks for Firefighters).

Individuals, families, businesses, houses of worship, and others depend on firemen during a crisis, "Firefighters selflessly dedicate their time to protecting our lives and property, and sometimes they make the ultimate sacrifice while risking their lives to save others" (Recognizing and Honoring the Sacrifices of Firefighters).  

Fire stations often post a special prayer to communicate the needs and guidance desired for first responders.

The Fireman's Prayer 

When I am called to duty, God, whenever flames may rage;
 

Give me strength to save some life, whatever be its age.
 

Help me embrace a little child before it is too late 


Or save an older person from the horror of that fate.


Enable me to be alert and hear the weakest shout,


And quickly and efficiently to put the fire out.


I want to fill my calling and to give the best in me,


To guard my every neighbor and protect his property.


And if, according to my fate, I am to lose my life;


Please bless with your protecting hand my children and my wife.

--Author Unknown

Visit Amazon for your fire safety detectors, alarms, ladders, fire extinguishers, and more.

Food for thought...

1.  What can you do to be more prepared for a fire?

2.  What will you do in the next five minutes to get more prepared?

3.  Is there someone that could use your help to get more prepared? 

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Credits: my.hrw.com, nfpa.org, firesafetysource.com, kidde.ocm, amazon.com, deohs.washington.edu, unsplash.com, Max Whitehead, www.charities.org

Food Glossary: Food Ideas for Better Living and Cooking

Food Glossary:

Food Ideas for Better Living and Cooking

Jesse Bluma at Pointe Viven. All rights reserved.

Use this essential Keynote below as a quick and useful reference.  The pages contain a variety of ideas for when you are suffering from allergies, wanting to take proactive measure toward better health and wellness, and when you are looking for a way to boost your recipe.  

Not able to sleep at night?  Click on page 12 for a list of foods that may be beneficial for you.  Looking to cook something for your next date night?  Refer to page 10 for a list of menu ideas.  Feel free to share your ideas too.     

Table of Contents

3.  Allergy relief

4.  Charitable

5.  Energy improvement

6.  Flavor

7.  Mind - Improved Thinking and Concentration

8.  Mood:  Positive Improvement

9.  Nutrition

10.  Romantic

11.  Satisfying

12.  Sleep improvement 

13.  Soul

14.  Sweetening

15.  Wellness

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Credit: Free Images

Dill and Garlic Pita Chips

Dill and Garlic Pita Chips

Jesse Bluma at Pointe Viven. All rights reserved.

If wondering the snack aisle of the grocery store has gotten tedious, if you are scouring nutrition labels, if you are looking for something new, something crispy, something that will liberate your taste buds, then pick up a few simple ingredients and enjoy these pita chips.    

Ingredients

1 six-inch whole wheat pita

Cooking spray (Smart Balance brand)

3 cloves garlic, diced
Olive oil

Sea salt

Dill to garnish

Materials

Parchment paper

Baking sheet

Visit Amazon to get your ingredients and materials for this recipe.

Prepare

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit or 218.333 degrees Celsius.

Carefully cut pitas into 8 equal size triangles; you will then have double layer wedges.  

Cut each wedge between the two layers; you will then have 16 single layer triangles.  

Cover the top of a baking dish with parchment paper.

Place wedges on parchment lined baking sheet.

Sprinkles wedges with diced garlic.

Spray wedges with cooking spray.

Bake for 6 to 7 minutes; oven times will vary. 

Gently clean and dry the dill.  

Use hot pads to remove baking sheet.

Lightly drizzle wedges with olive oil.

Lightly sprinkle wedges with sea salt.

Garnish with dill.  

Serve right away as is or with your favorite guacamole or other dip.  

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Image courtesy of [KEKO64] at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Martha Says “No” To Factory Farming Cruelty

Martha Says “No” To Factory Farming Cruelty

Jesse Bluma at Pointe Viven. All rights reserved.

“Most people don’t realize how amazing farm animals are,” she says. “They are intelligent, social, emotional beings, like all animals. Chickens have thirty different calls in their language that we can recognize. Cows kick their legs in the air with joy when they’re happy. Pigs form powerful life-long bonds with each other and humans. Sheep bellow in distress when they’re separated from their young and their brood mates.”

If you share a family heritage as I do, with farming, animals, and agriculture then this issue may be a bit more relatable.  During the 1800s over 50% of Americans were farmers.  This changed with industrialization and by the 1950s farmers accounted for 12% of the labor force.  Today it is far less.  Both sides of my family owned and ran farms and timber companies from Washington State, Kansas, to the East Coast.  The opportunity to visit the family farm, stack hay, fish in the pond, harvest vegetables, and ride horses is one that reminds us eggs don't come from a box, vegetables and fruit do not naturally have a waxy texture, and bacon does not grow on trees.

These experiences ground us in reality when we complain about the price of food.  It reminds us that food is a vital nutrient and quality matters.  It reminds us of Genesis 2:15--"Jehovah God taketh the man, and causeth him to rest in the garden of Eden, to serve it, and to keep it."  No, we do not need to hug trees.  No we do not need to go into debt buying strictly organic and sustainable.  Short of operating your own farm it is best to think before and while shopping.  Checking labels, asking the butcher questions, growing your own vegetables, and seeking local farms are a few steps to find better quality food.  Liberating ourselves from bad habits, thoughtless shopping, and disconnected eating is a good way to live.

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Credit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-fqTEtgG_A

Seasonal Shopping List for February by Jesse Bluma

Seasonal Foods for February 

Jesse Bluma at Pointe Viven. All rights reserved.

If you are looking for something new for the dinner table, start here.  Cook with seasonal ingredients for great flavor and to save a bit of cash.  Selecting seasonal foods is a good choice.  Take a spreadsheet of seasonal items to the grocery store.  Simply print and take to the store or farmers' market.

blood oranges

Brussels sprouts

coconut

kumquats (photo above)

passionfruit

pineapple

tangerines

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photo credit:  wikipedia.org

The Money Alphabet by Jesse Bluma

The Money Alphabet

Jesse Bluma at Pointe Viven. All rights reserved.

A:  Act.  The genesis of saving and creating money begins with the word.  Think about your values, goals, and standard of living.  Write them out.  Then act.  A change in behavior will bring a change in attitude and takes place over a few weeks.

B:  Be healthy and well with diet and hygiene.  This will bring long term savings.

C:  Cut open products.  See that toothpaste tube?  That shampoo bottle?  That motor oil?  You will be amazed at how much you will find at the bottom of these products.

D:  Do-it-Yourself.  Tasks such as replacing a car filter, mowing the lawn, washing your car, and building a simple furniture piece is well within your skills.

E:  Eat in.  This includes brewing your own tea or coffee.

F:  Freeze leftovers.  Wasting food is not good on many levels.  Place only what you will eat on your plate, you can always go back for more.

G:  Grow your own fruit, vegetables, and herbs.

H:  Hold off on upgrading electronics, cars, and gadgets.  Take enjoyment in the feeling of saving and investing, rather than a momentary high from a product that will be out of date tomorrow.  A previously owned car with a good warranty from the manufacturer’s dealership may be best for you. Minimalism is good.

I:  Insulate.  You can start small by purchasing electrical outlet and switch sealers and install them yourself.  Attic, ceiling, wall, and basement insulation is something you may wish to leave to professionals.

J:  Just say no...delay gratification.  The more you exercise this muscle the closer you get to your aim, and the better you will feel.  Hold off on that vacation, car, home, or computer and you could possibly get a better one later.

K:  Keep a grocery list in your car, on your phone, or in a quick kitchen file to take to the store.  Grocery lists keep us on budget, with the aid of coupons for items that we actually need and are good for us, as well as comparing unit prices.  Look for coupons in the mail, newspapers, online, and store websites.  Also, purchase store brands that are of equal or better taste, nutrition, and quality.

L:  Library.  Check out books at the library and search for free books online, rather than buying new books.  Waiting to see movies on TV is a smart use of money too.  This may be a good time to readjust your cable or satellite package too.

M:  Make your own lunch for work or school.  Save time and prepare lunches in advance that can be frozen until use.

N:  No cell phones for kids.  Yes, you will have to be the uncool parent.  At least you will be parenting instead of being your child’s personal Santa.  Your child’s teacher will thank you too.  A cell phone is not a need, children did not have them for most of history.

O:  Off-season.  Plan trips and vacations right before and right after peak travel times.  Check with well seasoned travelers, reliable websites, and travel agents to verify good travel times.  This is especially true if your plans include spending all or most of your time indoors.

P:  Plan your burial services now.  Yes, this is not something many of us like to think about.  If we put life into perspective and plan now, we can save money and alleviate this stress from our loved ones.

Q:  Quality does matter.  Buy clothing and shoe items of quality.  Inexpensive clothing and shoes will wear faster, pill, and fade faster.  It is better to have fewer, nicer clothes than to have clothes that need replacing every year.

R:  Repairs and remodeling.  Hire contractors off season, tree trimmers, roofers, and repair services.  Respect the work of a true professional.  Attempting to hire someone that gives a lower estimate may cost you more in the end.

S:  Seasonal foods.  Seasonal produce is usually less expensive.  Check the organic sections of your market, often times sales on organics beat the price of non-organics.

T:  Type documents using Century Gothic 10 and print documents in draft mode.  These two steps will save a lot of ink and paper.  This is a good tip at home, work, and at school.

U:  Unplug devices and machines that are not in frequent use and turn off lights when leaving a room.

V:  Virtual payments.  Make pretend payments to see if can live with loan payments for a house.

W:  Wash and dry all can tops from the grocery store at the same time.  This will help cut down on your water and heating, as well as save you time.

X:  Xerox or print duplicates of self-made gift, get well, and holiday cards.  Making your own gifts with a personalized card can mean a lot to someone.

Y:  Yield to good road sense.  Of course you know driving the speed limit, rather than speeding will save you money.  It also makes good road sense to write a monthly reminder to yourself to check the air pressure of your car’s tires.  Properly inflated tires will help with gas mileage.  While checking the air pressure inspect those tires for wear and tear.  Leaving an untouchable amount in your bank account for only auto repairs and maintenance is invaluable.  *A special note from all those that drive the speed limit to all those that drive too slow and hold up traffic:  it’s not polite.  Riding that brake only eats up money.  A slow and safe slow down or turn without braking or minimal braking helps save money in lots of ways too.

Z:  Zip through ironing on Sundays.  This avoids having to heat up the iron several times a week.  Begin each week by ironing your own clothes for the week.  Properly ironed clothes will remain unwrinkled if hung up.  Use the dry cleaners sparingly, read clothing labels to see if items really need to be taken to a cleaners.  George Jefferson may not appreciate it, your wallet will.

There are many ways to be wise and show respect for the power of money.  Below you will find a few more tips from other Etsy Organic Team members like me.  Please share these tips and post some more of your own below.

cubits (http://www.etsy.com/people/cubits):  “Grow your own food!”  and “Use reusable products like cloth diapers”.

rebourne (http://www.etsy.com/people/rebourne):  “Plan meals out once a week, using a free service like allrecipes.com. It generates your shopping list.  Put your other weekly needs, like coffee and creamer and milk and bread, on your list. They will stay on your list along side your new recipes for the week.  This helps minimize wasted food, time and money, and can help you stay within your food budget. Of course you can always use other recipes, just manually add the ingredients to your online shopping list. The shopping list can be emailed or viewed on your phone, and you can check off items as you add them to your cart."

TwoSweetPotatoes (http://www.etsy.com/people/TwoSweetPotatoes):  “Freeze homemade leftovers in individual Pyrex containers. You'll be less likely to grab quick fixes, which cost more and are less healthy and not as tasty than what you're making at home.  If you've used your stash of recycled gift bags you can always create your own by sewing them out of upcycled materials. Old flannel shirts and sheets would work great for Christmas-theme.”

Karyn (http://www.etsy.com/people/LLFarm):  “Here I bake our own breads and treats, the further away from packaging the better. Food is better for you the less it has been processed. Put your money into basic pantry supplies, flour, sugar, salt...Buy a good cookbook and use it. Stay away from the center isles of the grocery and try to shop just in the outside isles, this is where the natural unprocessed foods are.”

Order online or contact me for catering.

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Image courtesy of bplanet at FreeDigitalPhotos.net