Flutes and Little Arrows

I've been so busy this week I am lax in my scavenger hunters theme at ESN for this week.  The theme is "Arrow".  I don't have anything at Le Petit Marché that has to do with arrows, but I do have a Kokopelli metal figurine. Kokopelli is known among the Native Americans in the southwest cultures for being a fertility deity.  He also represents the spirit of music, that is why he is depicted in many sculptures playing a flute.  I believe he was a playful spirit as well, so no arrows for this guy!

Kokopelli Metal Figurine 

I then continued my search for arrows at my fellow scavenger hunters stores and when I came to Bargain Express I found an old vinyl record (remember those?!)  from the 1960's by a guy named Leapy Lee.  His record was titled "Little Arrows".  He was born Graham Pulleyblank in Britain but changed his name to Lee Graham (good move Leapy!).  Little Arrows became a big hit in the UK in 1968 and was a chart topper.  It came in 16th in the US.  He never reached the pop charts here again, but I guess he did okay back home for awhile.  So if you're looking for a little nostalgia stop on by Bargain Express and check Leapy Lee and "Little Arrows" out.  And visit all of us at Ecrater Stores Network!

Little Arrows Leapy Lee Vinyl Record

Work is Winding Down

How the summer does fly by!  I got a temporary job just for the summer which I started April 30th in a real estate office, it sure has been fun and I learned a lot about real estate and the market, yay, another paragraph of knowledge on my resumé!  They'll keep me on for 3 hours a day through September then they're cutting me loose.  I'll sure miss it here, it's quiet, peaceful and I did get to work on my store quite a bit, write this blog, email friends and reflect on life.  This was the best full time job I ever had!  I'll have a few weeks hanging out at home before I head back to university at the end of Oct. to work as a part time temp in the College of Music as a graduate program assistant, which I've done since 2004 and will work there through mid April.  Another fun job as I get to help professors set up auditions for the applicants, and I get to meet (mostly through email) applicants from all over the world answering their questions and sending information about our graduate programs.  Our office is right down the hall from Grusin Music Hall so we get to hear a lot of singing and instrument playing and in the winter they'll  have mini concerts at lunch.  I like being on campus, keeps me young!  On my few weeks off I'm contemplating heading back east to Pennsylvania to see my mom and brothers but geez, the airfare is outrageous!  I'll have to rethink that and maybe just stay at home and shop and work on the store.  I added some cool Doc Martens boots recently and some awfully cool genie slippers, just in time for Halloween and theme parties.  So come on over to Le Petit Marché and see if anything jump starts your imagination.

Doc Martens Light Brown 1460 Boot 

Doc Martens Tan Denim Style Boots

Naughty Monkey Beaded Pink Flats

Vintage Genie Slippers

A Gazillion Places and Ways to Dine

Dining is this weeks theme at ESN.  No matter how you look at dining, it comes down to eating doesn't it?  And people from all over the world have all kinds of names for eating.  There's breakfast or the morning meal.  There's lunch or brunch or the mid day meal or maybe just a few minutes for a quick "nosh".   Then there's dinner or supper, or the evening meal.  All of these dining experiences can happen in a simple way or a very elaborate way. I find myself too often eating at the kitchen sink looking out the window or eating in front of the TV.  Bad habits indeed!  That's why I love eating in restaurants, and we have so many here from very many countries, that you cannot possibly get bored eating at any of them! I also love a good picnic or barbeque.  But most of the time I am eating at home and I tote my lunch to work everyday, my job is such that I can't leave for lunch.  Le Petit Marché has a nice Dinners for 2 Book and CD if you're wanting to make a nice romantic dinner and stay in.  It's chock full of recipes from master chefs and includes a CD of  music that includes Bach, Vivaldi and others, performed by the San Francisco String Quartet.

Maybe you just want something simple for your bbq or picnic or maybe a party.  Here's a few bowls that could add some fun to your setting. Four Different Shaped Wooden Bowls.                               

Housecleaning to Music

As ESN ends the week with the theme of housecleaning I've been pondering what I can find to do to get out of housecleaning!  But I'll probably do a little cleaning since the place needs it, what with all the wind we get here and dust that blows in.  I always like to listen to music while cleaning, it makes it go faster and doesn't seem to be such a task.  I'm a big fan of Putumayo, they have the best music collections from around the world.  I have lots of favorites and own many of these CD's so if I have to clean I may as well dance while doing it!  Sometimes I dance to Brazilian music, other times French and everything in between.  I tango, salsa, rumba all over the place with whatever piece of cleaning equipment I happen to make my partner.   Cleaning and "dancercize" all at once.  I only found one CD of music from a fellow store-owner; Eccentric Thrifter.  It's called Nature's Harmony, it's gospel music, so if you don't want to dance (or dance to it anyway!) you can sing along with this very nice CD while getting your house clean!

Frog Legs

This week's blog theme at eCrater Stores Network  has to do with frogs.   I don't have anything in my store that has to do with frogs so I thought I'd share a recipe from the Rhone region (southeastern) of France for cooking frog legs, just in case you've never had them and want to give them a try. This recipe is from Cuisine-France.  It's an easy recipe and only takes 15 minutes prep time and 4 minutes to cook.

Ingredients

12 frog legs 2 eggs 1 lemon juice 2 parsley sprigs, chopped Dried bread crumbs Salt Pepper Oil

Frog Legs recipe serve 6
Step 1: Preheat oven at 375 F.
Step 2: Remove frog legs skin. Wash and drain.
Step 3: Add lemon juice, salt and pepper.
Step 4: Beat eggs in a bowl, add chopped parsley.
Step 5: Soak frog legs in the eggs.
Step 6: Crush bread into tiny crumbs.
Step 7: Roll frog legs into crumbs.
Step 8: Add oil in a pan. Fry frog legs in the oven for 3 to 4 minutes.
Wine suggestion: Riesling, Sancerre, dry white wine

Bon appetit!

If frog legs are not on your radar for trying I do have a lovely CD/CookBook from Sharon O'Connor called Dinners for Two.  It's full of yummy recipes that has nothing to do with frogs and has wonderful classical music to cook and eat by!  You can buy it at Le Petit Marche