Page One Hundred Thirty-Seven.
Just an update on my weight reduction diet...
So far, I've lost between 14-17 pounds, depending upon the hour. I had my body fat checked at the gym yesterday and it was 19.4 %. I'd like to loose another 10 and get my fat down to 17% or lower. But, that may be too much. However, I've not yet tried on my older pants. I think I'd like to loose another 3 or 4, then try on some of my vintage, college-era trouser from the '80's and see how they fit.* (This will be in another couple of weeks.)
If this whole weight loss thing is successful, my new weight stabilizes and I don't regain, then perhaps I'll blog about what, specifically, I've done. Just what America needs: another weight loss plan. yeah...
*Isn't it sad when your own old clothing can be referred to as "vintage"?
Monday, September 16, 2013
Saturday, September 14, 2013
On Looking For Work
Page One Hundred Thirty-Six.
Does anybody have work for an under-employed male nanny/private chef?
I just found out that my job with the three princes and their family, which was supposed to resume right about now, has been postponed indefinitely because one of the boys isn't testing up to par. Mom has figured out a way to stay home and spend more time with the boys this year and really work with them on academics. Therefore, no need for Jeremy.
I went over to pick up my large wok and some fondue pots and had a long talk with dad. As far as the family's concerned though, my lay-off is purely temporary. "Jeremy, we consider you part of the family. We're going to have you over for dinner, regularly. Though, it'll taste better if you make it."
So, who knows what the future holds? In the meantime, believe it or not, I'm actually doing interior painting. I'm quite good at that sort of thing, I just don't talk about it much. In fact, I already have a couple of large jobs lied up. The painting is on top of the beauty salon. But, I really miss cooking for a large family.
Do you know anybody in Cleveland who needs a male nanny/private chef?
Does anybody have work for an under-employed male nanny/private chef?
I just found out that my job with the three princes and their family, which was supposed to resume right about now, has been postponed indefinitely because one of the boys isn't testing up to par. Mom has figured out a way to stay home and spend more time with the boys this year and really work with them on academics. Therefore, no need for Jeremy.
I went over to pick up my large wok and some fondue pots and had a long talk with dad. As far as the family's concerned though, my lay-off is purely temporary. "Jeremy, we consider you part of the family. We're going to have you over for dinner, regularly. Though, it'll taste better if you make it."
So, who knows what the future holds? In the meantime, believe it or not, I'm actually doing interior painting. I'm quite good at that sort of thing, I just don't talk about it much. In fact, I already have a couple of large jobs lied up. The painting is on top of the beauty salon. But, I really miss cooking for a large family.
Do you know anybody in Cleveland who needs a male nanny/private chef?
Thursday, September 12, 2013
Euclid Avenue
Page One Hundred Thirty-Five.
I'm currently reading a book which is all about a major thorough fare here in Cleveland: Euclid Avenue. I've mentioned in this blog before that Cleveland has a long history of tremendous wealth and during the 19th century most of that wealth was concentrated in one five mile section of Euclid. Well, reading about those people and their homes is just amazing. Can you imagine a private home with a basement large enough to house a real boxcar so the inventor-homeowner can improve the national railroad system? Or, how about a backyard with the world's largest windmill so the inventor-homeowner can improve national electrical systems? How about a residence with an observatory in back so its inventor-homeowner can observe the stars and distant galaxies?
Some of these homes were up to 40,000 square feet in size. The smaller ones on the strip were maybe 5,000. John D. Rockefeller's home was average sized coming in at under 10,000 square feet but his estate was 2 acres and over 200 feet wide, much larger than his neighbors.
Nowadays, only about three or four mansions remain of the couple hundred which were sitting there in 1900. After World War One, some of the homeowners gradually moved to the suburbs to get away from the grit and grime of the city. Other homes were gobbled up by commerce as Euclid was slowly transforming from residential to commercial. Some of the homes were too big for 20th century lifestyles.
That five mile strip today is (in order): Downtown; Playhouse Square (Cleveland's theater district); Cleveland State University; mixed use combined with future development and last but certainly not least, The Cleveland Clinic.
If you ever make it to Cleveland, Ohio drive down Euclid which recently underwent a $197,000,000 overhaul and street-scape project. Just imagine the ghosts.
I'm currently reading a book which is all about a major thorough fare here in Cleveland: Euclid Avenue. I've mentioned in this blog before that Cleveland has a long history of tremendous wealth and during the 19th century most of that wealth was concentrated in one five mile section of Euclid. Well, reading about those people and their homes is just amazing. Can you imagine a private home with a basement large enough to house a real boxcar so the inventor-homeowner can improve the national railroad system? Or, how about a backyard with the world's largest windmill so the inventor-homeowner can improve national electrical systems? How about a residence with an observatory in back so its inventor-homeowner can observe the stars and distant galaxies?
Some of these homes were up to 40,000 square feet in size. The smaller ones on the strip were maybe 5,000. John D. Rockefeller's home was average sized coming in at under 10,000 square feet but his estate was 2 acres and over 200 feet wide, much larger than his neighbors.
Nowadays, only about three or four mansions remain of the couple hundred which were sitting there in 1900. After World War One, some of the homeowners gradually moved to the suburbs to get away from the grit and grime of the city. Other homes were gobbled up by commerce as Euclid was slowly transforming from residential to commercial. Some of the homes were too big for 20th century lifestyles.
That five mile strip today is (in order): Downtown; Playhouse Square (Cleveland's theater district); Cleveland State University; mixed use combined with future development and last but certainly not least, The Cleveland Clinic.
If you ever make it to Cleveland, Ohio drive down Euclid which recently underwent a $197,000,000 overhaul and street-scape project. Just imagine the ghosts.
Monday, September 9, 2013
One Wedding Memory
Page One Hundred Thirty-Four.
A couple of days ago, one of the clients at my beauty salon shared the story of her wedding. It's a deusy.
She got married in the middle of August, 1969. Her afternoon ceremony was held in a church I know well. It's where I held my Passover Seder earlier this year. Then, her reception was a stand-up affair held immediately following, with heavy hors d'oeuvres and cake. There was no fancy sit-down evening dinner, which, she told me, was really becoming fashionable at the time. Stand-up receptions with substantial finger foods, held in the house of worship, were considered out of fashion by 1969 but she didn't care. That's what she wanted. (Potential brides take note. I bet this plan would be gracious as all get-out nowadays. And, much, much less expensive than formal sit down dinners in rented party rooms.) She wasn't a member of the church in question but her wedding was held there because it was larger than her home church and she was expecting many hundreds of guests.
So then the happy newlyweds left for their honeymoon: a bridal suite in a charming hotel in the Catskill Mountains. They'd reserved it a year prior and were looking forward to all the water skiing, hiking and horseback riding. But, they particularly were anticipating a week of intangibles: gorgeous mountain views, luxurious peace and heavenly tranquility.
But, what's this? When they arrived there was pandemonium everywhere. The traffic was all but impassible and there were hippies everywhere - quite out of character for the Catskills. She inquired and discovered that two (2) parcels down the road there was being held some sort of music festival. Wood... Wood... Wood-something-stock it was called.
Pat and her new husband had a wonderful honeymoon in spite of the cacophonous noise, omnipresent traffic congestion, muddy hippies, permeating marijuana smoke and torrential rainfall. They've stayed married, lo over forty years now. And have a great story to tell about their wedding.
A couple of days ago, one of the clients at my beauty salon shared the story of her wedding. It's a deusy.
She got married in the middle of August, 1969. Her afternoon ceremony was held in a church I know well. It's where I held my Passover Seder earlier this year. Then, her reception was a stand-up affair held immediately following, with heavy hors d'oeuvres and cake. There was no fancy sit-down evening dinner, which, she told me, was really becoming fashionable at the time. Stand-up receptions with substantial finger foods, held in the house of worship, were considered out of fashion by 1969 but she didn't care. That's what she wanted. (Potential brides take note. I bet this plan would be gracious as all get-out nowadays. And, much, much less expensive than formal sit down dinners in rented party rooms.) She wasn't a member of the church in question but her wedding was held there because it was larger than her home church and she was expecting many hundreds of guests.
So then the happy newlyweds left for their honeymoon: a bridal suite in a charming hotel in the Catskill Mountains. They'd reserved it a year prior and were looking forward to all the water skiing, hiking and horseback riding. But, they particularly were anticipating a week of intangibles: gorgeous mountain views, luxurious peace and heavenly tranquility.
But, what's this? When they arrived there was pandemonium everywhere. The traffic was all but impassible and there were hippies everywhere - quite out of character for the Catskills. She inquired and discovered that two (2) parcels down the road there was being held some sort of music festival. Wood... Wood... Wood-something-stock it was called.
Pat and her new husband had a wonderful honeymoon in spite of the cacophonous noise, omnipresent traffic congestion, muddy hippies, permeating marijuana smoke and torrential rainfall. They've stayed married, lo over forty years now. And have a great story to tell about their wedding.
Friday, September 6, 2013
Tomato-Pepperoni Soup
Page One Hundred Thirty-Three.
So, I'm still dog-sitting Archie the dog. One week down, two to go. The tomatoes in the backyard are taking over the city and I'm trying to eat them or give them away as fast as I can, but there are just sooooo many of them I finally had to get serious.
I picked all the ripe Roma (plum) tomatoes and cooked them up, or cooked them down, however you want to phrase it.
I sauteed some carrots, onions, celery, garlic, parsnips and red pepper. Simultaneously, I parboiled and peeled the tomatoes. I then added the peeled tomatoes to the vegetables, then put in some some pepper, basil, oregano, sage, thyme, bay leaf, anchovy pates, beef concentrate and sliced pepperoni. That all cooked for a long time. Then, I removed all the vegetables, leaving in the pepperoni and viola! tomato-pepperoni soup. It was just about one of the best things I've ever eaten. It's basically just pepperoni pizza minus the dough and cheese. In fact, if eaten with some cheesy focaccia bread, the mouth experience would probably be quite similar to pizza. But this was substantially reduced fat. And it was just too tasty to be true.
So, I'm still dog-sitting Archie the dog. One week down, two to go. The tomatoes in the backyard are taking over the city and I'm trying to eat them or give them away as fast as I can, but there are just sooooo many of them I finally had to get serious.
I picked all the ripe Roma (plum) tomatoes and cooked them up, or cooked them down, however you want to phrase it.
I sauteed some carrots, onions, celery, garlic, parsnips and red pepper. Simultaneously, I parboiled and peeled the tomatoes. I then added the peeled tomatoes to the vegetables, then put in some some pepper, basil, oregano, sage, thyme, bay leaf, anchovy pates, beef concentrate and sliced pepperoni. That all cooked for a long time. Then, I removed all the vegetables, leaving in the pepperoni and viola! tomato-pepperoni soup. It was just about one of the best things I've ever eaten. It's basically just pepperoni pizza minus the dough and cheese. In fact, if eaten with some cheesy focaccia bread, the mouth experience would probably be quite similar to pizza. But this was substantially reduced fat. And it was just too tasty to be true.
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
Happy New Year!!!
Page One Hundred Thirty-Two.
Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, starts tonight. This will be the year 5774 and I hope you all have a happy and healthy new year. One of my favorite Rosh Hashanah traditions is dipping apple slices into honey and then chowing down on those little bits of heaven. Eating excessive amount of honey, either with apples or Challah (Jewish egg bread) is done in hopes of insuring the upcoming year be as sweet as honey. It's a charming little tradition. If you've never found yourself dipping apples into honey, and otherwise enjoy both of those foods, I'd absolutely encourage you to try it. It's really, REALLY good.
L'Shana Tovah!!! (Good New Year!!!)
Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, starts tonight. This will be the year 5774 and I hope you all have a happy and healthy new year. One of my favorite Rosh Hashanah traditions is dipping apple slices into honey and then chowing down on those little bits of heaven. Eating excessive amount of honey, either with apples or Challah (Jewish egg bread) is done in hopes of insuring the upcoming year be as sweet as honey. It's a charming little tradition. If you've never found yourself dipping apples into honey, and otherwise enjoy both of those foods, I'd absolutely encourage you to try it. It's really, REALLY good.
L'Shana Tovah!!! (Good New Year!!!)
Monday, September 2, 2013
On Increasing Body Weight Without Consuming More Fat
Page One Hundred-Thirty-One.
This morning, at the beauty salon, I mentioned to one of our clients my work with food. After telling her some of my experiences, she asked me for some advice. Her question kind of threw me for a moment "cause it's precisely opposite of the types of things so many people ask.
"Jeremy, Let me tell you something. My husband recently had open-heart surgery. He's lost twenty-five pounds since they cut him open and the problem is, he really can't afford to loose that weight. He's always been a little bit too slender and the doctors want me to put the pounds back on him. And, I'm not a cook. I never learned how or was interested. What can I do to increase his weight but not with fatty foods, because that's what he's not allowed to eat. And, how can I do it simply, because I can't cook?"
"Whew." I thought to myself. That's a new one. What little fat he has consumed during the last seventy year went straight to his arteries. So, I thought for a moment. "Does he have diabetes?"
"No.It's just fat that he's not allowed."
"How about salt?"
"His doctors said he can have that too."
"Dose he like fruit?"
"Yes."
"Good. Start making him lots of fruit plates and sprinkle some powdered sugar on the fruit. You actually can increase the calories without increasing fat. Also, does he like breads and rolls "
"Not a lot. But he'll eat those things if I serve them."
"Good. Give him some rolls with his dinner every night and give him some dipping oil made with olive oil. He's allowed olive oil, right?"
"Yes."
"Good. Then just pour some oil into a dish, like they do in fancy restaurants. Then sprinkle on some Lawry's seasoned salt and mix it for a second. Also, give him lots of starchy vegetables like potatoes, beans and corn. You won't put the weight back on him overnight. It'll take some time, many months. But you can do it." (I gave her this blog address too. So Sara, if you're reading this right now, add rice and pasta to that list.)
She was quite appreciative of my suggestions. I wish him, and her, positive health in their future.
This morning, at the beauty salon, I mentioned to one of our clients my work with food. After telling her some of my experiences, she asked me for some advice. Her question kind of threw me for a moment "cause it's precisely opposite of the types of things so many people ask.
"Jeremy, Let me tell you something. My husband recently had open-heart surgery. He's lost twenty-five pounds since they cut him open and the problem is, he really can't afford to loose that weight. He's always been a little bit too slender and the doctors want me to put the pounds back on him. And, I'm not a cook. I never learned how or was interested. What can I do to increase his weight but not with fatty foods, because that's what he's not allowed to eat. And, how can I do it simply, because I can't cook?"
"Whew." I thought to myself. That's a new one. What little fat he has consumed during the last seventy year went straight to his arteries. So, I thought for a moment. "Does he have diabetes?"
"No.It's just fat that he's not allowed."
"How about salt?"
"His doctors said he can have that too."
"Dose he like fruit?"
"Yes."
"Good. Start making him lots of fruit plates and sprinkle some powdered sugar on the fruit. You actually can increase the calories without increasing fat. Also, does he like breads and rolls "
"Not a lot. But he'll eat those things if I serve them."
"Good. Give him some rolls with his dinner every night and give him some dipping oil made with olive oil. He's allowed olive oil, right?"
"Yes."
"Good. Then just pour some oil into a dish, like they do in fancy restaurants. Then sprinkle on some Lawry's seasoned salt and mix it for a second. Also, give him lots of starchy vegetables like potatoes, beans and corn. You won't put the weight back on him overnight. It'll take some time, many months. But you can do it." (I gave her this blog address too. So Sara, if you're reading this right now, add rice and pasta to that list.)
She was quite appreciative of my suggestions. I wish him, and her, positive health in their future.
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