CASTING FRIDAY--LOOKING FOR PERFECT FAMILIES!!!!!

A major tv company is looking for perfect families. You know the kind of
family that everyone wishes they were (no not the Kardahians) The one with
the stellar kids and parents who save the world and still have time to coach
softball and work at the soup kitchen. The family that everyone wants to be in.

Just as an aside, while most of us aren't perfect,  I think every family is amazing.
Just raising good children in a tumultuous time is a huge miracle. And while my
family isn't perfect (thank God) they are funny and quirky and adorable .I love that
about them. I am grateful beyond words

But back to the real deal. If you're that kind of family...or if you know tht kind of
and don't despise them ...here's where to send the info.

veranoproductions@gmail.com

Be sure to include:1.  Your name (first and last)
2.  Contact phone number
3.  City/State where you live
4.  A brief description of your family, your family members, and why you'd be great for this show
5.  Recent family photo (jpg format please)

LIGHTEN UP LADIES--THE MEN JUST HAVE IT GOING ON!!!

It's not often that I'd say men are ahead of us, hands down.  I mean  we usually
rule when it comes to intuition and smarts. But seriously when it comes to a sense of
humour, we are sadly lagging behind.

Take this scenario. I was in the editing suite at Boiling Point Media chatting with the
boy geniuses and Hugh , the head guy. Hugh is savvy and a little older than the techno
savvy youngsters. Hugh  was wearing a rust corduroy jacket. In comes an handsome
young actor and he says to Hugh," Hey Hugh...did you steal that jacket from a pimp."
Hugh laughs and the actor slaps him on the back. Life continues .

 Now imagine that scene with women. "Hey...did you steal those shoes from a hooker."
The room would go dark. Vasts of electric current would shake the room. And the person
that said this would be banned for all eternity. I've seen wicked. I know how it goes.

That's the difference. Women don't joke enough. We don't laugh and tease each other.
We can't laugh at ourselves. And we should. There's plenty to laugh about . We are  vain-
know-it-all-bossy -pants who always have to have the last word.  Kind of boring , huh?

I am really trying to shake things up in this area. Make light of things. It feels good.
You should try it. And as for those hooker shoes...it take a ho to know a ho. Right????

CASTING FRIDAY--PLEASE BE JUDGEY!!!!

HERE COMES THE JUDGE.!!! No not the legal eagle type. They type that
passes judgement and decides who has talent and who doesn't.  Awesome
Furniture designers are wanted as judges for a new television competition show.
Do you have a pal that can quality?

They're aren't mentioning nay names yet but the furniture designer judges will
be rubbing elbows with one of the biggest celebrities in the world. The mind boggles.

If you want in on this...or have a friend or colleague that fits the bill send the
information to : asmithcocasting@ gmail.com

.Be sure to include:1.  Your name (first and last)
2.  Contact phone number
3.  City/State where you live
4.  Professional bio or resume
5.  Recent photo of you (jpg format please)
6.  Photos of your design work (jpg format please)


Good luck!!!

POWER UP YOUR SNACKING!!!!!!

I remember taking the time to make my kids healthy snacks. I would do weirdo
things like smear peanut butter on celery stalks and top with raisins.(ants on a log)
or along the same line Apple slices smeared with peanut butter. Then of course
for my then  tiny daughter Mallory there was afternoon tea  with real British tea
with milk and sugar and a biscuit (cookie-usually gingersnaps). Just a few weeks
ago we had afternoon tea in the West Village in New York  surrounded by Asian
girls in Jane Austin costumes. We had  tiny cucumber and cream cheese sandwiches
Coronation chicken   and pots of Earl Grey and macaroons. Love it.

So why  when I love all that visual  delicious stuff don't I  take the time to make it
for myself? Seriously aren't we worthy of a great high powered snack in the afternoon.
I think so.  Thank you Buzzfeed for supplying these awesome eye candy numbers.

BANANA-RAMA




MIDNIGHT AT THE OASIS-

Hummus and veggies in a Mason jar...brilliant!!!




TRUE BLUE MUNCHIES!!!!


SCANDINAVIAN AWESOME!!!!




BOOM CHICK PEAS !!!!!
by Oven Love

Ingredients

• 2 cans chickpeas (garbanzo beans) or about 4 cups cooked chickpeas from dried beans
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• seasonings of your choice (see below for suggestions)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 
2. Prepare the beans for roasting by draining and rinsing them, then letting them dry on a towel until most of the excess moisture is absorbed. Spread on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Roast the chickpeas in the oven for 45-60 minutes or until the beans are crunchy throughout (just test one- if they are still mostly soft on the inside and there’s no crunch, keep baking).
3. Immediately (while beans are still hot), toss with olive oil and seasonings. Serve hot or at room temperature. They are best the first day, but can be kept in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Seasoning Suggestions (add more or less if you like, these are just guidelines)

1. Sesame Soy- 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
2. Honey Cinnamon- 1 teaspoon cinnamon, a pinch nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon sea salt, 2 tablespoons honey (you can throw these back in the oven for 10-15 minutes to carmelize if you like)
3. Garlic Parmesan- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon garlic powder or 2 cloves fresh minced garlic, 1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
4. Smoky Spice Blend- 1/2 teaspoon ancho chile powder, 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, pinch cayenne (optional)

CASTING FRIDAY... RE-DO YOUR KIDS DORM ROOM!!!!

As a  Mom's  you are often called on to re-arrange the living environment of your
children. After all they want to grow and explore  and sometimes that means a
fort bed and sometimes a rock studio. You've been there. And it's no easy task
or cheap project. Little mermaid underwater environments don't come cheap.
The holes in the walls tell quite a story.

From Ninja turtles to Ralph Lauren and Hawaiian surfer girl to actual grungy
lofts in China Town I've done some decorating doozies. I'm sure you have too.

So it's exciting for me to tell you that your college age kids can actually win money
and be on a tv show to boot. That means someone else is paying for the art and the
bedspreads. Hot damn.

SPACE MAKEOVER is a new show form the folks that brought up The Real
World and Project runway. It's a real world alright when you see the mess your
kids can actually live in without blinking an eye.
This show cares how you kids manipulate their space and have a great college
experience.
We're here to help you put together an amazing space to make your college living
experience the best it can be!

Only snag is you have to have a kid in the Los Angeles area.
Tell you story to  dormcasting@bunim-murray.com
Be sure to include:1.  Your name (first and last)
2.  Contact phone number
3.  Name of college you will be attending
4.  Will you be living on-campus (or let us know city/zip where you will be living - must be greater Los Angeles area)
5.  Do you have any issues you need to solve (not enough space, roommate has too many clothes, ugly furniture, etc.)
6.  Recent photo of you (jpg format please)

UPGRADING YOUR BUM INTO BUSINESS CLASS !!!!

Traveling used to be a giant  and exciting adventure for me. My parents lived in England, where my Dad was stationed, and at least twice a year I would cross the pond to go to school and to come home for Christmas. These were the days of no cell phones, and I can't even imagine what my parents must have gone though wondering where there daughter was. You see, I went space available on Air Force planes surrounded by handsome pilots and crews and frankly coeds got some pretty special treatment. You would head to the east coast on a commercial flight then you'd be at an air base. "Would you like to go to Beirut or Aviano?" Tough choices.

I spent a birthday in the Azores, surrounding by pilots singing me Happy Birthday .One year I traded a carton of cigarettes for a cab ride near Barcelona. .After all, it was Sunday and I didn't have any foreign currency. Another year a was stuck with a group of college age kids in Germany for a week before we could get out. A week full of gin and tonics at the Officers Club in Ramstein and a summer romance with a former classmate on his way to TU. Life was good.. Mostly. Then  there was the trip  I will never forget when I rode with the bodies of fifty soldiers that were killed in Vietnam. I cried all the way.

Of course, here I was this morning with a standby tickets and fond memories of a weekend spent with my NYU student daughter. it looked dismal at best. The a smiley voice send " we're going to upgrade you to business class ....music to my ears. Now that was a pleasant surprise. So in my three hour wait I visited with the gate  girls on Air Tran  and asked how they pick people for an upgrade.

In short..here's the drill

Don't be a bitch...that will get you a seat on the back of the plane

Don't carry tons of cheesy bags and totes and paper bags. Tacky. I travel with one black Longchamp back for purse and carry one. Of course it's a freaking mess inside...but it looks like I have it together

Dress like you belong there. No tacky sweat pants, jogging suits or pajamas. Seriously...it's a plane ride not a slumber party. I mean how comfortable do you really have to be? Dress like classic Jackie O ...simple even with slacks.

Leave the boobs tucked away.that will get you a seat in the back too.

So I wait and wait and suprise...upgraded again. I am on a roll. Of course this will never probably ever happen to me again. But I stand by my Mothers rules of dressing on planes and I have to

admit I did fly first class from London to Chicago on my last trip. There has to be some method to

the madness.

What gets you an upgrade? Please share