Give Yourself A New Look For The Holidays! A LilyOnTheLam Exclusive! (Expires Jan 29, 2013)

Hello LilyOnTheLam.Com Readers:

Do I have an awesome exclusive for you!  My hair color guru, Crystal Leigh Wood, has opened her own Salon at the Salon Lofts in Carrollwood, Florida.  (See Crystal's Salon Lofts profile and services page here, her Facebook page here and her Twitter account here.)  

While Crystal is no longer in my backyard in South Tampa, I now have an excuse to stop and get an amazing cupcake at nearby Sweet Tweets Cakery before or after (or before AND after) getting my hair done.  It's also a great excuse for me to have brunch at Mimi's Cafe, lunch at Jason's Deli, have cocktails at Grille One Sixteen in Carrollwood and see a comedy show at Sidesplitters - all of my favorite Carrollwood haunts!  Beautiful hair color, sassy cut AND having an excuse to stop by my favorite Carrollwood places?  Win-win-WIN!

I color my hair every time the wind changes direction, so it is important to have a top quality colorist at the ready!  Crystal Leigh Wood uses Paul Mitchell products.  There are some great holiday Paul Mitchell product gift packs on the market as well.  I was at Crystal's Salon Loft yesterday and was eyeing a Lemon Sage products kit in this sassy burlap-style bag.  Loves me Paul Mitchell products!

In honor of Crystal's new venture (support local Tampa Bay small businesses!) in Carrollwood, I asked Crystal if she would offer a discount for LilyOnTheLam.com readers.  (Consider it my holiday gift to you, dear readers!)  Well Crystal has always been a great supporter of LilyOnTheLam.com, so she came through with this great deal for my readers!  15% off all over color, cut and style (offer expires January 29, 2013 - so book your appointment online NOW!)  Print the certificate below or show it to Crystal on your Smartphone.  Tell her "LilyOnTheLam" sent you!

I have always received top quality customer service, hair cuts and color from Crystal Leigh Wood.  If you're looking for a new holiday look, a top new hair stylist or just looking to save some money on your next hair appointment; I do hope you take advantage of this great limited time offer (one per person please).  

P.S.  What are your favorite places to visit in Carrollwood, Florida?  Let me know in the Comments section below! 

P.P.S. Sometimes the certificates are not showing on Blogger.com, so include mention of LilyOnTheLam.com special in your appointment if the certificate is not showing in the blog post.  Thanks!

  


 

But Enough About Me, Why Don't You Blog About Me?

Dear LilyOnTheLam.com Readers:

As an ardent and faithful fan of LilyOnTheLam.Com, you are full aware that I am a mega international superstar.  I have been in the background of a local TV spot restaurant review.  You can see the back of my head in an overhead camera audience swoop shot of Comedy Central's "The Daily Show" when it taped in Tampa, Florida.  Actress Kristen Johnson has tweeted me several times.  And I almost knocked Comedian Mike Myers over when walking on the street in NYC.  Obviously I am the biggest celebrity of all time.  

But enough about me, what do you think of me?

In 2013, I'll be going back for my third trip on the best-run sailing charter in the British Virgin Islands - the trimaran Yacht Promenade.  And you can read all about me on Captain Kerry's blog!

Heh heh -- me so popular!

I can't wait to get back to the British Virgin Islands!

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Alien Pod People, Barbecue Grills in Drag and Other Gift Buying Ideas

Happy Monday LilyOntheLam.Com Readers:

I hope you're feeling energized and spunky today!  If not, a few more cups of coffee please ...

Today's LilyOnTheLam.Com blog post is a gift to my friend JS' husband ... let's call him ... The Dog Whisperer.  

I refer to him by that name because JS & TS have recently adopted a stray dog into their household.  The new dog and TS have forged a very fast, very strong bond.  So for the remainder of this blog post, I shall refer to TS as "The Dog Whisperer" or "The DW" for short.  Oh the lengths I go to preserve anonymity ... (and then post my blog on a person's Facebook for all to read-- HAHAHAHHAHA!)

I met The DW's wife over 8 years ago, but I don't recall the exact moment or occasion when I met The DW.  I just one day knew The DW - it was no gradual building up of friendship.  It was just BOOM - there's The DW!  Perhaps I have such good humor toward The DW because he makes the most mack daddy awesome flourless chocolate cake with Earl Grey ice cream I have ever had ... or maybe it was lavender ice cream - my memory is a bit jagged due to watching too many Honey Boo Boo clips on YouTube.

Anyway, it was on one of my visits to The DW's home that I noticed this big green oval thing near the pool-patio area.  It was bumpy on the outside, kind of like a golf ball but huge.  It looked like a compact carrying case for dead bodies ... or for alien life forms.  

I made a mental note that The DW was either a mafia hit man or the Human Servant to a superior alien race that was planning to take over the Earth.  I asked The DW's wife what the big green egg-shaped looking thing was and she replied "Oh, that's The DW's Big Green Egg."

Well duh, I kinda already got that - but WHAT IS IT?

"It's a Big Green Egg.  It's The DW's Big Green Egg."  The DW's wife repeated.

I shook my head and made a mental note that the alien overlords needn't bother to interrogate The DW's wife because her evasive answers would yield no useful information.

Then one day I was driving down Kennedy Boulevard in South Tampa, Florida and I saw an outdoor barbecue store.  They had a sign advertising "The Big Green Egg."  I wondered when The DW's wife started manufacturing cryptic and NOT helpful advertising signs.  I kept driving.

Eventually the knowledge that "The Big Green Egg" is a ceramic cooker (or as their website calls it "The Ultimate Cooking Experience") somehow settled into the nether regions of my brain.  It's supposed to be a combination grill/smoker/oven and possibly alien incubator.  

I still don't quite trust it and am pretty sure "The Big Green Egg" may grill me a steak but it may also hatch a 10 foot tall alien master race as well.  You can't fool me, alien pod people! 

I was in Minneapolis three weeks ago, visiting my sister Squidge - who may also be part of an alien master race.  We went shopping in Uptown Minneapolis/Lake Calhoun area.  We had to stop at one of our favorite stores - Kitchen Window at Calhoun Square.  

If you like kitchen gadgets or entertaining supplies, you have to check this store out.  It has one of the biggest paella pans I have ever seen in my life.  If I ever need to make paella for 200 people, I know where to get the pan!

Squidge and I walked in to the Kitchen Window and lo and behold, there was The DW's Big Green Egg ... but smaller ... a table-top size version.  I literally screamed like a kid seeing Santa Claus and ran to it.  My little sister, with blood streaming from her now punctured ear drums, looked at me in bewilderment.  (Officially the item below is called the Big Green Egg - Mini Size aka Mini Egg.)  

I suddenly had this vision of me carrying in my table-top Not-so Big Green Egg into The DW's house.  I'd somehow smuggle it in and then when The DW looked the other way, I'd pull out the black metal stand and the Not-so Big Green Egg and plop it on the table in front of me.  Of course I'd have put a straw hat and a bow tie on said Not-so Big Green Egg and maybe a blond ringlet wig ... corn cob pipe ... overalls ... some sort of Southern outfit.  And then when The DW turned around, he'd see the face of "Not-so Big Green Egg" staring at him - and he'd know that his days of being the only Big Green Egg owner I know were LONG OVER.  A tear may actually roll down his cheek too.  

I would stand up and laugh maniacally at his pain.  The music track from Dynasty or Dallas would cue up and I'd sneer "For too long, you thought you were the King of the Big Green Egg, DW!  But you were WRONG!  Look who has a Big Green Egg now TOO!  Oh sure, it's not as big as yours - but can yours sit on the dining table and wear a straw hat and suspenders?  Oh noooo .... I think NOT!"  

I would then start absent-mindedly stroking my Not-so Big Green Egg while I laughed and laughed and laughed.

My sister ended my day-dreaming by saying "I still don't understand what the big deal is with this little green egg."  Sigh ... kids just don't understand.

But then I turned around and SCREAMED AGAIN!  My sister was now sick of losing her hearing to my insanity and walked away.  But I would not walk away ... NO...  what did I spy at the Kitchen Window store?  

Patio string lights - like Christmas tree lights but for your patio and for more than one holiday (heh heh) - patio string lights in the shape of ... THE BIG GREEN EGG.

Obviously I have died and gone to heaven ... have you ever seen anything so fabulously beautiful?  I quickly calculated how much it would cost to buy enough Big Green Egg Patio String Lights to completely wrap The DW's entire house ... unfortunately for me, The DW is a successful attorney and his house is quite large.  Until my line of Moroccan-themed cat costumes brings me my first billion dollars, I probably didn't have enough money to completely cover The DW's house in Big Green Egg Patio String Lights.  I decided dedicating a blog post to The DW and his Big Green Egg would have to suffice.

I then turned around one more time and SCREAMED AGAIN.   I think at this point, my sister had had it with me and left the store.  But who could blame me ... there sitting on a display grill were these ...

BARBECUE NINJA!  Where was THAT option on career day??  Why am I a corporate drone when I could be a BARBECUE NINJA???  Can I change my CV on LinkedIn.com to say Current Role: BARBECUE NINJA?  

Let's take stock of my life ... I don't own a Big Green Egg.  I don't even own a Not So Big Green Egg.  And I am not a Barbecue Ninja.  Truth be told, I live in a condo so I couldn't have a grill even if I were the world's foremost barbecue ninja.  No, I just have a Cuisinart Griddler.  I'm a Griddler Ninja.  I know, you don't have to say it - "Griddler Ninja" does not sound cool.

Sigh.

Someone needs to buy me a large house, buy me all sorts of sizes of Green Eggs and become my patron ... like in the old days where rich families would sponsor artists.  I need a billionaire to sponsor my Barbecue Ninja artistry.  

Do you really want to live in a world where there is one less Barbecue Ninja?  

Gasp!  No!  

Until that glorious day, I'll be saving my pennies so I can make my dream of showing up at The DW's house with a Not So Big Green Egg in a blond wig with a corn cob pipe a sparkling reality.  

A girl can dream, can't she?


P.S. In researching this blog post (yes, I actually do some research at times), I found out that there is a whole line of Big Green Egg -themed accessories!  Candles, picnic table weights, salt and pepper shakers, stuffed toys, baby onesies and my absolute favorite - BIG GREEN EGG CORN COB HOLDERS.  

I have heard rumors that Big Green Egg owners/lovers are beyond dedicated and have their own version of fan cultdom (EggHeads) over this ultimate cooking experience tool.  Kind of like Furries, but obsessed with grills ... please don't try to have sex with your Big Green Egg, I beg of you!

They also have an annual Eggtoberfest - which by the time this blog post is published will be 2 days after 2012's Eggtoberfest.  

P.P.S.  If your Big Green Egg has ever given birth to a master race of alien pod people, please leave me your story in the Comments section below.  Thanks!

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Once Again: THANK YOU TO THE UKRAINE!

Back in March 2012, I was reviewing my Blogger.com statistics for LilyOnTheLam.com.  The country that has the most LilyOnTheLam.com readers/page views for the entire lifespan of my blog was (and still is) the United States.  But back in March, I was surprised to see that the Ukraine came in 5th in number of readers/page views by country!  

I have never been to the Ukraine but evidently I was a Ukrainian superstar!  Like David Hasselhoff to Germany, I am to the Ukraine!  

(Hopefully the Ukraine isn't the home of international blogger identity theft or anything ...)

So now it's mid-October 2012 and I look at my stats again and the Ukraine has jumped from the #5 spot to the #3 spot in terms of most readers/page views behind the US and the United Kingdom!  God bless you, Ukraine!!

To celebrate my Ukrainian fans, please check out my blog post and Ukrainian restaurant review here.  This definitely calls for some more Ukrainian restaurant reviews in the future.  Stay tuned LilyOnTheLam.com fans!
  
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Sassy Food Blogger in a Fedora: Why You Should Try The New Menu at Ciro's Speakeasy

Dear LilyOnTheLam.com Readers:

If you're a regular reader you'll know that one of my favorite local places for upscale, fun cocktailing and quality gourmet shareable plates dining is the "prohibition-style speakeasy" called Ciro's Speakeasy and Supper Club on Howard Avenue near Bayshore Boulevard in South Tampa, Florida.  

You need a password to enter the dark speakeasy.  Something that can be seen as either quite annoying or very charming depending on your world view.  One time my response to "what's the password?" was "I am here and I have a reservation - that's the password."  The hostess didn't seem too amused by my attitude and remarks. But let me tell you, after a few drinks at Ciro's my attitude is ALWAYS BETTER.  ;-)

Half of Ciro's Speakeasy is composed of dark, private booths with individual waitstaff-summoning doorbells and curtains for privacy.  You feel like you are stepping in to another world.  The waitstaff is dressed prohibition era style and I have been there several times where patrons also came dressed in Roaring 20's outfits.  When in Rome ...

When I heard Ciro's was retooling their menu, I knew I had to check it out to see what gems made it to the new menu and share this knowledge with you all.

But first - I will preface this blog post by saying that when I arrived last weekend with three friends at Ciro's Speakeasy, a lovely lady named Lauren who I believe is the Ciro's Manager (apologies if not), had my two favorite menu items (chicken and waffle sliders with a chipotle maple gravy and the French fries cooked in duck fat with a trio of dipping sauces - garlic aioli, tamarind ketchup and more chipotle maple gravy) brought over to our booth on the house.  I mention this because I believe in full disclosure when I am giving my opinion/recommendation about a restaurant.  (And yes, you can pretty much purchase my love and my soul with a cone of  Duck-fat French Fries.)  

However those of you who read my blog often, know that I have written about Ciro's Speakeasy several times before I ever received the generous and much appreciated morsels.  I also tend to visit Ciro's quite often and bring "virgins" along with me, so I will gladly accept any freebies Ciro's wants to throw my way!  And hey, if you want to name one of your booths after me - go for it. 

If you would like to read my previous Ciro's Speakeasy blog posts, check them out below:

Lily and the Hotlantan Nicky G at Ciro's Speakeasy

Lily and Sergio the Evil Elf at Ciro's Speakeasy

Lily and Miss NL at Ciro's Speakeasy

Wow, I have written a lot of Ciro's Speakeasy posts for this blog, haven't I?  

Listen up Ciro's, if you like this blog post I request two things -- One - the secret password for December for entry into Ciro's Speakeasy should be "Lily On The Lam."  Last time I was there, the password was "Park Slope" which makes no sense - we're in Tampa, not Brooklyn!  "Lily On The Lam" is the perfect password for a Tampa speakeasy.  Just saying ...

Two - the next time I am at Ciro's, I would love a free crostini trio. I believe in the law of attraction - so I am just putting my ego and my stomach's hopes and desires out into the universe and perhaps it shall pan out!  Baby loves freebies!

I have been to Ciro's three times in the past six weeks - once with Hotlantan Nicky G as referenced above, a second time with Miss Asheville 2013 (JS's MIL- yes I am talking about your DIL) and a third time with Miss Costa Rica, Miss Carrollwood and Miss Seminole Heights.  (And no, I don't hang out with people with normal names.)

Each time, the food menu was a little different.  On visit #2, our incredibly good-looking waiter whose name I cannot recall told us that Ciro's was adjusting its menu - testing out and trying new items that best fits Ciro's identity.  In my first two tastings there were definitely some dishes that hit the mark and some that just seemed wrong for the establishment.  I feigned swooning and said in my best Southern falsetto - "Lordy, Lordy me, this restaurant is having an identity crisis!"

However the last time I went to Ciro's, I was told that the latest draft of the new menu was "IT" - identity had been found!  I was ready to try some new items and see if this menu was the real deal or a soap opera evil twin!  

Side Note:  I cancelled my cable to try to break my rampant television addiction.  But it didn't work- I traded my television heroin for television methadone - the DVD.  I have spent the last several months watching the original night soap opera "Dallas."  I had never watched the last couple of seasons of the 14 season series.  The first six or seven seasons I was as giddy as a Toddler in a Tiara mainlining pixie sticks.  But then as the show jumped the shark, it became more and more painful.  I am now on episode six of Season Fourteen - the last season - and I'm basically in a fetal position screaming "WHY GOD, WHY?" at my cats.  But I am going to see it through - I am going to watch all episodes in all fourteen seasons if it kills me!  And heaven knows, it just might ...

But enough about me, back to Ciro's Speakeasy ...  

Before I tell you what I tried on the new menu, let me tell you about my favorites that I am crazy ecstatic glad are still on the menu.  Chicken and waffle sliders, truffle popcorn, aforementioned duck fat-cooked French Fries and the heavenly cheese fondue.  Thank you, thank you, thank you for keeping all of these items on the menu!

I am sad that the pub pretzel, the artichoke and the select your own charcuterie and cheese board are no longer on the menu.  Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream discontinued their pink lemonade sorbet in 1996 and my sister Squidge and I still bemoan the loss-- so Ciro's be forewarned, my sadness at discontinued items is deep and long-running!

But enough about sadness and loss, let's talk about changes I did like.  First of all, I have to say THANK YOU Ciro's for finally allowing reservations (see OpenTable.com) for smaller parties.  The rule used to be for parties of 6 or more.  Although I did notice the last time I went to Ciro's, the valet now costs $5 - is this a weekends only thing now ... or?  Parking is tight in the Hyde Park/SoHo (south of Howard Avenue) section, so at least it was only $5.

Foodwise, the menu seems to have gotten even more eclectic-- which I adore but may not be mainstream enough.  Time will tell.  My friends and I ordered the crostini trio, the slider trio and the lobster deviled eggs off the new menu.  (We also had the fondue, chicken and waffle sliders and duck fries off the old menu.)  I ordered the "Rooter Rebellion" - a drink that currently is not listed on their menu but should be.  It's a sassy rootbeer-esque concoction that is magic to my tongue.  

Other LilyOnTheLam.com Ciro's cocktail favorites - Safety Drink, Lychee Love Hotel, Moscow Mule, Hemingway's Daiquiri, the Mai Tai, Gin Fizz, this Russian berry thing who's name escapes me because it's usually the 5th drink I order ... and any of Ciro's absinthe drinks!  If you're looking for artsy, yum-tastic cocktails, get yourself over to Ciro's Speakeasy.

OK enough about the liquor and back to the food ... the problem with trying to mix socializing, hunger satiation and food blogging is that sometimes you get carried away with the socializing and forget to keep track of everything you are eating - so please forgive the incomplete descriptions of the food below.  If you want to know all the ingredients, get yourself over to Ciro's to try their new menu for yourself.

My number one absolute most favorite new food item that I tried was the beef and avocado crostini that is part of the Crostini Trio (shown below on the lefthand side in the photo).  Moist, rich, lush feel to the tongue - equal parts crunchy, chewy, creamy ... if decadence had a flavor, this is it.

There is also a piece of butternut squash hummus crostini (shown righthand side of the photo) in the Crostini Trio.  When I first heard "Squash Hummus," I thought two things - #1) WORST PORN STAR NAME EVER.  

And #2) Intriguing - either this is going to be really tasty or really crappy.  

I am happy to report that it is extremely tasty.  Flavorful and sensuous like Autumn flavors in a sporty tuxedo.  It is the perfect creamy bite to nibble on when you're trying to come up with a better porn star name.

Ciro's also added a Truffled Cauliflower dish to its new menu. I didn't try it, but I reckon (I live in the SOUTH, people) that it's pretty darn good too.
  

Crostini Trio

Sadly I had too many cocktails to remember the center crostini in the above picture- I think its like a classic tomato bruschetta but with a salty caper twist.  

Apologies to Ciro's that I cannot recall the ingredients, but maybe that's a sign you need something more mind-blowing for the third crostini if I can't even recall it.  Hmmm?  

May I suggest a piece of bread with a thin slice of prosciutto, sliced strawberries, black pepper and a drizzle of chocolate balsamic vinegar?  

Or if you wanted a non-meat option, try thinly sliced Anjou pears, Vermont white cheddar shavings and a drizzle of honey that has micro-diced pieces of crystallized ginger in it.  (Place it under the broiler/salamander for extra melty, rich crunch.)  

I give you these ideas free of charge, but you could always rename the Crostini Trio to "Lily's Crostini Trio" or "Crostini Trio on the Lam" in gratitude.  Nothing says prohibition better than a life led on the lam!

My second absolute favorite "WOW!" item on Ciro's new menu is the lobster deviled eggs - lobster, caviar and sriracha in a gorgeous perfectly cooked hard-boiled egg white.  If you want straight-up decadent elegance, order these.  They're beautiful.  They're deluxe.  They're lusciousness on a platter. (So am I, but that's a story for another time.)  

Miss Carrollwood ordered these lobster deviled eggs - she's a cool classy blonde so I wasn't surprised that she ordered a cool classy appetizer.  I felt like a rich little Czarina munching away on these lobster deviled eggs.  Do yourself a favor and inspire your own pre-Russian Revolution feast and regally demand a couple orders of these beauties.  I won't tell Lenin and Stalin, if you won't!  

Lobster deviled eggs with caviar and sriracha

On to our next item ... I absolutely adore a good burger, especially since I come from Minneapolis - the land where you can find the best "Juicy Lucy" cheese-stuffed hamburgers.  So imagine my delight in seeing that Ciro's now has a burger slider trio where one of the sliders is a Juicy Lucy.  We ordered two slider trios for the table.  My absolute favorite of the three is an Asian-inspired burger.  If I could have had three of these, I would have.  Another slider was stuffed with pate - it was only ehh so so, I was expecting more since the Asian one was chock full of so many great flavors.  Our Juicy Lucy - the one that I was most looking forward to was dry.  However Miss Seminole Heights' Juicy Lucy was very moist and flavorful.  So I'll be back to Ciro's in the future to see if I get a better Juicy Lucy!

The sliders were served on a typical brioche-style hamburger bun.  It looked better than it tasted - there was nothing inherently wrong with the bun.  It had decent taste and held up well to the burger and all its toppings.  But flavor-wise did not add much to the party.  However with the list of ingredients in each of the three sliders, perhaps a blank canvas of a brioche bun is just what the doctor ordered.

Slider Trio

By this time in the evening I was too happily scarfing down food and quaffing cocktails to take good pictures-- so here's the chicken and waffle slider platter with only 2 of the 4 sliders remaining.  Ciro's used to serve this with the chipotle maple gravy already on the slider.  I am very happy they now just serve it on the side.

We were so stuffed from all of our food that we did not get the opportunity to sample any of the new desserts.  Ciro's switched up the flavors in its bread pudding and there's even a cotton candy on the menu.  Alas, next time for me!

Side Note: I was having a BAD HAIR DAY when I went to Ciro's, so I decided to don a chapeau to go with the Prohibition-style theme.  I had a black Fedora-esque hat with a white silk flower.  If you are a frequent reader of LilyOnTheLam.com, you will know that I am the world's worst photo stylist.  But I am TRYING!  So below is a picture of the hat I wore to Ciro's Speakeasy juxtaposed against an actor who was also known for wearing a certain hat as well.

And if Larry Hagman is not your cup of tea, here is Sharka - the Crazy Shirts Mascot - wearing said chapeau.  Whoever said Hipster Cool was dead was wrong.  Live fast, die young and always carry a surfboard and wear a Fedora.  That's my life's motto or my name is not Squash Hummus.

P.S.  A word to the Executive Chef at Ciro's Speakeasy - run down the street to the Fresh Market and get some pretzel sticks from the bakery to experiment with- your menu needs a soft pretzel dish again!

P.P.S.  One more word to the Executive Chef - also get some large fat dried dates, stuff them with Cypress Grove Purple Haze goat cheese, sprinkle with minced pistachios, roll tightly in a medium-thick slice of Neuske's Canadian bacon, place a toothpick in to keep it all in place and broil.  Serve with a drizzle of pear Balsamic vinegar.  I'm not saying you need to put this on your menu, but it may keep your creative menu-planning ideas flowing.  ;-)  

Thank you Ciro's Speakeasy for the two free items the last time I was visiting.  As you know from my enlarged belly and liver, I will be back for more food and more tasty cocktails in the future!

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Isn't it time you bought a sassy Fedora too?   Just saying ...

Supporting Righteous Babes Everywhere No Matter Where They Are ...

Hello LilyOnTheLam.Com Readers:

This past Tuesday, I attended the Ani DiFranco concert at The Ritz in Ybor City, Tampa, Florida.  Now if you're a regular reader of my blog, you will know that I have an admiration for Ani DiFranco and her music.  OK perhaps stalkeresque obsession?  (Check out my previous blog post here about my love for Ani DiFranco and another drop in the bucket of my dating angst.)  

I went to grad school in the same city (Buffalo, New York) as Ani DiFranco's self-created music label, Righteous Babe Records.  At the Ritz, there was a small group from Buffalo in front of the stage.  They yelled "Buffalo" several times in solidarity of Ani growing up in Buffalo.  However Ani lives in New Orleans, Louisiana now and I think that city blends more with her aura and spirituality.  

Ani's opening act was Ruthie Foster.  I had never heard of her, but I know that Ani DiFranco has excellent tastes in selecting her opening acts.  Several years ago, I went to see Ani DiFranco in Philadelphia.  Her opening act was the brilliant Regina Spektor.  I knew a couple Regina Spektor songs, but hearing her live cemented my fandom.  I also have spread the fandom - my parents are attending Regina Spektor's concert in Minneapolis tonight and I will be seeing her when she performs in Clearwater, Florida at Ruth Eckerd Hall next month.

Ani's magical touch did not fail.  Ruthie Foster was incredible live.  How would I describe Ruthie Foster's music?  Strong, powerful but also delicate ... it's like she opened her soul and this music just floated out.  Do you know the term "speaking one's truth"?  Ruthie Foster's singing is her truth brought to light and set on fire.  It's not a phoenix rising from the ashes, it is poetry soaring high above on the wings of a strong woman to inspire and captivate.

I find it ironic that while many in America were watching the Presidential debate and hearing a comment about "binders of women" that I was standing in front of a stage hearing the power and the beauty of two strong, independent women following their dreams and inspiring countless women and men.  Creativity, beauty, freedom, truth, independence and spirit.  An amazing night at the Ritz Ybor, let me tell you.

My hats off to either the ladies' sound technician or the Ritz's sound technician, because the sound for this show was the best I have ever heard at the Ritz.  Did they get new speakers or something?  Pure, crisp sound quality.  

The only negative was that 1/3 of the crowd talked non-stop through both Ruthie and Ani's shows.  The Ritz in Ybor has a huge smoking lounge and multiple bars-- there are plenty of places you can go to talk and watch the show on video monitors without disrupting the fans who actually want to hear the music.  

So my apologies to both Ms. DiFranco and Ms. Foster for the rudeness of some of my fellow chatty Tampans (or as I prefer to call them Tampanians -- Tampans sounds too much like tampons.  And I've never been super-absorbent.)

Check out Ms. Foster's version of Ring of Fire - if you're not moved by her rendition, you just may be dead on the inside.  

Ani DiFranco's performance was incredible as always.  She is pregnant with her second child.  The show was general admission and my crafty crowd-maneuvering techniques got me about 6 people back from the side of the stage.  I just kept staring at Ani DiFranco wondering how loud it might be for the fetus!  But I also thought how wonderful it must be to spend nine months gestating on pure, harmonious, truth-telling music.

Ani ended her show with some of my favorite songs-- "Gravel" and "32 Flavors."  "Gravel" is the soundtrack for a terribly bad eight year relationship I had once upon a time.  Time heals all wounds (and wounds all heels), so I can listen to the song with a wispy smile and lessons learned but no pain.  It's a good place to be.

There are so many fabulous Ani songs to choose from ... so I end this blog post with two Ani songs - the very popular "Both Hands" and a song ("Splinter") from her last album "Which Side Are You On?"  Hope you enjoy them!

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I love Ani DiFranco's poetry - "Grand Canyon" is one of my favorites.  You should check this book out.

Chowdah Competition: A Tale of Four Clam Chowders - Maine vs. Minneapolis

Hello LilyOnTheLam.com Readers:

I was recently celebrating the Autumnal season in Portland, Maine.  And by celebrating, I mean shoving every tasty morsel I saw into my happy, but rapidly expanding belly.  

As part of this ravenous rampage of the Old Port, Cape Elizabeth and Kennebunkport areas, I had the delicious privilege of sampling New England-style clam chowders.  The following weekend, I went to visit my baby sister Squidge in her first real "on her own, no roommates, post college graduation" adult apartment in Minneapolis, Minnesota.  She made me dinner - clam chowder in sourdough bread bowls.  I've always been the one to make treats for my sister, it was wonderful to have her playing chef for me! 

In honor of my chowder-extravaganza, I'd like to share my thoughts and pictures of the four clam chowders I had within a week.  I hope you have the opportunity to welcome Autumn with a great bowl of clam chowder.  (Also, if you're in the San Francisco area, check out my restaurant review of The Blue Mermaid Chowder House and Bar.) 

My first meal in Portland was lunch at DiMillo's Restaurant and Lounge a floating restaurant in Old Port, Portland, Maine.   I like "floating dining" - locally, I like going to Fulton's Crab House in nearby Downtown Disney in Orlando, Florida.  However I do find that when restaurants have a "gimmick" there is a greater chance that the cuisine suffers, so I wasn't sure if DiMillo's food would be as good as the environment.  

I ordered a cup of clam chowder and a lobster roll.  (You'll hear about my Lobster Roll in a subsequent LilyOnTheLam.Com blog post.)  The restaurant was spacious and reminded me a little too much of Florida - evidently the Thursday lunch crowd is mostly geriatric at DiMillo's.  I felt like a fetus amongst the blue hairs!  

The restaurant seemed to be overstaffed with hosts/hostesses and understaffed with servers.  My poor waiter was doing his best running between many tables while four hosts (and possibly managers?) stood at the host stand gabbing away.  I wanted to turn around and say "hey, help a server out!"  When I worked in the restaurant industry as an eager high schooler, I worked for a family-owned Italian restaurant.  There was never a "that's your job" snideness.  If a server was swamped, as support staff we pitched in to help.    

DiMillo's Clam Chowder was your basic New England style clam chowder.  I found the chowder to be too thick for my tastes.  I like my chowder to taste like a thick, creamy soup and not like white gravy.  But the flavor was good and there was a nice balance of clams to potatoes.  DiMillo's felt like an old time supper club and for that, I felt very at home and comfortable.  The fellow patrons were very sweet and a load of fun to eavesdrop on!
  

DiMillo's Clam Chowder

The dessert special that day was an Almond Joy cheesecake.  I was quite full from my lunch so there was no room for dessert for me.  However an adorable elderly lady at the table next to me ordered the cheesecake special.  Out comes this huge slab of the best-looking cheesecake ever.  It was all I could do to stop myself from reaching over and swiping a bite.  

The older lady took the most amazing joy in each forkful.  It was the definition of pure bliss.  After about fifteen minutes of such blissful bites, she called it quits - only managing to get through about one-third of the enormous piece.  But she giddily asked the server for a box because she was not going to miss out on the rest of the dessert.  I enjoyed watching someone so thoroughly enjoy their meal.  

So if you find yourself at DiMillo's in Portland, Maine - check out their dessert special and see if it brings as big of a smile to your face as it did for a cheesecake-loving older lady!  And maybe you'll cause other people to share in that smile.  My lunch at DiMillo's was a homey welcome to Portland.

Of the three cups of clam chowder I had in Portland, Maine; each restaurant served their chowder with Westminster Bakers Co. oyster crackers.  These crackers were amazing - light, crisp, flavorful.  I think it's a real testament to their quality that each restaurant I went to served them and I definitely need to find if they are sold locally in Tampa, Florida.  

The next day, I went to Gilbert's Chowder House.  Have you ever heard two lovelier words put together?  Chowder ... House.  I can almost hear the angels weeping at the beauty.

Gilbert's has a long rectangular dining room and it is extremely popular.  There was a line out the door for their chowder.  It is a very casual eating establishment with a wide variety of chowder lovers as patrons.  If you're looking to kick back with a pint of blueberry ale and a steaming bowl of chowder or a lobster roll with everyday citizens, check out Gilbert's Chowder House.

Gilbert's Chowder House's Clam Chowder

Gilbert's Chowder House's clam chowder was the perfect consistency - creamy mouthfeel without being overly thick or wallpaper paste-like.  The aroma and taste had a savory, "fresh from the sea" appeal.  It was cold and rainy when I was at Gilbert's Chowder House and the big styrofoam cup of chowder warmed me from the inside out.  My only complaint was that there were way too many potatoes.  The flavor was great, but I would have appreciated a better clam to potato ratio.  It was more potato chowder with clams versus clam chowder with potatoes.  But it was hearty, rich and very flavorful.  

Gilbert's was also the only restaurant I saw in the Portland, Maine area where they offered clam chowder in bread bowls. So if you prefer your chowder in a bread bowl, head over to Gilbert's.

The third Maine New England-style clam chowder I tasted was in the quaint and charming Kennebunkport, Maine restaurant Mabel's Lobster Claw.  There is a couple public parking lots in Kennebunkport and many dining choices.  However I arrived right at lunchtime and every restaurant seemed to be packed.  I parked my rental car and started walking around.  

I had read good things about Mabel's Lobster Claw, so when I saw a sign advertising the restaurant I walked closer to the sign to see if it had a map to show me where the restaurant was located.  There was an arrow pointing the direction of the restaurant but it was one mile from the main town area.  Since I had just parked my car, I figured a one mile walk in scenic Kennebunkport would be a great start.  I also assumed that since it's off the main drag, there was a good chance there would be an open table.

Unfortunately about 2 blocks into the walk, it started raining heavily.  I was prepared with a thick Nautica jacket and an umbrella.  I walked on the far edges of the sidewalk to avoid getting splashed by cars driving through puddles on the side of the road.  By the time I reached Mabel's, I was very happy to have a roof over my head out of the rain.

Mabel's is extremely homey with a courteous staff.  It had a combination New England cabin/diner feel.  The counter was covered with a delightful array of housemade desserts.  

I ordered the clam chowder and WOW!  Of my three Maine clam chowders, Mabel's Lobster Claw Restaurant's clam chowder was the best.  The chowder was like velvet - silky, hot and creamy.  Just the right combination of clams and vegetables.  The clams were amazingly tender.  I am very used to clams being overcooked and rubbery in clam chowder.  I don't know how Mabel's keeps their clams so tender, but I am mighty glad that they do.          

Mabel's Lobster Claw's Clam Chowder

Mabel's Lobster Claw Restaurant was a perfect "Vacation in Maine" style restaurant.  Friendly, fast service in a warm, laidback environment with amazing seafood.  Win, win and win!

A week later after my Portland Maine vacation, I was presented with another bowl of clam chowder - but this time I was in Minneapolis in my baby sister's kitchen.  She was using the following clam chowder recipe taken from Cooking Light, but had added carrots and more vegetables to it.  Now this may be blasphemy to New Englanders, but we Midwesterners see no evil in throwing more veggies into our chowder.  Also the recipe has BACON in it ... is there anything more wonderful than bacon?  It brings  a nice smoky quality to the creamy mouthfeel of the soup.

Clam Chowder a la Squidge

My sister had carved out hollows in sourdough bread bowls from Panera Bread.  

I couldn't find Westminster Bakers oyster crackers sadly, so I bought a local brand.  Unfortunately they were not as good as Westminster's.

The picture below is my sister's clam chowder pot, mid-fast stirring.  Like the stove in my first "real" adult apartment, my sister's stove runs way too hot.  "Low" is boiling, so it was imperative that the chowder be stirred fast and ferociously!
  

 And voila - my sister's clam chowder with vegetables and bacon served in a sourdough bread bowl.  Fantastic!

You may think there is some nepotism here, but of the four chowders - my sister's clam chowder was my overall favorite because the extra vegetables and bacon balanced out the richness of the clam chowder.  

For freshest, most tender clams, the award would go to Mabel's Lobster Claw.  It also wins for overall ambiance, since the town of Kennebunkport is wonderfully quaint and scenic.  

With autumn upon us, get yourself a bowl of clam chowder.  Where is your favorite place for clam chowder?  Let me know in the comments section below!

Happy Fall 2012!  Chowdah, chowdah, chowdah!

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