Gamble on this Amazing Breakfast! Pyramid Cafe - Luxor Las Vegas

Happy Friday, LilyOnTheLam.Com Readers!

I know this was a shorter week for many U.S.-workers with the Memorial Day holiday this past Monday, but man I felt like the work week was a week and a half long!  This is what happens to me after a nice vacation! 

I have a stack of pictures from Las Vegas, New York, Durham, Lynchburg, Lexington and Charlottesville - just waiting to be blogged about ... baby steps!  So today I am going to write about Breakfast in Las Vegas!

Call me a crass American, but I looooooove long weekends in Las Vegas!  I love the shows, the shopping, the dining ... I hate the heinous amounts of secondhand smoke but other than that I love, love, love Vegas!

Another thing I love, love, love is breakfast foods!  The sweet breakfast food items always sound so wonderful, but a sugary breakfast usually makes me insane and then makes me crash hard.  So I usually opt for an omelet or other egg-based dish.  My stomach might want a sugary entree but my brain knows it is better to stick with some protein!

But on the second to my last day in Las Vegas, my judgment was getting a little cloudy.  I decided it was time to try one of the sugary breakfast entree treats at the Pyramid Cafe at the Luxor Hotel.  

My only problem was that EVERYTHING sounded so good.  Check out this list of sweet breakfast foods:  S'mores pancakes, Red Velvet pancakes, Cinnamon Roll French Toast with caramelized apples, Peanut Butter Cream Stuffed French Toast, Orange Creamsicle French Toast, Strawberry Shortcake French Toast, Bacon Pecan Waffle and ... drum roll please ... Carrot Cake French Toast!  Have I died and gone to sugary breakfast treat heaven?

I once had Carrot Cake French Toast at the South Congress Cafe in Austin, Texas.  It was absolutely amazing.  If you are in Austin, you absolutely must check it out.

But now I was in Vegas and I was TORN!  So many choices!  I read and re-read the menu and finally narrowed it down to the Strawberry Shortcake French Toast or the Carrot Cake French Toast.  

But I could not make the final decision!  

I decided to let my waitress decide for me.  She said absolutely the Strawberry Shortcake French Toast and I said "SOLD!"

Lemon poppyseed bread dipped in vanilla custard, grilled and served with sliced strawberries, whipped cream and strawberry sauce.  CRAZY DELICIOUS!  A high roller breakfast!

Unfortunately I was headed to New York City after my Las Vegas trip to buy some new work clothes, so I could not eat this entire plate of "heaven in lemon."  But I allowed myself two of the four pieces and all the strawberries.  My tastebuds were happy and later when I tried on lots of designer clothing and everything fit perfectly and beautifully, I was glad I showed some restraint!

I find that a lot of lemon poppyseed muffins/bread have a fake chemical taste.  This French Toast was very lemony, not overly sweet but still fresh and tasty.  The bread is sliced thick and is soft and velvety with a crispy shell.  I would have preferred real whipped cream whipped by hand versus a pressurized cream, but it didn't detract from the wonderfulness.  The strawberries were sweet and ripe.  The strawberry syrup was rich without being artificially or sickly sweet.

This breakfast was soooo good.  If I had a high metabolism, I would have tried a different sweet breakfast entree from Pyramid Cafe every morning that I was in Las Vegas.  But sadly I have the metabolism of a turtle, so I only was able to savor one of their fabulous breakfast items.  It was still worth it!

If you are in Vegas and enjoy sweet breakfast entrees, make sure you check out the Pyramid Cafe!

"I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings" - Rest In Peace, Maya Angelou

Hello LilyOnTheLam.Com Readers:

Wednesday night, I was exhausted.  I had worked from 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. with the only break was five minutes to scarf down a Trader Joe's Baked Ziti microwave entree.  I briefly scanned the news and then my Twitter.com account.  

I don't know why, but I get more of my news faster from Twitter before all other sources.  Sure enough Twitter had scooped my regular news again - author and poet, Maya Angelou, died on Wednesday, May 28, 2014 at the age of 86.

Even though Maya Angelou had lived a long life, I was still surprised to hear she had passed away.  In my mind, she seemed not so much human as a force of nature.  A jolt of energy that could not be dissipated. My already weary shoulders drooped further with the news.

I first discovered Maya Angelou when I was in middle school. I had stumbled upon her gritty and "in your face" real autobiography "I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings."  It was horrific and yet I clung to it.  So much of what she wrote about, I could sadly identify in myself.  But seeing the absolute horror of Maya Angelou's life through the hazy viewpoint of her child narrator's unworldly comprehension, made me look at my own horrors with a stronger viewpoint.  I was not alone.  If Maya could endure, so could I.  

Sometimes the greatest solace can be derived from knowing that one is not alone; that others have walked the same path and not only survived but thrived.  Maya Angelou's book both shocked and scared me, but also oddly comforted me.  I was not alone and I did not need to be ashamed about the horrors in my own life.

As the years went by, Maya Angelou would pop up in popular culture - talking with Oprah, talking with President Barack Obama.  Her star continued to rise.  Her wisdom and poetry spread to more audiences.  But I still hold Maya Angelou close to my heart for shining a pinpoint of light through my own personal childhood darkness so many years ago.  

I had never met Maya Angelou but her words helped change my life.  What a powerful gift she gave to me and many others.  She may have left the bonds of this Earth, but I hope people continue to read her works and breathe the spirit of her everlasting endurance and perseverance.

Rest in Peace, Maya Angelou … and thank you for everything. 

P.S.  Some of my favorite Maya Angelou quotes …

"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."

"Nothing will work unless you do."

"When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time."

"The truth is, no one of us can be free until everybody is free."        

Monkeying Around: New Product Wednesday: Trader Joe's Gone Bananas Chocolate Covered Banana Slices

Hello LilyOnTheLam.Com Readers!

Boy, did Memorial Day Weekend go by fast!  I took a few days off to do a five day weekend visiting a friend in Lynchburg, Virginia.  I have been to Roanoke, Richmond and various parts of Virginia around DC, but this was my first time to Lynchburg.  I'll be sharing some of my Lynchburg (Lexington and Charlottesville too) adventures in weeks to come.  Stay tuned to LilyOnTheLam.com!

I am currently transitioning between my current job and an intense promotion to a completely new job in the same company.  Which basically means I am trying to do three jobs at the same time and feeling like I'm not giving anything 100%.  It seems like my "to do" list is 9 billion miles long.  I have to center myself and focus or else I'll go spinning off into stress land!  

I find that many people get so overwhelmed just by the size of their "to do" list that they paralyze themselves and then they can't do anything!  That "to do" list is definitely not going to get any shorter if all one does is stress out about how much they have to do!  So I am trying to stay organized, stay focused and not give in to stressful feelings.  Easier said than done, but ever so necessary!

Today's "New Product Wednesday" (items that are new or new to me) is about a Trader Joe's product I have been raving about to many friends.  In fact, I made my friend drive to Charlottesville, Virginia to buy this product.  

When Dole started selling chocolate covered banana slices "Dark Chocolate Banana Dippers" (and now strawberries too), I was really excited.  They are in portion control packs and I thought it'd be a great, lower calorie dessert option when the chocolate cravings strike.  Plus Costco sells a larger quantity pack for those who want to save money on their per unit purchases.  

However, I was highly disappointed.  The Dole chocolate covered banana slices tasted like absolutely nothing.  Bland, bland, bland.  If you're going to take in the extra calories, you better be loving what you're eating - am I right?  Or am I right?

But then when Trader Joe's opened in South Tampa, I saw this item in the freezer case …

Trader Joe's Gone Bananas! Chocolate Covered Banana Slices.  Four slices for 130 calories.  They are not packaged into individual portion control packs like Dole's are, but less packaging is better for the environment.  

There are many Trader Joe's products I like, but would these frozen chocolate covered banana slices be like the Dole ones?  Was this a box of chocolate-covered disappointment?  I wasn't sure if I wanted to set myself up to have my chocolate-covered hopes dashed again!

But the agile little sock money in a kicky hat drew me in.  Maybe I had one more chocolate-covered chance left to give the frozen banana community.

And the result?  Chocolate-covered banana deliciousness!  Trader Joe's Gone Bananas frozen chocolate-covered banana slices are definitely NOT bland.  The dark chocolate is incredibly rich and lovely.  But what really makes the frozen treat is that Trader Joe's uses Thai bananas that are frozen at the right point of ripeness.  The Dole banana dippers tasted like underripe bananas with absolutely no flavor.  The Trader Joe's bananas are incredibly sweet.  Talk about decadent treats!  Each of these frozen bites are a true delight.  

If you're looking for a rich, frozen, chocolatey, banana treat with an adorable sock monkey on the box, THESE are a "must buy, must try, must eat!"            

The Politics of Numbers

Hello LilyOnTheLam.Com Readers:

If you are in the U.S., I hope this Memorial Day weekend finds you well.  A thank you to all who have served America's military.

This holiday weekend, I am visiting a friend in a city I have never been to before ... which I will write about in a future post.   

This week two people died - one a 79 year old in jail, convicted of murder.  The other, a 22 year old who most likely killed himself after allegedly killing and injuring many others.  They both had the same birthday as myself.  What are the odds?  Is there some sort of universal message in this?  

(For the record, an actress and an actress/singer also have the same birth date as me and I am not aware of them committing any homicidal sprees ... yet.)  

It just seems an odd, sad, freakish coincidence.  I once read in a birthday book that supposedly every one born the same month and day as myself do not know when to feed or starve hunger ... emotional, physical, financial, etc.  Let me tell you, that one sentence has stuck hard and fast into my brain.  I don't necessarily believe in astrology, but I can't help but ponder ...     

I'd like to think there is some grand design and a purpose/reason for everything ... but sometimes I think life is just randomly freakish or freakishly random.

Can one make sense out of the senseless?

I have no answers.  I have only a prayer - that those who are hurting find peace.

Happy Memorial Day - may only happiness and joy find you this weekend.  

Summer Homework!

Happy Thursday, LilyOnTheLam.Com Readers!

The next round of my adventures is about to start!  I have found that during my most busy times I need to set aside some time to coordinate and organize myself - put form around the day to day functions to help guide myself forward versus just spinning in circles.  

Although it has been centuries since I have been in school, I find summer to be almost a time for New Year's Resolutions.  A New Season's Resolution, perhaps.  A time when once again I can stop and ask myself:  "What's It All About, Alfie?"

I have to say that the state of reality television on Bravo TV has declined dramatically in the past few years.  I literally hate myself for watching it.  This past weekend, I volunteered 14 hours of my time for two different causes.  Sunday night, I came home exhausted.  My DVR was filled with the most ridiculous of fake scripted drama.  Now I appreciate TV and movies as a distraction, but I don't need my blood pressure rising following stupidity.  What a waste!  

So I decided after this season of Game of Thrones ends, I am ending my cable subscription.  Goodbye television!  (Hopefully, I will find a hot man who has cable by this October when "The Walking Dead" starts!)  I am taking the summer off!  In my childhood, I used to be a ferociously avid reader.  Now I go in spurts- I may read five books in a couple weeks and then not read again (other than magazines and online newspapers) for months.  Yet for some reason, I keep buying books.  I have an entire bookshelf just waiting for me.

In trying to "better myself," instead of TV this summer I set a goal to read 12 books between June 16 - September 16.  Now I know what you might be thinking "Ooooh this is a great time to read all the classics that you may have not read in high school and college."  Um yeah, that would be a good idea but if I am forgoing TV I want to read for entertainment and some element of distraction from my stressful work.  If I make the task too "homework-like," I won't do it.  That's just me.  

And like I said, I already have an entire bookshelf filled with tomes waiting for me to crack their bindings and enjoy.  My summer resolution starts June 16 … I'll keep you posted on how bad my television detox gets and whether I stay on track of my goal!

P.S.  The Jake Jarmusch movie "Only Lovers Left Alive" is at the Burns Court Cinema in Sarasota, FL for all you Central Gulf coastal Floridians.  I saw it in New York City.  It's not the best movie in the world, but I just loved watching Tilda Swinton and Tom Hiddleston as these swank, hipster vampires.  Check it out!

Great Balls of Fire! New Product Wednesday Trader Joe's Party Size Mini Meatballs Review

Happy New Product Wednesday, LilyOnTheLam.Com Readers!

In my continued tribute to Trader Joe's finally opening a store in South Tampa, I am dedicating yet another "New Product Wednesday" product review post to a Trader Joe's product.

In the Trader Joe's freezer section is this bag of mini meatballs - 6 meatballs for 210 calories.  Now if you read my Trader Joe's turkey meatballs product review, you will know that I giggle every time I say "balls."  Giggle.  Yep, still happens.

You can heat up these frozen meatballs in 20 minutes in sauce on the stovetop.  Or you can heat up the frozen meatballs in the microwave for four minutes.  Do I need to tell you what Miss Lack of Impulse Control and Patience chose?  To the MICROWAVE, people!

Now I have made these meatballs before - I nuked them in the microwave, sliced them in half and fried them in a pan with a slight glisten of red chili oil.  They were very tasty.  But now that I recall my previous cooking attempt, I realize I didn't microwave them for the entire four minutes because I knew I would be finishing them off in a frying pan.  This fact now makes a lot of sense to me … and will to you in a few moments.

My pantry and fridge are pretty bare after being on the road for nearly three weeks.  My stomach was saying "Feed me NOW" - there was no time for creative meal planning.  My stomach decided it wanted mini meatballs with raspberry chipotle sauce (that I bought in New Orleans) and a generous side of steamed green beans.

Nothing says Tabasco Brand Raspberry Chipotle Sauce like a
Hello Kitty washcloth from Osaka, Japan

I set the microwave to cook the Trader Joe's party size mini meatballs.  I pushed 4 1/2 minutes instead of 4 minutes because my microwave is not always the hottest thing on the planet.  I covered the meatballs with a wet paper towel to keep the tiny orbs moist.  

I started boiling water for the green beans when I smelled something burning.  I looked at my ceramic stovetop and figured I must have splattered some oil or food on the range and it was now burning.  I switched the pan to another burner.  That seemed to do the trick.  I turned on all the fans in the area because I have the world's most sensitive smoke detector.

I opened the microwave and a giant cloud of smoke blew straight into my face.  Evidently I had set the mini meatballs, the paper plate and paper towel that enveloped them ON FIRE.  Three of the six meatballs were charred, rock hard black masses.  I threw the whole thing in the sink and saturated it all in water.  I have this neurotic fear that things are still on fire, smoldering and waiting to kill me!

Who knew meatballs were so combustible?  That extra 30 seconds in the microwave must have pushed it all over the line!  Or maybe my old microwave was on its last leg?  I put another batch of mini meatballs in the microwave (after airing it out), but this time no wet paper towel.  Evidently I think wet paper towels are the most flammable substance on Earth!  I set the microwave for exactly four minutes.

When I pulled them out, they were on the edge of overcooked.  Five seconds more and they would have been party size mini rocks.  I was so confused because I had made these before and they turned out fine.  Really my microwave must be dying.  But then I recalled the one and only time I made these meatballs, I cooked them for less than four minutes and then fried them up.  Ahhhh-ha!  

So be warned - you may want to set your microwave for three minutes and then check to see if the meatballs are thoroughly heated through.  Or send me money for a new microwave, because definitely one of the two things caused me to make my house smell like a fireplace!

After near death by conflagration, how were the meatballs?  Not bad - like the Trader Joe's turkey meatballs, they would have tasted better in sauce.  They were OK but they do not beat homemade meatballs.

If you're having a party and have a really good sauce, throw these bad boys in a crock pot with the sauce and I think you'll have happy guests.  But if you're sitting at home watching "Million Dollar Listing New York" over a plate of steam greened beans and naked party size mini meatballs that have just a splash of raspberry chipotle sauce, you're probably not going to be the happiest meatball camper.

Not terrible, but not the best ever.  I give the Trader Joe's Party Size Mini Meatballs a six on a ten point scale.

What's your favorite Trader Joe's product?  

Chicken Little On Steroids - There's Not A Lot of "Problem" In Your "Problem"

Hello LilyOnTheLam.Com Readers:

I feel like this past year or so the Universe has been trying to get me to "Embrace and extend compassion even when people are being total dumbasses."  

Which by the way, will be the title of one of my hundreds of self-help books when I become the next Deepak Chopra.

Since Chopra rhymes with Oprah, I think the key to my becoming a very wealthy self-help guru is changing my name to "Loprah."  No need for hard work, insight or connections; just a simple name change!

So welcome to Loprah On The Lam!

I find the older I get, the more I am turning into that frizzy haired old woman from Hallmark.  (Check her out at Maxine.com!)

I honestly do not attribute this as much to human aging (I am, after all, 9000 years old), but to the fact that I work for a company where you can never deliver fast enough.  I literally could have a time machine, go back in time and respond to someone weeks before a deadline and I would still hear that my division is not fast enough.  

It's human nature.  Many people need to complain about something, anything.  Complaining just to show their existence on Earth.  And with some people, you would think that complaining burns calories the way they do it with such vigor!

Because I do have to work fast and furiously (as in speedy and efficient, not as in wearing a Vin Diesel mask), my brain tends to steamroller over the attempts of others who slow me down from my goal.  I really do feel like a Terminator Robot/Cyborg thing in my single-minded focus to achieve my deliverables for work.  I don't have time for stupidity and I am not going to let stupid people derail me with issues that don't matter.

Although, frankly I remember being three years old, meeting Chicken Little ("the sky is falling!") neurotic adults and thinking "Ugh, I don't have time for your insanity!"  

My toddler schedule was naps, pre-school, singing to my stuffed animals, learning elementary French and watching TV.  But still, this kid had NO TIME for the dumbasses of this world!    

It's like if your objective is to build a box with wood, hammer and nails within 5 minutes and someone keeps screaming in your ear that the cafeteria only serves eggs six ways.  

I get very perturbed with the distraction.  It has nothing to do with the project at hand.  It is not helpful in any light and frankly there's not a lot of "problem" in that "problem."  Boo freaking hoo!  

Now sure, maybe this person has some sort of egg phobia or mental condition that if they don't have access to eggs served twelve ways at all times, they flip out.  

But I feel like "Hey, I am not your therapist.  We're here to get a job done.  You are not helping.  Either get on board or get out of my way!"  The typical Western corporate steamroller.  I don't have time to be the warm, fuzzy, HR coach when my deliverables are large with fast turnaround times.  Perhaps this has made me more hard, cold and cynical to those around me who need added attention to be able to fully function.

Not to get all "deep childhood analysis" on y'all, but I do think that because I basically had to raise myself from age five that I am less sympathetic to those who are ultra needy.  I think my inner monologue is running on a "Yeah, life is hard.  Buck up little camper!  No one helped me.  I had to help myself!  So toughen up!" mentality.  

(Which by the way, the "no one helped me" part is not accurate,  Many people have helped me over the course of my lifetime but I do think I have lower tolerance for sucking voids of humanity who refuse to do anything on their own.)    

So who's to say - maybe I have always had a lower tolerance for dumbasses … and maybe my advanced years or corporate drone mentality has kicked that low tolerance down to almost nothingness.  

Regardless of the reason, I know that I have less patience, understanding, caring and compassion for people who create worry/concern/drama over nothing and expect everyone else to drop everything to save them.  

To quote many a Twitter meme:  "I have no f*cks to give for that."

Now instead of trying to work on myself to become some sort of universally acceptable, spiritually loving Gandhi figure.  I prefer to just stay away from people like this … especially if they are at an advanced age.  If you're 0 - 25 years old, I am going to cut you some slack if you're a Chicken Little screaming about nothing.  You're young and most likely have had limited experiences.  That's all part of growing up.  

But if you are in your 60's - 90's (like most of my Floridian condo neighbors), I think your window for self-change is either minutely miniature or boarded up forever.  A simple "Hey, stop being a Chicken Little worrying and creating drama over nothing" is not going to generate a journey of self-exploration.

The problem for me is that I am not self-sufficient enough to move on to an uninhabited island.  I would be asking "Um, where's the wifi?" within about three minutes.  Electricity, food, shelter … I kind of like them … a lot.  

Plus for some unknown reason, I have my own moral code where I do try to help people when and where I can.  (Which, by the way, is a pretty sucky moral code, since it usually bites me in the ass, slaps me in the face and really makes me regret helping people … but I digress ...)  

I do a great deal of volunteer work.  Even though I have not had anywhere close to what I would describe as a "perfect life," I have been extremely fortunate.  I grew up with nothing so I have a level of appreciation that those who grew up with everything handed to them, may not have.  

As I was a young adult and to this day, I started to have opportunities many others have not.  Sure many of those opportunities came from extremely hard work, but other times it was just from being at the right place, at the right time, talking to the right person.  Sometimes you are just insanely, incredibly lucky.    
  
Even though a lot of times my efforts cause more aggravation or frustration, I am just wired to "give back" in appreciation for what I have received.  I do feel that most of my opportunities have been gifts (either from people, companies, the Universe, God, Oprah … whatever, whomever, wherever).  To take without giving back in some way or manner, to me, is criminal.  It's like slapping the universe in the face and saying "Gimme More!"  

Call it karma, paying it forward or what have you … but I do believe we all owe a social debt for all we have.  If there is something you can do to make someone else's life better without completely unraveling your life, shouldn't you do it?  

For example, I volunteer with a 25 year old woman who is working in a high school advisory program very much like the one in which my own sister is currently working.  This woman is a good person, but a little lost at how to get from Point A to Point Q, career-wise and future-wise.  She is at a natural point in human development.  She has finished her schooling and now isn't sure how to best build a solid career.  

She asked me if I would share my story about my own education and career.  I could have brushed her off and said I was busy, but I wasn't busy and I knew it'd be only a 20 minute conversation or so.  So why not help?  

I took her through my education, my career history.  I talked about career missteps and career triumphs.  She soaked in the entire conversation like I was doling out great wisdom.  My colleague gets some career advice/lessons learned/words of wisdom for just a few minutes of my time.  To me, that is a completely acceptable exchange.  To be able to help someone - why wouldn't you do it?           

In one of my other volunteering assignments, I have to deal with an older woman (late 60's/early 70's I believe?  People age pretty well in Florida.  My neighbor is 75 and I thought he was 48!).  

This older woman is "Chicken Little on Steroids."  I understand being worried about things.  Sometimes we just cannot help it and someone saying "Let it go" or "Get over it" is not some magic wand that suddenly fixes the attitude.  However I think a person's worry should be contained to a specific sphere of probable scenarios.  This particular Chicken Little is the worst case I have ever seen.  

I think we have all known Chicken Littles who worry about things that will most likely never happen.  It's like living in Oklahoma and worrying about a tidal wave.  There is no possible way this will ever happen unless North America splits in half and Oklahoma is now a coastal state.  So why worry about it?  If the continent breaks in half, I think tidal waves will be just one of 9 million problems we will all suddenly have.  No need or reason to waste time worrying about something that will most likely never occur.  

But this particular Chicken Little goes even further than that … it's like "What if North America splits in half, Oklahoma becomes a coastal state and is ravaged by a tidal wave which somehow signals an alien invasion and the assistant to the head alien was supposed to eat chicken noodle soup for lunch but there was a mix-up and instead he ate tomato soup and spilled a little bit on his tie, staining it temporarily.  WHAT WILL WE DO?  WHAT WILL WE DO?  WE NEED IMMEDIATE PROTOCOLS TO DEAL WITH THIS SITUATION!  NOW!"

And to add insult to injury, she is very patronizing and downright mean and disrespectful.  She acts as if we are lazy dumbf*cks who are not doing our job because we don't already have a 700 page plan on what to do about the Head Alien's Assistant's Soup-Stained Tie.  

If you come at me with anger and disrespect; it is extremely difficult for me to return your energy with love, compassion and respect.    

I must state for the record that this particular aged Chicken Little (to my knowledge) is not senile or in other ways, mentally infirmed.  My non-medical opinion is that she is a biatch who likes to worry and likes people to jump at her beck and call.  But seriously, I cannot "jump" when the worry is SO STUPID with NO CHANCE of EVER happening.  

Plus when my team is already drowning with real, current problems that are actually happening, to be constantly derailed by a neurotic Chicken Little worrying about issues that will NEVER occur infuriates me (to say the least!)

In trying to be a more aware, productive, compassionate person; I stopped to think today: "Is there a better way I can handle this situation?"  

"Is there a discussion I can have with this person who for months has been a neurotic pain in the sides of the entire volunteer team?"  (A non-appreciative, always bitching and disrespectful pain as well.)  

"Is there something I can do to change this situation for the positive versus throwing back an equal amount of negativity at her insanity?"  

"Is there a way I can channel and extend compassion even to those who are complete dumbasses?"

"What would Oprah do?  What would Chopra do?  What can Loprah on the Lam do?"

Unfortunately this particular volunteering involves my neighbors, so I can't just be an arsehole and diss one neighbor in favor of working with others to get our projects completed.  Societally, I have to actually be nice.  (Yuck!)  

I am trying to embrace and extend compassion.  Trying to see the world through this biatchy, stupid Chicken Little on Steroids' eyes so that her insane, unproductive, derailing behavior doesn't piss me off - and in turn, maybe I can help her and help myself.

Perhaps the first step to creating, embracing and extending compassion is not to refer to someone as biatchy, stupid, insane, unproductive with derailing behaviors.  Just a thought …

For some reason the mere act of changing my name to Loprah hasn't instilled me with great universal wisdom and answers to all my questions!  I'm shocked!

Maybe there are no answers to this particular situation.  

Maybe this Chicken Little on Steroids is so hard-wired to be a complete neurotic, attention-sucking biatch that there is nothing I could ever do or say to change the situation other than how I personally react to it.  (Can't change you, can only change me and how I react to you?)

Or maybe this is the Universe telling me to be more compassionate with other people who are dealing with "more legitimate" worries, problems and issues.  To try to see things from their eyes and cut them some more slack.  I probably cannot satisfy the Chicken Little on Steroids, but maybe I could help other people who are less crazy? 

Or maybe there's no "universal compassion to others" guru message here.  Maybe people are just people - some good, some shitty … and all we can control is ourselves and how we let it affect us?

Who knows?  I think my inner Loprah has left me to run her own cable network!  She took all the answers with her!

Right now I feel like the only thing I am embracing is my own inner lack of knowledge … but that's OK.  

Sometimes the first step is just asking the right questions.  

The Best Cheese Grits in America

Happy Monday, LilyOnTheLam.Com Readers!

I had been traveling for almost three weeks recently - luxurious vacation time in Las Vegas and New York City and then a work trip to Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina.  I ate too much.  I drank too much.  My body was NOT a happy camper.  But on the bright side, I have a new "Number Three" in my "Top Three Best Cheese Grits in America" list.

From absolute best to incredible best to wonderful best, here are my top three ...

1)  The now closed Bailey's Restaurant in Tampa Bay, "Southern Gentleman Grits."  Mr. Kim Bailey still runs a catering business.  I sometimes wonder how much his minimum catering order is.  I fantasize about ordering a giant batch of his Southern Gentleman Grits and then inviting friends to get some big spoons and come on over!

Sadly, I have no picture of the Southern Gentleman Grits- so here's a picture of my kitten instead.

Cat - Not Grits.

2)  The Rib Room in New Orleans, LA and their Creole Grits. Their Prime Rib Debris Po'Boy (debris as in shreds of meat) with a side of Creole Grits is one of the most decadent meals you can have in New Orleans.  (Mr. B's Bistro's Barbecued Shrimp being right up there with decadence and deliciousness too!  Any meal where a guy has to come up to you and put a bib on you before you begin is bound to be amazing!)  Their creole grits are almost a tie with Kim Bailey's grits - lush luxury in a white creamy rich mouthful with a drizzle of hot creole sauce on top! 

Creamed Spinach and Creole Grits at The Rib Room in New Orleans, LA

The Monster Stuffed Prime Rob Debris Po'Boy from The Rib Room in New Orleans, LA -
this sandwich is bigger than your head!

and now my NEW number three for "Best Cheese Grits in America is …

3)  The cheese grits that come with the shrimp and grits at The Piney Point Grill and Seafood at the Doubletree Suites Raleigh-Durham on Meridian Parkway.  Their shrimp and grits  include jumbo shrimp with smoked bacon pieces, garlic, mushrooms and cherry tomatoes on a bed of Old Mill of Guilford White Cheddar Grits.  

I had never heard of "Old Mill of Guilford" but apparently it's been around since 1767 in North Carolina and you can purchase a wide variety of their products online.  I am sure the grits plus 2000 pounds of butter, cream and cheese are what makes Piney Point's grits so darn tasty.  

What's worse is that if you're staying at the hotel, you can have these decadent grits delivered to your room.  Which I did not just once, but twice during my four night stay!  Some food should not be available to be delivered to your door any hour of the day, at your beck and call!

I used to not understand why people liked grits.  I like corn.  I like polenta.  I don't like cornbread.  And I always thought grits tasted like weak, bland porridge with a weird texture.  But once I had Kim Bailey's Southern Gentlemen Grits, I was inspired to try grits.  Sure my favorite grits are ones that are a vehicle for a huge dose of fat and cheese, but hey … if you're going to inhale a large amount of calories it might as well be on something REALLY TASTY.

A somewhat honorable mention goes to the Jalapeño Cheese Grits from the Chef John Besh Restaurant "The American Sector" at the National World War II Museum in New Orleans, LA.  I had really been looking forward to lunch at this restaurant, but the food and the specialty cocktails were disappointing and the customer service was abhorrent.  The decor was gorgeous and the Jalapeño Cheese Grits were pretty tasty - the only bright spot in the meal.  

However I strongly recommend that if you're in New Orleans that you make time for the National World War II Museum.  It is incredible and the Tom Hanks narrated 4D show "Beyond All Boundaries" will blow your mind!

(Side Note:  I had the third best cheese in grits in North Carolina but I also had the WORST shrimp and grits there too!  Check out my review here.) 

I'm home now from my many travels.  I am eating a lot more healthy and sensibly.  But the memories of all those delicious cheese grits make me smile! 

What I Am Trying To Say … Writing, Music, Murder and Theater in Tampa Bay

Happy Saturday, LilyOnTheLam.Com Readers!

Some may say Twitter.com is a waste of time, but every now and again a quote will turn up in my Twitter Feed (@SouthTampaLily) that just fits the moment.  It's like an electronic fortune cookie, Magic Eight Ball or freakishly accurate horoscope.  

So today the following quote from writer Rebecca Solnit popped up in my Twitter Feed.  (By the way, I was thinking of titling this post "Solnit is IT!")  

The quote was: 'Writing is saying to no one and to everyone the things it is not possible to say to someone.'  

That sentence, to me, is so spot on PERFECT.  Although I am not the meek silent type, so there's not much I have wanted to say to anyone that I have not said.  (It's pretty hard to shut me up!)  Although I do know some people in this world would like me to say more to them.  To those people I would say "be careful what you wish for" - bwahahhaha.

I spent a majority of my free time this week watching the Julie Schenecker murder trial.  Unlike the verdicts in the Casey Anthony and George Zimmerman Floridian trials, I agreed with this verdict.  My former New York-based "Psychology, Psychiatry and Criminal Law" seminar professor was quoted in the local Tampa paper talking about the difficulties in winning a case "not guilty by reason of insanity or mental defect."  I used to see him on talk shows a lot, it was a nice blast from the past to read his quote.  

Hearing the extremely sad details of a mother who shot and killed her sixteen year old daughter and thirteen year old son is not exactly the makings of a happy mood.  So I offset the sadness and horror by seeing three great shows in Tampa Bay.  A much more healthy thing to watch instead of criminal trials, or at least it is for me.     

I started by seeing fabulous local artists Matthew McGee and Scott Daniel in their hysterical "The Scott & Patti Show" where they play a Mother and Son lounge act.  

This particular "Scott & Patti" show was "Mother Lode" - a post-Mother's Day lounge set.  The show was held at freeFall Theatre in St. Petersburg, Florida.  (And no, that's not a typo - their name starts with a lower case f.)  

I had just seen Cabaret at Studio 54 in New York City 2 weeks ago.  Don't tell actress Michelle Williams but Scott Daniel's rendition of "Don't Tell Mama" beats hers any day of the week!  

Matthew McGee as "Mama Patti" sang what is my absolutely favorite song from Cabaret - "Maybe This Time."  This is one of my traditional standards that I sing alone in my car with an umbrella and several pairs of sunglasses as my audience.  The "crowd" just loves it!   

What Michelle Williams did not do in the revival of Cabaret is sing "Maybe This Time" as Liza Minelli, Carol Channing and Cher - as Matthew McGee/Patti did.  Another plus for the Tampa Bay theater scene!

Next on my Tampa Bay theater week was Aaron Sorkin's "A Few Good Men" at Stageworks Theatre in Tampa, Florida.  Now along with "The Shawshank Redemption," "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" and "Pretty Woman," "A Few Good Men" is a movie I have seen over and over and over again - and NEVER do I tire of it.  If it's on cable in the middle of the afternoon, I will stop what I am doing and watch!  It's a mandatory event!  But because I love the movie so much and have never seen the play, I was wondering could the theatre hold up to the movie?

With a cast of eighteen actors, Stageworks' version of "A Few Good Men" delivered!  Dennis Duggan, who won Creative Loafing Tampa's Best Actor Award for his portrayal of Lenny in "Of Mice and Men" at Stageworks made a strong and effective Lt. Col. Nathan Jessep.  It is no wonder this show keeps selling out.  It was really terrific.

Plus points to me for not screaming out "YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!" the 942 times I wanted to during the show.

The show was directed by Stageworks Theatre's artistic director Karla Hartley, who also directed the fantastic "The Wiz" for American Stage Theatre in the park.  (Read my review of "The Wiz" here.)  Two cast members from The Wiz were in the front row at Stageworks.  

Scott Daniel - of the aforementioned "Scott and Patti Show" was also in "The Wiz" and was the Costume Designer for Stageworks' "A Few Good Men."  The Tampa Bay theatre people definitely get around!    

Next, it was back to freeFall Theatre for their all-male version of Gilbert and Sullivan's "The Mikado."  Any show with characters named Yum-Yum and Pish-Tush has my attention.      I love, love, love, LOVE shows at freeFall Theatre.  They are THE BEST.  I cannot wait for their production of "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest" in August 2014!

   
Matthew McGee is also in "The Mikado."  He is a great, versatile comedic Tampa Bay actor.  He starred as the outrageous Mother Superior in Stageworks Theatre's version of Charles Busch's "The Divine Sister" which I am ecstatic to report will be coming back to Stageworks in August 2014 with its original cast from when it first played there in February 2014.  I had told many friends they should see it and now they will have another chance.  (Must see, must see, must see show!)  

Frankly, I would go to see Matthew McGee read the phone book.  He is hysterical whether in drag or in a male role.  I have seen him in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and Fiddler on the Roof in addition to the shows I have already mentioned.  He will also be starring in "Mame" at freeFall Theatre in Summer 2015. 

(Side Note:  In terms of full disclosure … or partial disclosure … I am the "Twitter Girl" (a.k.a. Social Media Coordinator) for one of the theaters mentioned above.  But my comments about all the shows are 100% my true personal opinion!  They are amazing shows!) 

It has been a great week of theater for me.  I saw four Broadway shows in New York City recently, but I get just as much joy as seeing productions with our local talent.  (OK OK Alan Cumming in "Cabaret," Denzel Washington in "Raisin in the Sun," Neil Patrick Harris in "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" and the entire wonderful cast of Harvey Fierstein's "Casa Valentina" are nothing to sneeze at … those were all mind-blowingly fantastic shows!  But our local theater here is extremely good too-- and a lot cheaper, I must add!)  If you are in or near Tampa Bay, you have to check out some of our wonderful local theatre!  

Happy Saturday!    
  

New Product Wednesday: Trader Joe's Kettle Cooked Potato Chips with Sea Salt

Happy New Product Wednesday, LilyOnTheLam.com Readers!

In my ongoing homage to the new South Tampa Trader Joe's store, New Product Wednesdays features another Trader Joe's product that is new to me - individual size bags of Trader Joe's Kettle Cooked Potato Chips with Sea Salt.

If you're a regular LilyOnTheLam.com reader, you may recall that I have zero impulse control.  (Read all about it here on my post entitled "Quit Stalking Me On Social Media."  It could also be titled "One Woman's Struggle Against Wicked Cheez-Its.")

I was having some insane salt and carb cravings.  Here's a tip - if you're having naughty food cravings, maybe you shouldn't go to a grocery store on an empty stomach.  You think I would have learned this lesson, say a hundred years ago - but no!  I'm an idiot!  

I wandered the salty snack aisle like an addict going through detox who wakes up in a pharmacy.  (By the way - the movie "Drugstore Cowboy" is one of my favorites.  If you haven't seen it, please do so ASAP!)  I knew I couldn't bring a giant bag of chips home, because I would eat the entire bag.  No, mandatory portion control was needed here.  I picked up a six pack of Trader Joe's 150 calorie kettle chips with sea salt instead.

I don't allow myself potato chips very often.  It just feels like a gateway drug to one hundred pints of Ben and Jerry's.  But if I am going to "do" potato chips, I am going to "do" it right.  I like kettle chips because they have more of that "oomph" of deliciousness.  Now normally when I indulge, I do the Cape Cod brand 40% reduced fat kettle chips.  Because of this, I think I have altered my palate.  Like a habitual diet Coke drinker who then drinks a regular Coke, I think full fat kettle chips taste extra greasy to me because I am used to eating reduced fat ones.

The Trader Joe's Kettle Potato Chips were crazy crunchy and surprisingly hearty tasting for a light chip.  I found them to be on the oily side, but like I mentioned - this could be because I'm used to eating reduced fat kettle chips.  They were satisfying and there was a decent amount in the 150 calorie serving size bag.

I still prefer my Cape Cod Kettle Chips, but the Trader Joe's kettle chips were a close second in taste comparison!  Check them out for yourself!

What's your favorite Trader Joe's snack food?  Let me know in the comments section below!

Happy Mother's Day 2014!

Hello LilyOnTheLam.Com Readers:

Sometimes there is no better place than in one's own bed with the air conditioning lightly humming, knowing that there are no pressing deadlines for the day.  I'm home from a Vegas-NYC-Raleigh/Durham travel marathon.  Two vacations, one work trip … and I am equal parts "good to be home" and planning my next several rounds of trips.

Happy Mother's Day to all the maternals out there.  The moral of today's story is be nice to people because they can make your life easier.  I had been musing over what to do for my mother for mother's day, when a friend who makes organic homecare/bodycare products texted me and said she was sending a box of products to my Mom for Mother's Day!  

Hello!  That was easy!  It was like having my own private butler!  Now I know what Angelina Jolie feels like!  I didn't have to pick anything out, pack a box, go to the post office or pay for anything!  Oh my Lord, having good friends is a Godsend!

Currently my friend has an Etsy shop while she is testing her website.  So if you're looking to shop for quick and easy, great gifts - check out her store.

I have been spending this weekend in leisure mode … well leisure and laundry.  Where is my butler to pick up my dry cleaning?  So I must bid you adieu so I can return to my lounging, but until my next LilyOnTheLam post … the song for the day is Fiona Apple's "Not About Love" - the perfect video soundtrack for my day today!  Enjoy!