Westminster Dog Show Weekend

This weekend I'm in NY for the Westminster Dog Show. I'm staying at the Waldorf-Astoria, a grand old hotel with a lot of history. There is a big clock in the center of the lobby with a gold Statue of Liberty on top (see pic below left).

The hotel is brimming with activity from Fashion Week(by the way I have no idea what that means) There are tons of tall skinny models walking around totally self absorbed...
But back to the dog show...


Below: Friends Mark and Candy having a laugh over a glass of wine at the Waldorf...

Below: The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show guide book and very cool poster

On Saturday evening I attended the 52nd Annual ShowDog Awards, as a guest of Pro Plan dog food. (Pro Plan is an excellent super premium dog food made by the folks at Nestle-Purina PetCare. Popular with breeders and owners of show dogs, Pro Plan has a great reputation within the Dog Show community.) The Show Dog Awards event was first rate, or as I like to say: "Top Drawer".
Below: The giant ice sculpture of the award statue, and below right, the actual award statues...they resembe the Oscar Awards!

After a sumptous dinner, they served these excellent desserts- a sort of mocha mousse with a white chocolate dog sitting on top.

Bill Cosby is a show dog owner and won two awards. Daughter Erinn Cosby was present to accept the awards, along with the team of breeders, and handlers. Bill Cosby spoke to the audience via video, with one of his dogs.

Below: Pro Plan friends Mark, Candy and Ernie after the awards dinner

Below: Other top Show Dog Award winners.

- Rick Rockhill

Cinnamon Buns...Comfort Food Series Part 1

Today is the beginning of new series of postings on Comfort Foods. My first installment is on:
Cinnamon Buns...mmmm
There is nothing quite like warm cinnamon buns to make everything alright.


Pure comfort food. Easy to make, easy to eat. Great with coffee, tea, hot cocoa or even a Bloody Mary. Whether you buy them at the store, open up a Pillsbury roll, or bake them from scratch, they never disappoint.

Make them in your Easy Bake...or in a Viking Oven...they will come out delicious and warm.

ABSOLUTELY FREE RECIPE!! money back guaranteed
Courtesy of Gourmet magazine:

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.Traditional cinnamon buns are made with yeast, but our biscuit-dough buns are faster to make and just as delicious.

Yield: 4 buns, 2 servings
3 tablespoons granulated sugar1 teaspoon cinnamon1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour2 teaspoons baking powder1/4 teaspoon salt2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter1 large egg1/4 cup milk3 1/2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar1 teaspoon water

Preheat oven to 375 F. In a small bowl stir together 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and cinnamon. Into a large bowl sift together flour, remaining tablespoon granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut butter into small pieces and with your fingertips or a pastry blender blend into flour mixture until mixture resembles coarse meal. In another small bowl whisk together egg and 3 tablespoons milk and add to flour mixture, stirring until just combined.

Transfer mixture to a lightly floured surface and gently knead, 3 or 4 times, until it forms a dough. Pat dough into a 10- by 6-inch rectangle (about an inch thick). Brush dough with some remaining milk and sprinkle evenly with cinnamon sugar. Beginning with a short side, roll up rectangle to form a 6-inch log and cut crosswise into 4 pieces. Arrange pieces on a baking sheet, cut sides up, with seams touching. Bake buns in middle of oven until pale golden and cooked through, about 18 minutes.
In another small bowl stir together confectioners' sugar and water until smooth and drizzle over warm buns. Copyright Gourmet Magazine

Stay tuned for my continuing series on Comfort Foods each week.
-Rick Rockhill

The Saturday Seven: Top 10 Girl Bands of the Ages

Ah...Girl bands...they tease, tantilize, titillate, and turn-on many a boy and girl. These sultry songstresses have commanded the attention of music lovers for as long as people began buying vinyl records. By girl band of course, I really mean a group of only girls who sing. I suppose a strict definition would mean that only girls play instruments, but this is my blog, so I'll include anyone I want. I have many favorites...and some of them go back to the glorious 80's when music was fun, without deep meaning and was great to dance to. Here are my top 10 favorites (unless I remember someone else later). Thanks to my bud Mr Jim for the great idea for this post. I'm sending you 10% of the profits from this posting Jim.

above left: #1 Expose: These dippy dames really put out some GREAT dance music. By far some of my best moves were to these girls. I remember one was from Rhode Island, so I always felt a "special connection".

check out this great clip...then continue below for the rest of the list

above left: #2 The Go-Go's: Always made me feel happy and kept my toes tapping
above right: #3 The Bangles: Seemed more sophisticated. I remember thinking "Walk Like an Egyption" was so cultured and a good way to bridge relations with the middle east.

above left: #4 Spice Girls: Such talent, such deep meaning, so philosophical. ah, who cares, their music practically undressed you as you listened.
above right: #5 EnVogue: Now that's what I'm talkin about! I loved these girls' music so much I thought I was black.

above left: #6: The Pointer Sisters: made everybody forget their race, and just had a good time
above right: #7 Destiny's Child: Wow! One word: Bootylicious.

above left: #8: The Dixie Cups: Popular songbirds of the 60's. My favorite is the timeless: "Chapel of Love"
above right: #9 The Dixie Chicks: These wacko-liberal socialists can actually sing...and I love their cover of Landslide by Stevie Nicks/Fleetwood Mac.

above left #10 The Shirelles: had the "girls next door" image. Their hit Soldier Boy is an oldie but a goodie.
AND THESE ARE JUST FOR FUN...

above left: Steve Nicks, with Sharon Celani and Lori Perry (OK not really a girl BAND but its my blog so I'm adding them. You have to admit, Stevie can really rock out. She liberated my mind.
above right: The Supremes: Timeless and bubbly, its hard to resist their classic sound.

above left: Sweet Sensation: Tough broads from the Bronx, their fast paced "Take it while its hot" and "Never let you go" were popular with all the jappy girls in NY when I went to clubs on Long Island. I think one of these songs actually got me laid one time by a cheerleader.
above right: flash-in-the-pan: Mary Jane Girls-yikes

above left: The Shaggs (yup!)
above right: Sweet Sue's band in the comedy: Some Like it Hot





above left: Fuzzbox, above right: Bratmobile

above left: The Mermaids, above right:Beijing Red Poppies Ladies’ Percussion
-Rick Rockhill

SuperBowl XLI Pick: Chicago Bears

OK, admit it...this is the LAST place you'd expect to read about the Super Bowl. However, as a former Chicagoan, I cannot let this momentous occasion pass without my tribute to DA BEARS. The Chicago Bears are back in the Super Bowl for first time since winning Super Bowl XX in 1986. Against my better judgement, I'm going with the Colts.

Palm Springs Savant prediction: Colts 38, Bears 35
Why do I care? Well one good reason:
Rex Grossman. Yes, I'm one of those casual observers who enjoys the speed of the QB and ignores the rest of the team, but at least I admit it. If you are tired about all the legitimate sites that have more informed expert opinions about the Super Bowl, then welcome to this blog posting! I have virtually no useful stats or informed opinion, therefore, the following photos are a FREE PUBLIC SERVICE:

Above left: Rex Grossman, above right: Brian Griese and Rex

Above left: Kyle Orton, above right and below: Rex making the pass

-blog entry by Padres MLB star pitcher Rick Rockhill

I Love Cheese

Found a great website for all you fellow cheese lovers out there. ILoveCheese.com is a blatant effort by the American Dairy Association to encourage more consumption of cheese, but how bad can that be? It's harmless enough...although I must caution: after viewing you may find yourself inexplicably drawn to fireplace with a bottle of wine, a loaf of french bread, and a wedge of cheese! It has a nice A-Z cheese reference section, and wine pairing suggestions too.


Not sure why, but people from Wisonsin, the French, the Welsh, and folks from the north of England are all mega cheese lovers.


The Cheesiest Questions of All:
Q: What kind of cheese do you like best?
A: To be honest, I tend to like plain cheeses: Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Mozzarella & Muenster
Q: Which is better: Greek Salad with Feta or a Wedge Salad with crumbled Bleu?
A: Hmmm, depends on my mood but usually Greek with Feta
Q: Serve room temp or chilled?
A: Some cheeses are best room temp, but I always freak out when I'm at a party and the cheese has been out all night
Q: Fondue or not to fondue?
A: Fondue oh yes.
Q: Overall favorite dish that has lots-o-cheese
A: Mmmmm...Lasagna
Q: Red or white wine with your favorite cheese?
A: Red...is there anything else?

-Rick Rockhill

Palm Springs Savant speaks...

As a Palm Springs Savant, its my job to share some fascinating and useless information about our beautiful desert.

Palm Springs is a world-renowned city with the culture of a large city combined with the relaxing desert atmosphere. It serves as a peaceful retreat to escape from the daily grind of working life elsewhere.

Located at the base of Mount San Jacinto, one of Southern California’s most magnificent mountains, it has retained the ‘30s,‘40s and ‘50s charm that established it as a recreational destination and Hollywood star hideaway.

Palm Springs is enjoying a renewed appreciation in classic mid-century modern style, with authentic new mid-century construction, and the restoration of mid-century structures from its heyday. The concentration of mid-century structures is not commonly seen elsewhere, and adds an air of contemporary sophistication to the Palm Springs landscape.

The city boasts a plethora of antique resale shops, which now serve as a destination to interior designers seeking authentic modern furnishings. A new generation of year-round residents, as well as an influx of weekend hipsters from LA, San Diego and as far away as Chicago and Denver are reveling in the desert resort lifestyle. This, along with the return of young Hollywood elite, top drawer restaurants, hip boutique hotels, and refreshing spas make for an exciting time in Palm Springs.

Above left: Entrance to the retro-hip Parker Palm Springs hotel. Below: Palm trees line Highway 111 at the entrance to Palm Springs proper.


Below left: Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, below right: the many windmills just north of Palm Springs

Below: Retro postcards still have their flair:


Back when smoking was ultra-cool, there were these great tacky plastic ash trays...
- Rick Rockhill
Examples of groovy new developments:
Murano Palm Springs
Palermo Palm Springs
The Biltmore Colony
Escena
The Racquet Club
Avalon Palm Springs
Alta Palm Springs
PS Modern
Pinnacle