A Day of Zany Fun at the Natural Products Expo West

Every year I attend the Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim, California. It's a huge industry trade show for manufacturers, retailers, distributors, media and service organizations within the natural and organic industry. This year I was a speaker at one of the conference sessions, and gave an address about trends in Pet Health and Nutrition. I also sat on a panel discussion with three other industry experts discussing regulations, pet nutrition and the vitamin/supplement products too. I really enjoy participating in conferences and try to speak at a few each year. For me, today was all about getting around to all the trade show booths. Like everything I do, I try to have fun and look for interesting things along the way. Well either that or strange things seems to find me. In any event I almost always have a camera handy. Take this first photo, above left. It was for a company that makes all kinds of things with ginger- cookies, candy, etc. The people working the booth all had their faces made up to look something like ginger root- all flaky and layered. It struck me as amusing. Click on the photo above left to biggify it and check out their faces more closely.

above: Then there was this cute bumble-bee girl who was so bubbly. I just had to get a photo with her.

above: And then the cow-girl. Or should that be cow-woman. Or bovine-female? ah, fugget-about it. I just like finding creatures like these for photo-ops for the blog.

above: and then there was this smokin' hot blond chick, wearing a skin-tight black patent-leather body suit. The guys walking by were all bumping into each other, as their heads were turned watching her as she stood in her booth.

above: these are always so corny, but I got a kick out of it for some reason.

above: who says just because its natural and organic that it can't be fun or taste good? These samba girls were dancing up a storm and attracted quite the crowd, too. Tomorrow I'm back at Expo West to make my way through the show floor. Still plenty more to see, and miles to go before I sleep.
-Rick Rockhill

The Palm Springs Savant & Co Radio Show

The week's edition of The Palm Springs Savant & Co radio show featured guests Kim Laidlaw from the Guide Dogs of the Desert, and Jim Casey, Executive Producer of the new independent film Expecting Mary. Click below to listen now or download as podcast from iTunes.

Cupcake Quest: Dulce Cupcakery

The Cupcake Quest continues yet again. I recently discovered Dulce Cupcakery, based here in the Coachella Valley. They are quickly becoming a popular provider of positively palatable cupcakes. (Dulce is the Spanish word for sweet, and is pronounced "dool-say"). In this photo above left, is a variety of mini-cupcakes, they are packaged so nicely here in this box, don't you think? I placed the box on the passenger seat as I drove home. As I stopped at one of the traffic lights on the way home I reached over, picked up the box of Dulce cupcakes and stared though the window pane. My mind ran away for a moment as I dreamed about their flavor...HONK!! HONK!! blared the car from behind. The light had turned green. I carefully placed the box down again and continued driving. I could hardly wait to get home and dig in. Using my hand-free heads set, I called home and reported that I had the cupcakes in my possession. "Don't eat any before you get home" John scolded me. I told him there was no way I would do that anyway, as I still had to take photos of them for the blog. Welcome to my world of nonsense. Anyway, here are a few close-ups of these wonderful mini-cupcakes from Dulce:

above: As soon as I got home I put a few on a serving plate so I could savor them. They all looked delicious. I first had one of the chocolate ones, which was quite good.

above: then I had a "Dulce Corazon" which was a vanilla cupcake with raspberry filling and butter cream frosting. It was really delicious, especially considering I am a chocolate fiend.

above: I went to the Dulce website to look around. Check out this Mermaid Cupcake they have on their website, now doesn't that look fun? As always, this is not a paid post, but I should thank Loretta from Dulce for letting me taste her delicious cupcakes. It was hard to decide which ones I liked best. If you live in the Southern California, particularly the Palm Springs area, Los Angeles or San Diego, Loretta told me she can deliver her delectable cupcakes to your home or event. I was so impressed with the variety of cupcakes Dulce makes, I went to their website and copied their menu so I could share it with you. Call Loretta if you live locally and want to order some. All photos and descriptions below are from the Dulce website:
Dulce Cupcakery Menu:

cupcake traditionales:

• la crema -vanilla cupcake with buttercream frosting

• muy chocolat! -chocolate cake with lots of chocolate chips & buttercream frosting

• el coco-nut -coconut cupcake with coconut buttercream frosting topped with coconut flakes

• citron - orange cupcake with cream cheese frosting topped with white chocolate

• chocolate pretzel – a little salt & sweet twist on a chocolate cake

• polka dots – this cupcake has both chocolate and vanilla chips!

• dulce’s red velvet –we don’t want to be like everybody else, so we add chocolate chips to our red velvet! Just want to make sure these are extra rich!

cupcake especiales:

• the maya -chocolate and chipotle - sweet and spicy! dulce’s signature cupcake!

• el bon bon - chocolate cupcake filled with a creamy chocolate center, topped with buttercream frosting

• cola & chip – cupcakes for a movie night in! Real coca cola baked right into the cake and topped with a chocolate covered potato chip!

• dulce corazon - chocolate or vanilla cupcake filled with a cherry or rasberry center & buttercream frosting

• pb no j -yes, that would stand for peanut butter - no jelly :-) (unless you reeeeeally want it, we can add it just for you!). topped with peanut butter buttercream!

• chocolate orange -chocolate cake, mini chocolate chips and and an orange stick smack dab in the center. orange butter cream topped with an orange stick chunk - (are you kidding me?!!!) we would never kid you about chocolate! It is the bomb!!

• the bada bing – rich chocolate cake with a bing chocolate covered cherry on in the center and on top!

• moon pie - this one is oooey, gooey and oh so good! Chocolate cupcake, marshmallow in the center, covered in more chocolate and topped with more mini marshmallows, a moon pie!

• whopper crunch - bite into this cupcake and crunch right into that ol' candy favorite, a whopper! It’s in the center and on top too!

• banana cream pie – heavenly! banana flavor galore and topped with a chocolate covered banana chip!

• the betsy (as in ross!) – simple and sweet; white cake, chocolate dipped blueberry and strawberry slice on top. dulce’s red, white & blue! this sweet thing is seasonal~

the breakfast collection:

• coffee espresso - perfect for breakfast! coffee and chocolate baked together and topped with a chocolate espresso bean!

• captain crunch -remember that?!! captain crunch with crunchberries! a saturday morning cereal type of cupcake.

• bacon & chocolate -if you luv salt & sweet, this is your cupcake! rich chocolate cupcake baked with bacon bits and topped with a nice bite size bacon piece that has been dipped in chocolate on one side. Makes my mouth water!

SUPER especiales:

• cupcake sandwiches "a cupwich" - yes that's right, a sandwich! pick a flavor of cake and we shmear the center with buttercream filling and dip it in chocolate - yyyyyyum!
• cupcake pops, "popcakes" -the dessert on a stick! mini's made into a pop or "paletas" in spanish, dipped in chocolate! A HUGE hit with the kids :-)

Adventures of Sheldon & Duncan: The Floor Plant Monstrosity

It's been awhile since I've written about the antics of the poodles. Until now. Welcome to The Adventures of Sheldon & Duncan: The Floor Plant Monstrosity. We went out for a few hours and returned home to find two stalks on one of our floor plants had been chewed down to stubs.

We walked over to the sofa and found the following evidence:

and then I looked to the side chair and saw more carnage:

The poor plant had been gnawed off and left for dead...

above: Can you guess who is the guilty party in this monstrosity?
-Rick Rockhill

Book Review: The Color of Style by David Zyla

On this week's broadcast of The Palm Springs Savant & Co, I started the show with a brief segment about a new book called The Color of Style, by David Zyla. Following the broadcast I received a few e-mails asking more about the book, so I thought I'd write a brief post about it here. This book is a fun read, particularly for women seeking fashion advice. Zyla states his mission as showing the reader how to select colors to "attract love, enhance your power, restore your energy, make a lasting impression and show the world who you really are". Zyla claims there is a secret to knowing what to wear; I must admit to agreeing with his theories. Of interest, the author explains the eight basic colors- five express who you are and three neutral colors that complete your wardrobe. Among key points to consider are knowing yourself and what colors work with you and who you are. Zyla counsels the reader on how to shop and select clothing, for example, not to look at a dress, but to look at a dress on you (while wearing it). Consider factors such as the occasion you will be attending (job interview, an important meeting versus a relaxed meeting). The color of the garment is an important factor to help determine the success of the event. Having started my career in men's ready-to-wear fashion, I share the same opinion on making purchasing decisions as they relate to fashion: Zyla recommends that if you have to think too long, the garment needs to go. He states that if you don't get the instant wow, then pass. When I was in the apparel industry, I would often ask clients: "Do you LOVE it?" When they hesitated, even for a second, I yanked it out of their hand and barked back: "If not, then forget about it. we'll find something else" This often startled shoppers who expected me to be pushing any garment just to make a sale. As a sales professional, I never wanted to sell something unless it was just right. Regardless of the budget you may have for apparel, consider picking up a copy of The Color of Style, it is a handy book and a pleasant read too.
-Rick Rockhill

16th Annual Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards Gala

Last night I attended the 16th Annual Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards Gala to benefit the Palm Springs based Desert Aids Project. I've written about it in prior years; the DAP is a non-profit organization that provides medical care and comprehensive support services to people living with HIV/AIDS in the desert community. They offer free, confidential, rapid-result HIV testing, as well as counseling, home health services, legal assistance and assistance with housing, medications, food, re-employment. My friend Jim Casey's company Integrated Wealth Management was the presenting sponsor for the evening and also pledged one million dollars in support over several years. During his remarks to the audience, he said last night's event was expected to raise more than $1.2 million. In a tough economy, the organizers managed to increase corporate sponsorships by 50 percent. The success of this fundraiser was critical, due to cutbacks in state and federal grants.
Star Power and Glamor turn out to Help the Desert Aids Project

above: Co-hosts of the evening were actors Richard Chamberlain and Stephanie Powers

above: Entertainment was provided by three legends of stage: Linda Eder, Jennifer Holiday and Roslyn Kind. The evening also attracted a plethora of stars to lend their support such as Linda Gray, Morgan Fairchild, Donna Mills, Michelle Lee, Elliott Gould, Diahann Carroll, Jimmy Van Patten, Rose McGowan and Kaye Ballard. The stunningly beautiful and talented Ann-Margaret was scheduled to appear to receive the Arts and Activism Award but was snowed in in New York and couldn't make the event in time.
I was especially excited to spend a lot of time with actress Stephanie Powers. She is a local favorite here in Palm Springs but I've liked her since her popular Hart to Hart TV series, a show I never missed. She looks as beautiful today as she did in the 80's. We both attended a private dinner the prior evening; she was asking about my opinion on dog foods, knowing I now work for Dick Van Patten's Natural Balance Pet Foods. She has the cutest little dog (who was quietly sitting in a little bag under the table). One of the things she told me was how much she liked being able to lend her support and name to help organizations like the DAP. She is grateful for having a successful career and felt it was important to give back. Some celebrities may not be able to write huge checks on their own, but by attending these events, they help sell tickets for these gala events and get people who might not otherwise planned to make a donation to open their wallets. Stephanie Powers is someone who is easy to like because she is quite genuine and glamorous at the same time.

above: Singer Roslyn Kind, award honoree Bob Mackie and actress Donna Mills

above: Co-hosts Stefanie Powers and Richard Chamberlain pose here with Elliott Gould who was a presenter to Ann-Margaret for the awards ceremony.

above: Celebrities Galore! These lovely ladies all posed for photos with the press in the "green room". From left to right: Rose McGowan, Linda Gray, Donna Mills, Jennifer Holiday, Michelle Lee, Morgan Fairchild, & Roslyn Kind. The photographers kept calling each of their names, so it was hard to figure out when to snap my own photo. I spent most of the evening chatting with friend Linda Gray, one of my favorite TV actresses. I like Linda from her role as Sue Ellen on "Dallas" all those years, but also from her recent work, including the soon to be released Expecting Mary film.
The Height of Style and Glamour

above: Pink was the theme, with beautiful fresh floral arrangements throughout the convention center.

above: the lobby of the convention center had these tall towers swathed in pink fabric, illuminated to create a dramatic glow in the hall.

above: the main stage, with the Pat Rizzo Orchestra

above: the tables were beautifully set...

above: a different camera setting enabled me to capture the glow of the wine glass stems, which changed colors all evening.

above: the floral centerpieces on each table were orchids, roses and some other pretty white flowers.

above: I thought the salads were a work of art, but I was hungry and they tasted delicious too.

above: Regular readers know I love chocolate cake. This dessert was really good, and not too rich either.

above: Sitting with actor Richard Chamberlain, we shared a few laughs in between courses.

above: Looking lean and incredible, Jennifer Holiday performed her legendary rendition of “And I'm Telling You (I'm Not Going)" of“Dreamgirls”.

above: Roslyn Kind sang “How Do You Keep the Music Playing”. You may not know that she is the sister of Barbra Streisand and shares the same looks and voice.

above: Broadway star Linda Eder sang “Something to Believe In" which was uplifting and had everyone swaying to the beat.

above: the amazing Miss Diahann Carroll returned to the Steve Chase Awards this year to present an award to her longtime friend, designer Bob Mackie. He was really nice and down to earth.

above: Here with actress Michelle Lee. At a private dinner the night before, I sat between Michelle Lee and Morgan Fairchild, they were both so sweet. Michelle is a lovely woman and cozied up to me for this photo. (I always liked her on Knots Landing)

above: another legend of the stage and screen, Miss Lorna Luft (daughter of Judy Garland and half sister of Liza Minelli). She is a real hoot. It was a fun evening that I won't soon forget.
-Rick Rockhill

Cupcake Quest: Joans on Third

You may recall a prior post about some cupcakes from Starbucks that disappointed me- or should I say fell short of my expectations. I've now embarked on what I am calling the Cupcake Quest, a search for the best cupcakes. Like my friend Bee, I love cake. In my case, cupcakes are the subject of my fascination. It goes back to childhood when I used to buy those Hostess chocolate cupcakes with the white swirls on the top that sort of looked like the cursive letter "e" written multiple times. In fact I always called them "e's" instead of Hostess Cupcakes. Well anyway the point is that was where my love affair began with cupcakes. As I matured I discovered that wholesome, home-made baked goods were better than mass-produced junk with artificial ingredients, and suddenly those e's didn't taste good anymore. Add to that the growing popularity of "gourmet cupcakes" in many cities, and voila! my interest in finding delicious cupcakes was intensified. A few years back I was in Los Angeles and discovered a wonderful little bakery/cafe/deli restaurant called Joan's on Third. I saw their bakery case of cupcakes and decided I must have found Heaven on Earth. Being a chocolate fiend, I sampled the varieties with chocolate anything. They have always been on my mind, so whenever I have the opportunity I go back and treat myself. This one in the photo above top left is called "Cloud". It is dreamy.

above: I tore into the "Cloud" cupcake and remembered to take this photo to show you what was inside the pointy swirl, resting on top of the rich chocolate cupcake. The white stuff is an delicious marshmallow egg-white fluffy something or other. It is incredible!

above: I decided I needed to buy some to take home. Here is the bunch I bought. Mind you, they make lots of other flavors, but if it isn't chocolate I'm not interested.

above: another view of the pedestal cake dish I have at home. It enables me to "worship" them and drool while I decide which one to enjoy next. From this perspective you can see that the one with the white vanilla buttercream frosting is actually a chocolate cake, so it meets my chocolate criteria. So I'd say that Joan's cupcakes do meet my Cupcake Quest quality standard, but the true Quest goes on...I shall continue to seek out the best cupcakes and feature them here. As a reminder, this is not a paid post, just me writing about what I love...
-Rick Rockhill