Champagne Living

Saturday, March 20, 2010

Blockbuster Express threw down the gauntlet and challenged me!

And, being the woman that I am I ACCEPTED this challenge and faced it HEAD ON.

Yes, Blockbuster Express challenged me (and a few others) to create a Cheap Date for under $25.

CHEAP DATE???????

Apparently, they have NO IDEA who they're dealing with here. I've been accused of MANY things in my life, but being a cheap date is NOT one of them (except when it's ME who's opening the wallet).

$25 doesn't seem like enough for MY kind of date, especially if it includes renting a DVD.

My first mistake - I let HUBBY pick the movie. Couples Retreat???? I wanted to see Coco Before Chanel.On the bright side, Blockbuster Express only costs $1.00 to rent a movie (and I had a FREE code).

You can avoid going through what I did by using the Code: 205G13B, giving you a FREE DVD Rental when you rent the first one (Code is valid thru 3/31/2010. When you rent a movie at the regular price, you'll receive the first night's rental on a second movie FREE. Extra night charges and taxes apply. May not be combined with any other offer. Rental terms and conditions apply. Not valid at Blockbuster store locations.). If I had done that we would have EACH seen the movie we wanted to (note to self, reserve my movie ONLINE next time, so I don't get stuck watching another movie that HE CHOOSES).

More check-ins at Publix Super Markets

Next - it's on to the FOOD part of my Cheap Date. I knew that for $25 we weren't going to be dining on Filet Mignon, but I did the next best thing! Here's my shopping list ~

Appetizer - Spinach & Artichoke hearts with cheese in mini bread bowls - $3.99

Ground Beef - $4.12

Bakery Kaiser Rolls for the burgers - $4.29

Gorgonzola Cheese - $3.79

Sweet Potatoe Fries (with chipotle seasoning) - $3.49

Bottle of Wine (Merlot - we're having beef) - $5.00

TOTAL = $25.01

OK, so I went over by a PENNY. I don't think that's so bad, considering there's a bottle of wine included.

I figured that since this was MY challenge, that I'd give cook the night off and do it myself. SO I slaved over the stove (um, I put the already cooked appetizers on a cooking sheet and did the same with the fries and stuck them in the oven), making gorgonzola burgers and the WHOLE dinner.

All I'm saying is, that I wouldn't do this for just ANYONE. Of course, since this was a challenge, I took it PERSONALLY

The food was great (although as you can see we had an uninvited guest).

This was truly a date worthy meal all for a mere $25.00 (ok, AND A PENNY).

I'm thinking that with Blockbuster Express and $25 in my wallet that we could have a cheap date night EVERY week. Only next time I CHOOSE THE MOVIE!

Why not create a Cheap Date of your own? With the code:205G13B you can rent 2 movies for $1.00 at your nearest Blockbuster Express and enjoy a real date with your girl, guy, family, friends, or YOURSELF this week. Now that's Champagne Living!!!

I received a gift card from Collective Bias for participating in the Cheap Date Night promotion for Blockbuster Express

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Cezanne, Pastis - yes, it's Provence

Just mention the word "Provence" and I can SMELL the lavender and remember the wonderful dinners served up by George Germon and Johanne Killeen of Al Forno (which was next to our restaurant years ago) who have a second home in Provence.

"It's the place that dreams and magazine spreads are made of. Where everything is beautiful, and soft, and smells good. Like a movie, only better", says Tony

Did you know that Provence was actually a very poor place for most of it's history? That it has a hot dry Mediterranean climate (it's adjacent to Italy) and was pretty much worthless for large scale agriculture? Maybe that's why it's got that laid back, easy lifestyle. And of course there's ----- THE FOOD.

Back to the episode. For some reason, Tony really wants to stay in this incredible villa during their stay and in return for the digs (and the pool that comes with it) he offers to cook a meal for his local friends. He spends a full week learning about the foods, culture and cooking style before beginning this task.

Tony learns to make an aioli sauce (yum - I LOVE garlic and olive oil). This simple dish, is not quite as simple as Tony thinks, since the woman preparing it, won't even cook outside, because the wind might affect the dish. Lucky Tony get to have this delicious sauce served over fish and vegetables.

Back to his TOUGH life. Tony heads out for drinks at Bar du Marche for wine, cheese and sausages with the locals (an early Sunday morning tradition). Talking with the guys and bantering about the food in Provence versus food int he rest of France until the WIVES SHOW UP. This I like! The women come and pick up their men - PARTY OVER!

Ah, the laid back Provence life - Ricard over ice, bread and tapenade - and a family history lesson from Tony's friend Anne. If you've ever had Ricard, you'd know how refreshing it is (and it's supposed to be very good for your digestion).

If you've ever been to France you've probably seen the men playing a game called Pétanque (it's like Bocce). I've seen the men playing on the Champs de Mars, but I hadn't realized that game originated in Provence, and they're VERY serious about it!

Next it's on to a tour of a winery at Domaine de Val Joanis. The rocky soil forces the grape vines to work harder and grow deeper,making the wine quite distinct.

Finally, Tony is ready to cook for his friends. When doing his shopping, he runs into Anne (well, he goes to her dessert shop) and tries Calisson: a classic almond dessert. Tony tries his hand making dessert before he starts making dinner. "What was I thinking?" is the theme of Tony's meal. Of course he stumbles around the kitchen, trying to figure out how to use the appliances. Still, heirloom tomato salad, roast leg of lamb, and an unusual Ratatouille sound PRETTY GOOD to me!

For a little No Reservations fun

Take the No Reservations Knowledge Quiz to find out just how much you know about the show.
Check out the Top 5 Food Porn Moments
Watch the Top 10 No Reservations Moments
Get a sneak peek at where Tony visited while in Provence with his travel guide.

Don't forget to tune-in Monday, March 22nd, at 10 E/P. I may just prepare myself a SPECIAL meal for the occasion. I'm thinking a nice bouillabaisse served over some freshly crusty bread.

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Friday, March 19, 2010

Enjoy a Great Retirement and a Lifetime of Happiness

Close your eyes for a moment and picture yourself enjoying your ideal retirement. Perhaps you’re standing knee-deep in a Montana river, fishing for trout. Or strolling through the streets of Prague. Or reading Faulkner on the back porch, listening to the sounds of your grandchildren playing in the yard.

Chances are, your actual retirement will look quite different from the way you’re imagining it. For one thing, the kids playing in your backyard are more likely to be your great-grandchildren – because you’ll probably retire a lot later than you think. If, that is, you retire at all in the traditional sense of the word.

A Vanguard survey released this year found that over 60 percent of Americans (ages 40 to 69) indicated that they’ll include some form of work in their retirement. A study by the Brookings Institution, a Washington think tank, had similar findings. As reported by CBS News correspondent Nancy Cordes, "Nearly 80 percent [of the study’s participants] say they’ll work on a part-time basis well beyond [age 63]." And the massive University of Michigan Health and Retirement Study (which surveys 22,000+ Americans over 50 every two years) also found that most Americans would prefer a "gradual retirement" – scaling back on their hours rather than quitting cold turkey – if they had the choice.

In a different sort of world – the kind of world that used to exist – retirement didn’t involve work. You were part of an extended family. When you got old and wanted to stop working, you could do so. Your children would be running the family business. You would be consulted from time to time when important decisions had to be made. Your wisdom would be appreciated. Your instincts revered. You would be surrounded by your loved ones, enjoying the fruits of your combined labor. Everything would be lovely.

In the world we live in today, that doesn’t happen. For one thing, you need money to retire well. A lot of money. So some baby boomers are going to be "forced" to delay their retirement because they simply won’t be able to afford to stop working.

But even if you reach retirement age with millions in the bank, I’m going to argue that there’s a more important reason for you to banish those dreams of an idyllic life of leisure.

To understand what I’m about to say, you have to understand this: Happiness in life comes not from idleness but from working. Not working at a job you hate, but working at tasks you care about.

Given that, the secret to a great retirement is to figure out how to get paid for doing work you would gladly do for free – and to be able to do that work when and where you want to.

Maybe you want to be a writer. Maybe your secret passion is cooking gourmet food. Maybe you’ve always wanted to get back into astronomy or archeology or gardening.

Somewhere in your past is a buried profession – something you’ve long ago given up on. What if you could reprise that dream?

I know a man whose dream was to be a professional pilot. After working 30 years in the wallpaper business, he took my advice and got himself a job flying part-time for a small airline. A few years later, he became a part owner. He’s making more money now doing what he loves than he ever made selling wallpaper. And he only "works" 20 hours a week.

My dad gave up a promising career in show business to become a teacher. Fifty years later, he went back into the acting business and became a professional actor. He acted in all kinds of commercials and soap operas, had small speaking roles in some big movies, and did some big spots in off-Broadway plays. He did it for 10 years, made some money, and had a great time.

The Internet has opened up a world of possibilities for "retirees." I met a guy who trades cigarette lighters online. This happens to be something he always wanted to do and planned to do once he stopped working. But by taking advantage of eBay and other Internet auction sites, he is already making more than $30,000 a year doing it just on weekends. Trading cigarette lighters!

There are plenty of other examples. You can become an Internet copywriter, an Internet editor, an Internet travel agent, or an Internet teacher. You can make money giving marriage or dating advice on the Internet, or even selling underwear. You can use the Internet to make a living from your interest in wild roses, say, or your up-until-now useless knowledge about 19th-century swords.

For the best retirement possible, give up on the idea of playing golf all day. Instead, enrich your life with pursuits that mean something to you… and make money at the same time.

You can start your retirement planning right now by asking yourself the three Big Questions:

1. "What would I really enjoy doing?"
2. "Who would be the best person to do it with?"
3. "Where would I most want to do it?"
You may not be able to find a partner or relocate right away, but you can definitely start mastering the skills you’re going to need for your new line of "work."

This article appears courtesy of Early To Rise, a free newsletter dedicated to making money, improving health and secrets to success. For a complimentary subscription, visit http://www.earlytorise.com.

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