Off-Kilter Love: Three Offbeat Cinematic Romances

Romantic comedies are a great way to spend a couple of hours of entertainment without too much thinking, but they can be saccharine and formulaic. Each of these movies bucks that trend while still retaining a sugary sweet core:

Joe Versus The Volcano
The first movie to pair Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan is an offbeat fairy tale about a hypochondriac who learns he is dying and takes an offer to briefly live the high life on a tropical island before sacrificing himself to a live volcano. Lucky Tom Hanks has chances with love with not one, not two, but three Meg Ryans in this wickedly funny movie.

Jules et Jim
Jules et Jim follows the misadventures of a bohemian threesome through decades of friendship and love. We first see Jules, Jim, and Catherine as boisterous young people, then see how years of war and romantic betrayal make their relationships evolve.  

Something Wild
Quite a few romantic movies start out with an abduction, but it’s not generally the woman who’s abducting the man. In Something Wild, yuppie Charles accepts a ride from “Lulu," a punky babe in a convertible, but instead of taking him to his office, she takes him out of town for the weekend. The last act suffers from a dramatic shift in tone, but up to that point the film is a fun and funny romp.

Sharing The Experience: Four Compelling Parenting Blogs

With the advent of the Internet, people can now share their personal experiences with the world! One of the most popular types of website is the parenting blog, where people from different backgrounds share the experience of raising children. Here are some of the most compelling parenting blogs:

ThePioneerWoman.com – This wildly popular blog chronicles the day to day life of a housewife and mother of four living on a ranch in rural Oklahoma. With a mix of recipes, personal stories, and homeschooling information, it’s a peek at a unique lifestyle.

BabyByTheSea.net – From the beautiful environs of San Juan Island, this well-read blog is written by a poet and mother of three and features touching writing and lovely photography.

MattLogelin.com – Single parent Matt Logelin has one of the most tragic stories you’ll ever hear. Barely a day after the birth of his daughter Madeline, his wife passed away in the hospital. His struggles and adventures raising his daughter make for compelling reading.

FreeRangeKids.wordpress.com – New York mother Lenore Skenazy kicked up a fuss when the media reported she let her eight year old son ride the subway by himself. On her blog, she offers some unique parenting advice.

Sweet Treats: Five Great Ice Cream Toppings

Sure, ice cream is great on its own, but sometimes you need to add a little something more. If you’re getting sick of sprinkles, here are some suggestions for lesser-known ice cream toppings that will jazz up your dessert service:

• Fruit is a great addition to any bowl of ice cream, both to add fiber and vitamins and also to make for more interesting flavors. One of my favorite additions are super-ripe fresh blueberries – they taste great with a little chill to them and go with just about any flavor of ice cream.
• To add a little crunch to a bowl of ice cream, sprinkle with homemade or store-bought granola. Again, this is something that makes the bowl a little healthier in the long run – not that you should care, if you’re eating ice cream.
• For a super decadent treat, drizzle a bowl of ice cream with caramel sauce and large-grained sea salt. The combination of sweet and savory flavors is absolutely unforgettable.
• To add a Mexican flavor to your chocolate ice cream, make a hot fudge sauce and stir in a liberal dose of ground cinnamon. This vastly improves the flavor, making it richer and more complex.
• Homemade whipped cream is much tastier and better for you than the pre-packaged supermarket variety, and it’s not really difficult to make. When you’re whipping the heavy cream, stir in a little cocoa powder for an extra treat.

Dress To Impress: What To Wear For A Job Interview

You never get a second chance to make a first impression, as the saying goes, and one of the most important first impressions you can make is at a job interview. While you will be judged on a number of factors, you can’t underestimate the message your clothes can send. Here are some vital tips for what to wear to a job interview:

• Men should always wear a suit to a job interview for any white-collar position. Even if the workplace is somewhat casual, showing up for an interview in a suit communicates that you are serious about the opportunity and want to present a solid, conservative appearance. A neutral tie is also important. Many interviewees neglect their footwear, but it’s an important part of the package. Black or brown dress shoes are inexpensive and will last for some time.
• Women should also interview in a conservative business ensemble. Either a shirt or slacks are acceptable, depending on which you are more comfortable with. Skirts should be long enough to sit down comfortably. Keep your footwear comfortable and professional as well. Keep jewelry to a minimum – avoid pieces that dangle or clatter together.
• For both sexes, it’s important to check up on grooming. Men should shave for a job interview unless they have well-groomed facial hair. Women should go light on makeup. Both sexes should abstain from perfume and cologne.

Trip Idea: Milwaukee

Milwaukee is a great American city. Set on Lake Michigan, it boasts a great mixture of natural wonder and urban vigor, sprinkled with an open-hearted Wisconsin welcom. Here are some highlights:

Miller Park – Catch a ballgame at Miller Park, one of the most beloved ballparks in the country and the home of the Milwaukee Brewers. The stadium combines an aura of baseball’s romantic past with a state-of-the-art modern flair. Visit the website: http://milwaukee.brewers.mlb.com/mil/ballpark/index.jsp

Harley-Davidson Museum – This popular attraction makes Harley enthusiasts buzz but its appeal extends well beyond the motorcycle world. People of every stripe find it fascinating to learn about American history and culture through the lens of America’s most iconic motorcycle company. Click here for more: http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/HD_Museum/Museum.jsp

Pabst Mansion – Visit the castle-like mansion built by Milwaukee sea captain and beer baron Frederick Pabst in 1892. You’ll love learning about Pabst’s adventurous history while taking in the mansion’s beautifully designed interiors, original 1890’s furnishings, rare art, and stunning ironwork features. Visit the website: http://pabstmansion.com/

Segway of Wisconsin – Segway offers memorable tours of Milwaukee’s beautiful lakefront. You’ll enjoy gliding on a single-person-operated segway vehicle as you embark on a tour that spans a wide range of Milwauke attractions, including Pier Wisconsin, the historic Veteran’s Park, the War Memorial, and the Summerfest grounds. Click here for more information: http://www.segwayofwisconsin.com/what-we-do

Kettle Moraine State Forest – This is an ideal place in which to relish Milwaukee’s famed fall foliage, enjoy a picnic, have a camping getaway, go on a hike while enjoying lake views, take a scenic drive, and much more. Visit here to learn more: http://www.stateparks.com/kettle_moraine.html

Delicious Fish: Five Tilapia Recipes

Fish is one of the best proteins you can eat – it’s low in fat, high in essential nutrients, and goes well with a variety of ingredients. The one drawback to fish is that it can be a little expensive. Thankfully, there are some fish options that can be substituted in for people on a budget. Tilapia is an inexpensive freshwater fish that can be used in a number of recipes. Here are some great ways to make it:

-          Pan-frying tilapia is a great, simple way to cook the fish, as its durable flesh stands up well to high heat. Make a crust for the outside out of panko breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper and cook it quickly so it develops a great texture.

-          Tilapia is a staple of Southern cuisine, so it blackens exceptionally well. To blacken the fish, coat it in butter and seasoning and cook in a cast iron skillet so that the outside darkens. Serve with spicy mayonnaise on French bread for a great sandwich.

-          Tilapia is excellent for fish tacos. Cook them quickly in a nonstick skillet with olive oil, salt, and pepper until the flesh becomes flaky, and then pair with avocado, mango, and green onions inside a small, soft tortilla. Use a pico de gallo salsa for dipping.

-          The fish is also excellent for ceviche. Squeeze limes into a bowl and place the tilapia completely submerged in the juice, then refrigerate. The citric acid will essentially “cook” the fish, bringing out amazing flavors. Serve with chopped fresh tomatoes and onions.

-          Tilapia also holds up exceptionally well on the grill. Season it with lemon butter and capers and serve over rice pilaf or pasta.

Warm the Hearth: Five Fall Comfort Foods

With the weather getting a little cooler, the time is right to sit inside and enjoy some classic comfort foods. One great thing about the season is that a wide variety of harvest produce is available to make good food. Here are some comfort classics that never fail to satisfy.

-        Meatloaf is in many ways the quintessential comfort food. Autumn evenings are a great time to bring one of these out of the oven. Spice it up by using a mixture of ground beef, lamb, and pork to give it texture and new depth of flavor. If you really want to get fancy, try making your own ketchup.

-        The squash harvest is just beginning as the leaves fall, and one of the best things to do with squashes is to roast them. Cut an acorn squash in half, scoop out the seeds, and brush the sides with olive oil. Salt and pepper it and place in the oven until it’s fork-tender.

-        Scalloped potatoes are also a great way to use the bounty of spuds that come out of the ground about now. Thinly-sliced and delicious, these casserole-baked potatoes are an incredible mixture of creamy and crispy.

-        Chicken soup is one of the all-time classic comfort foods. Make your own stock by roasting chicken bones in the oven before boiling with carrots, onions and celery. From there, add dumplings, meatballs, noodles, or whatever you like.

-        Another great use of fall foods is to make pumpkin ravioli. The smooth and creamy flavor of the squash goes great with walnuts and goat cheese. Boil, toss in a simple butter sauce, and enjoy!

Halloween Party Ideas

‘Tis the season to be ghoulishly jolly! Why not entertain your friends this October with a Halloween bash full of the spookiest fun you can scare up? Here are some ideas to help you plan an evening of festivities that will amuse jack-o-lantern lovers of all ages:

Delightfully Ghastly Games

These two games will give even your ghostliest guests a lively dose of fun:

Pumpkin Bowling:

You’ll need three small pumpkins, roughly thirty empty two-liter clear soda bottles, and a bag of sand or gravel. Pour enough sand or gravel into each soda bottle so that the bottle can stand without falling over. Separate your guests into teams and have them use the pumpkins as bowling balls. People will laugh their heads off as the pumpkins roll everywhere but where they want them to roll!

Scarecrow Countdown:

Gather a bunch of odds-and-ends into a big pile before your guests arrive – old clothes, string, magic markers, pillowcases, hats, newspaper, cornstalks, etc. Then separate your guests into teams and see who can build the best scarecrow in under two minutes. Get ready of a flurry of fun!

To see more ideas for family-friendly fright-night games, check out this link.

More Treats Than Tricks: Delicious Goodies

Gingerbread Skeletons:

Serve up some delectable fresh-baked gingerbread men for your guests. But these are no Christmastime gingerbread men – instead of dolling them up with cute candy noses and eyes, take a tube of white frosting and decorate them as skeletons. See an example here.

Yummy Mummies:

Your guests will love these mini-pizza treats, decorated to look like mummy faces. Sprinkle on the cheese so that, when it melts, it looks like strips of mummy bandages, and use green olives for eyes.

For more fright-night food ideas, check out this link.

Decorations: Goosebumps  & Giggles for your Guests

Pumpkins, Pumpkins Everywhere:

No Halloween party is complete without carved pumpkins. Mix up scary pumpkin-faces with funny ones, scatter them through your house and yard, and be sure to put a candle inside each one for an All Hallow’s Eve glow. Click here for some ideas for unique carved pumpkins.

Tombstones that Tickle the Funny Bone:

Create an area on your lawn to decorate as a graveyard, and fill it with tombstones that feature clever, humorous epitaphs or hilarious wordplay-based names. Click here for some suggestions.

For more decoration ideas, ranging from the macabre to the mirthful, visit this site.

These tips can help you throw a unique fright night fiesta, making your house the happiest haunt this Halloween. You’ll have a great – and ghoulish – time scaring some pumpkin-season fun into your guests!

Try These Great Pasta Salads!

If pasta salads just make you think of mayonnaise and picnics, don’t despair – there are actually many different things you can do with pasta that are savory and delicious. Here are five pasta salad concepts that make a break from the norm and deliver excellent flavor.

A nice way to bring the Italian flavor back to your pasta salad is by taking inspiration from the traditional caprese salad. Combine fresh basil, vine-ripened tomatoes, and balls of creamy mozzarella in a little bit of olive oil and mix with a small, thick pasta like rigatoni to hold the oil.

Greek pasta salad is also a great take on the classic. Use a mixture of cherry tomatoes, sliced cucumber, firm feta cheese, and fragrant olives and use mostaccioli, the small, curved pasta named after the mustache, as the base of the salad. Dress with a mixture of olive oil, vinegar, and lemon juice.

Give your pasta salad an Asian flavor by using soba noodles, which are made from buckwheat flour. Toss them in a mixture of soy sauce and sesame oil and garnish with diced scallions for a delicious, simple salad that delivers robust, interesting tastes.

For an interesting Middle Eastern alternative to pasta salad, try making some tabbouleh. This dish uses kernels of bulgur wheat instead of noodles, and serves them in a tart mixture of finely-diced mint and parsley. It’s a great side dish.

Of course, there’s always room for the classics. A simple salad of penne pasta, cut bell peppers, sweet corn, and snow peas, served in a mix of oil, vinegar and mustard, can satisfy just about any audience.

Craft College: How to Begin Crafting!

The handicraft movement has enjoyed a swell of popularity in recent years, with more and more people making all sorts of stuff. Crocheting, knitting, embroidery, sewing, and the like can not only help you express yourself, but also save you money. If you’re inspired to jump aboard the crafting train, here are some tips to make it as easy and fun as possible.

First off, make sure your first projects are something you can handle. Many knitters start out trying to make complicated items like sweaters that are outside of their skill level. This is a recipe for disaster. It’s more than likely that by reaching too far, you’ll just frustrate yourself. Start simple – for knitters and crocheters, scarves are excellent – and then when you have the basics down, slowly expand your skills.

Secondly, it’s more fun to craft with a group. Many coffehouses and bars feature regular craft nights, and you can also find like-minded people through Craigslist and Facebook. Having somebody to talk to while you work can make the time go faster, and crafting problems are easily solved with more eyes!

Thirdly, share your crafts with friends and family. People love hand-made gifts, and they’ll appreciate the time and effort you put into your work. Don’t judge your projects too harshly. Even if they’re not perfect, they'll be welcomed!

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