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ETreks- Vintage Fashion and…

“Valentino, the Last Emperor” on Showtime TV.  Recommended by “Shadow”.  He is not a typical fashionista, so worth a look.
“Coco Avant Chanel” movie, dvd, Sony, Maria loved this story about a woman who trusted her instincts, made sacrifices, triumphed.

“NY Book Club Without the Book”: A monthly appointment at Monkey Bar, “tasty” desserts and fun.  So far this season of American Idol, yawny and baddy, so lame this year.  Olympics cross country skiing better, oy.  Idol has jumped the shark.   New Vinyasa yoga class at Brassworks in Williamsburg, MA- NY trained Peter Rizzo, Sundays 10-12.

CandyPants Rant: I hear “pitchiness” and I can’t even sing.  Sis deserves a CD, BaldGuy!

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ETreks-Dogs vs. Rings

Watching the Westminster Dog Show is far more entertaining than bouncing back and forth from pairs skating, commercials, back stories, to downhill skiing and boarding so far.  Most of the dogs are cuter than the athletes to date.  Best in Show tonight!

Favorite New Eateries: Local – Blue House Cafe, Williamsburg, black bean burritos, tortilla melts in your mouth; Amherst Chinese Food, Main Street, local fresh ingredients, no “hangover” from chemicals.  NYC –  Morandi, West Village, fun casual people watching, not glitzy, great meatballs, http://www.tripadvisor.com/tablesedge – see the review; Flex Mussels, Upper East Side, new, happening, fresh clams.  What are your new favorites, where?

Laissez les bon temps roulez– giving up watermelon seeds again for Lent, family tradition

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Treks for Thought

If you’ve overdosed on pajama-grams or the nordic combined, here are some diverse treks for thought:

Local hero- Dr. Ian Goodman went from Springfield, MA to Haiti last week to rescue severely injured children.  He was able to bring eight of those who could be most helped back to Massachusetts.   A former pediatric resident, Ian is currently an ER fellow at the Baystate Medical Children’s Hospital (Tufts University) in Springfield.  His story is inspirational.

The Moth, is a story telling organization.  It was founded in 1997 by George Dawes Green, poet and novelist from Georgia, to recreate summer evening porch stories, told by everyday folks.  Now a New York City institution, you can hear the famous and not-famous recount their personal tales.  It could be replicated in any local community’s school, senior center, theater group.

If you like Sarah Palin, don’t read this provocative editorial from NYU’s Washington Square News.

CandyPants Rant:  Does anybody understand the ice skating scoring?  I liked the chauvinistic, corrupt but simple 9’s and 10’s.  And what’s with the mogul ski guys lounging on futons?


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Weekend Treks- Olympic Wasteland

Opening Ceremonies: Torchurous
Nordic Combined:  Eating ice cream and Drinking frozen Vodka
Downhill: Too much of the above
Slalom: Navigating commercials
Luge: Phlegmy Cough
Bobsled: What about?
Triple Axle: 3 times spinning on the butt
Curling: Merry Maids Gone Wild
Snowboarding: Full Pipe
Hockey: Pucks

CandyPants Rant:  Valentine’s Day.

From the frig: Six minute shrimp scampi for 4- see Recipe Detours

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ETrek Theater, Sightings, Lunch

Liberty Square Review:  NY- “Time Stands Still”, Donald Margulies’ play about an Iraq war-torn couple features Laura Linney and Brian d’Arcy James.  They struggle with the psychological and physical toll of their experiences, as Alicia Silverstone, a “spritely” girlfriend of their friend, steals the show.

Sightings- Joey “Three Sticks” at Via Quadronno on 73rd and Mad, sipping wine with his lovely companion and a high profile criminal attorney during the blizzard Wednesday afternoon… a prominent insurance lawyer from Springfield recently dining at Commerce in the West Village with a lively group… local Judge & real estate exec canoodling on St. John…AND a very happy bday to the “hottest” business magnate in San Francisco

Movies:  Word is that Benicio del “Lobo” will cause nightmares for weeks in the new “Wolfman” remake.

From the frig, Zucchini “Cordon Bleu”: (sort of), for lunch:  See Recipe Detours.

CandyPants(on the Ground)Rant:  Why all these new commercials featuring old people with big bellies in 50’s underwear?  eeeeuuuu

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The Side Trek- Launch

Happy 2010. A mAd friend Michael said I should start a blog. This is it.

The Side Trek~ ‘Back Roads Thoughts’

First Post:

Northampton, Massachusetts isn’t New York or San Francisco, but this week~ Monday night, Jay Leno read the police log from our local newspaper.  He remarked to Kevin Eubanks, “I think we’ve got the white trash trifecta here”: –   A Florence Road resident reported at 7:30 a.m. that someone had broken into his home overnight while he was out drinking with his dog in his sister’s parking lot, and stole his snow blower

Pulitzer Prize winning author Tracy Kidder, Mountains Beyond Mountains, is holding a benefit concert for Haiti with local musicians in Shelburne Falls this weekend.  He lives in the nearby town of Williamsburg.

The horrible Mel Gibson’s horrible new movie “Edge of Darkness” has scenes of Northampton’s Main Street and Court House, and a magnificent view of the Pioneer Valley from Mount Sugarloaf  just 15 minutes up 91 in Deerfield.