IF YOU LIKE ADELE

For those of you who've yet to buy/download Adele's latest album, 21, you must. The purchase is a no-brainer. It's the #1 album in the country right now, and it deserves to be. She's got a powerhouse of a voice and she's a great storyteller. You never question that this chick has lived through that of which she sings. It hasn't left my sound system since Honeybee brought it home for me.  Adele's voice is unique in the sense that where other singers are so good you want to sing along (Carly Simon comes immediately to mind), Adele's so good you don't.

Choice Tracks (besides the already-a-big-hit Rolling In The Deep): Set Fire To The Rain, and Someone Like You

If you already have Adele's latest, and want the feeling to last and last, may I suggest:

JOAN OSBORNE's Breakfast In Bed from '07. Yes, the sad truth is that Joan Osborne, for all of her great music since, may forever be labeled a one-hit wonder for the 1995 smash One Of Us, in which she poses hypothetical questions involving God on public transportation. 

It's a shame. I've seen this gal perform live on a few occasions and she never disappoints. She's got an incredible voice with amazing range. She can glam it up for a throaty ballad, groove aboard a soul train, and rock out to any country-infused diddy. She's a wildly versatile rarity that is hard to categorize, perhaps contributing to her lack of "success" in the pop music charts. 

Breakfast in Bed may be my favorite album of Osborne's. Loaded with great covers and original tracks, it's one of breeziest, most casual albums I've ever heard, each track being sung exceptionally well. There's nothing not to like here. Grab/Download this one.

Choice Tracks: Baby Is A Butterfly, Heart of Stone, and the cover Kiss & Say Goodbye

Amazon Link To Adele's 21

Amazon Link To Joan Osborne's Breakfast In Bed

ON THE SIDEWALK

Ohhhhhh Sex And The City, when you left us seven years ago, did we ever realize the mark you would leave on each and every one of us? (And no, I'm not talking about that crap sequel people can't seem to stop hating.)

SATC made every single gal in NYC think that true love (or hell, an available man) was right around the corner, despite the 4:1 ratio of single women to single men in this city. 


SATC also made folks think that walking side-by-side-by-side-by-side (four in a row, no less) down any sidewalk is completely acceptable.  It isn't. Sometimes, the sidewalk isn't even big enough to begin with. Also not acceptable: Walking dead-center in the sidewalk when walking solo (the way Carrie always did whenever she "couldn't help but wonder..."; or the way Charlotte did whenever she wasn't acting completely stupid).


So, I feel that I need to clarify something: When you do find yourself walking alone down a city street (New York, or elsewhere), let's try and keep things copacetic by staying to the right, shall we? Yes, I know it's very romantic and winsome to stroll leisurely down the center of the sidewalk in a major metropolis, taking in whatever vista that happens to be before you, but please think about the other 90% of world: the folks who actually have somewhere to be. 

My favorite frustration along these lines is the person who believes they can do it all, and all at once: Protruding shopping bags to the left, dog on an extended leash to the right, baby carriage in front and all the while gabbing away to someone on their phone. What are these people trying to prove? Is "now" the only time they have to run all of their errands and walk their dog? And, more importantly, why is he/she acting like "the multitasker in the plastic bubble" - completely self-contained as they take up 70% of the sidewalk?

I realize some folks often don't have much choice: single mom/single dad, I get it, but you can always scoot over to the right a little bit more. I also realize that I've used one ratio and two percentages in same post. Now I sound cranky and nerdy. Just stay to the right, people. Thanks. 

"THANK YOU" CARDS

I love seeing my name handwritten on an envelope. It's always the best mail. It means no one's going to ask me for money, tell me that I owe them money, or ask me to renew a subscription to a magazine I typically only read half of.

Recently, I received a Thank You note for attending a friend's party. It was short, sweet and sincere. It meant so much to me though that someone took the time out of their day to send one. Seriously, I felt like Countess LuAnn De Lesseps. It meant so much to me in fact, that I began to consider buying "You're Welcome" cards, but remembered they don't make them. Or do they?

These days, it's common to receive Thank You texts, emails and Facebook postings, and I do this myself, as you can never say Thank You too many times. (The exception to this, of course, is Janet Jackson, who has a tendency to overdue her "Thank You's" whenever she performs live.) 


There is something to be said though about the literal gravity of a Thank You card. It actually stays with the person ... until they put it in the recycling bin. But still.

I'm a big fan of the Thank You notes and cards by Snow & Graham. Made from recycled paper, these notes show the receiver that you care about the environment almost as much as you do about the reader. Chick Print also has some great Thank You cards. Check 'em out! Thank you.

TOSTITOS WITH A HINT OF LIME

For years now, one of my kitchen cabinet mainstays has been Tostitos with a Hint of Lime. I love them. I will open the bag wide and survey the interiors for the most lime-bespeckled of chips. I then dig the best ones out and eat them. Later, when there are only a few chips remaining, I'll crush the chips up into a fine dust and empty the bag into my mouth. Anything to capture the zesty limey seasoning. Which leads me to question why Tostitos has yet to come out with a "Tostitos: Blast of Lime!" We can handle it, Tostitos. Bring it on.

Anyway, the conservative amount of flavor specks isn't really the issue. Lately, to me at least, the chips taste different. They taste, for lack of a better word, HEALTHY. The "new" bag (there's a "hint" that things aren't right) says White Corn, but they have an aftertaste of something multigrain-ish. No? Am I alone in this? "Made with Whole Grain" touts the bag, but there's definitely something else going on here.

I simply don't have time to contact the FritoLay people to inquire, but I'm certain I'm right. After eating the same chips for years, you can tell when the tortilla is being pulled over your eyes. I'm not "mad" about being tricked into eating healthier chips, but couldn't FritoLay balance it out a little better? They could certainly add more seasoning to make up for the flavor change in the actual chip.

I understand this is not a huge deal. I also understand that you may be furious that you just read a blog entry about my conspiracy theory involving a snack food. Please don't worry about me. Lord knows I'll still be able to down a whole bag in my kitchen before I'm even done putting the rest of the groceries away. 

"AMERICAN IDOL"

I had given up on American Idol the past few years due to the lack of quality vocalists. I just wasn't rooting for anyone anymore. The last person I ever rooted for on Americal Idol was Jordin Sparks, and that was way back in 2007. I predicted she would win from her audition episode. I held tight to that prediction throughout the competition, even during the horrific Bon Jovi Week episode.

Well, the American Idol judging panel went through a much publicized overhaul, but kept Randy Jackson (never my favorite). But this entry isn't about Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler. It's not about how everyone is allegedly "amazing" - way to go, judges - or how Randy continues to refer to young women as "dude" and "man."

This is about Stefano. At press time, Stefano Langone was still a contender, and the worst contestant of the season. He's been in the bottom two consistently, and continues to survive (besting Pia and Paul, both sent home too early).

My problem with Stefano is his stage presence. Not sure what dump truck of rejected boy band members he fell out of, but every move, gesture, and facial expression Stefano displays harkens me back to a scarier time. A time filled with 98 Degrees, O-Town and ... LFO.

Stefano's face contorts to that of a person having a serious bowel movement. It all feels overblown, like he's auditioning for a Disney Cruise ship. (This is not to take away from cruise ship performers, however we can all agree that the style one would use on the stage of a cruise ship is a different animal than one for a television "concert" series.) Stefano clearly wants the people in the far rear balcony to see the expression on his face, forgetting that he's already on TV. It's very awkward to watch.

Not sure what the judges see in him, or why they gave him the "Wild Card" in the first place. Perhaps it's because of his sad sack story of how he survived a terrible car crash (the specific details of which have never been actually discussed, but we can guess from the scars Stefano showed us during his audition ... shrewd move ... that it was pretty bad).

The madness must stop. I can't sit "idol-y" by while more talented folks continue to go home. If we lose Lauren to this dramatic dipstick I'll be very upset. Dear Faithful Reader and any AI fan that just happens to be reading this, I beg of you, VOTE for your favorite - just as long as it isn't Stefano. THIS. IS. Serious.