DOES SIZE REALLY MATTER?

Bet that grabbed your attention, huh? We gravitate toward the curtain instead of the small box on Let's Make A Deal. On Christmas Day, we pick up the biggest gift under the tree.

Women enjoy looking up into the eyes of a tall man, and tall men love looking down on shorter women.

In fact, it wasn't that long ago, that we wanted the tiniest phones available to entertain ourselves. Now it's exactly the opposite.

Some prefer curvy cuties, and others are attracted to muscular men. Many like tiny women, and some prefer shorter men.  We may eat a lot of chocolate, or just a tiny bit. Some like Chihuahuas, while plenty like Great Danes.

When it comes to reading a novel, I find that the length and size are important,  preferring to read a book that's a little longer, giving the story some time to unfold at a leisurely pace.

But that doesn't mean a book that's 200 pages or less can't be fulfilling.   Many authors know how to grab our attention right away, providing unforgettable quotes, superbly crafted tales, heart stopping romance or fast paced thrillers, even if there aren't many pages to read.

We all have the power of choice, and we like what we like. Hopefully our preferences still allow us to be kind and tolerant to others who feel differently.

But what about you?  Do you prefer to read a larger novel, or are you okay with a quick anthology?  Does size matter to you?

Food, Food and More Food

After laughing my "you know what " off last night until 12:30am with Anderson Cooper and Kathy Griffin, AND all the crazy tweets that went along with it, I was still in silly mode this morning.  I'm a serious fan of Bradley Cooper aka Mr. Perfect, but I vowed to stay away from the Hangover movies, and have been steadfast since 2009.  Well, I lost my resolve and giggled like a kid watching the movie today.  Then I made it even worse by watching Hangover 3.  What in the world is wrong with me, right?

This post is all about food without any actual recipes. *heh*,  

Take advantage of the special Winter Package at The Fearrington House, in Pittsboro, NC, which includes a one night's stay with a three-course dinner, Afternoon Tea, a Full Breakfast and a $25 gift card for shopping. Available through February 28th, 2016, this package is inclusive and offered at room rates listed: Standard: $510 | Deluxe: $610 | Superior: $720 | Grand: $870.   Be sure to take a look at their fabulous menu choices!!!!

I haven't figured out why they call this a cookout because there are plenty of food events for all three days at different rates and some are rather pricey.  Perfect if you're headed to Cayman.

If you'd like the chance to meet Robert Irvine, Guy Fieri, Marcus Samuelsson, Rachel Ray and more, head out to South Beach in Florida for their 15th Annual Food & Wine Festival hosted by the Food Network and presented by Food & Wine from February 24 through February 28.  Get the BigTop Pass for $690.00 to see a good portion of the events, or just go to the Grilled Cheese Happy Hour for a smooth $100.  http://www.sobefest.com/

Are you a food truck fan?  Head to Austin, TX where gourmet trucks are lined up all the time.

Rather hang out in Raleigh instead?  Why not try the Food Truck Rodeo?  There are several dates this is held, but the 1st one is May 1, 2016 from 1pm - 6pm.  This event boasts over 50 food trucks gathering from all over the state of NC on Fayetteville Street in Raleigh.  Now that's some good eatin'!

As you already know, I'm a serious fan of Taste of Home's Five Ingredient Cookbook, so I was thrilled to find this recipe.  For those who are still in Christmas mode, this is a great contest to enter to earn some quick cash.  Good Luck!

TASTE OF HOME: MERRIEST POTLUCK RECIPE CONTEST
DEADLINE	January 15, 2016
DESCRIPTION	Enter your original recipes for Christmastime potlucks. No more than 12 ingredients, please. Taste of Home wants to hear the background or story of each recipe. You may also upload a photo.
ELIGIBILITY	Open to legal residents of Canada (excluding QC), the 50 United States and DC who are age 18 or older.
PRIZES	Grand Prize: $500 First Prize: $300. Second Prize: $150. Third Prize: $75. 8 Honorable Mention Prizes: A book. All winners may have their names and recipes published in a future Taste of Home magazine or cookbook.
DETAILS	Click here for contest information.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

My original plan was to watch New Year's Rockin' Eve as I do every year, until I remembered my buddies Kathy Griffin and Anderson Cooper would be acting crazy on CNN for 4 hours.

Watching them interact is always a hilarious adventure.  But, I will probably switch over occasionally for some musical enjoyment throughout the evening.  It's 8:12pm and Kathy has already embarrassed Anderson 7 times on LIVE television while they're in bed.  She refuses to leave the hotel right now,  still has on leopard pajamas AND she put a sign on the door to knock if someone wanted to meet Anderson.  Crazy!


No cheeseburger, but I'll still throw in some reading with a book called Reckless that's turning out to be pretty good.

I hope everyone is safe if you're out and about, or relaxing at home doing something you love as you bring in the New Year.

Hugs... and Happy New Year!

HAVE YOU EVER NOTICED...

I tend to pay attention to things that don't mean a hill of beans to most people, but I can't seem to help myself. (lol) However, since the end of the year is approaching, I have to share.
It doesn't matter if you go in or out of the Exit Door at Wal-Mart because it works just like the Enter Door.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't the Hoverboard in Back to the Future uh...actually hover with no wheels?  Why is everyone in the world buying  what really looks like a kid's specialty three wheeler cut in half that could catch on fire when plugged in, or cause us to watch Mike Tyson falling from one on Instagram over and over again? In case you forgot the movie, click on the You Tube link below:


https://youtu.be/z1ZdMOMUgXE

How come no one ever notices someone in the back seat before they get into the car/truck in horror or suspense movies?  

Some people seem perfectly perfect and can do just about anything!  Did you know that the absolutely gorgeous Bradley (my latest boyfriend) Cooper speaks fluent French?  The darling of movies and beautiful Sandra Bullock speaks German, and Gwyneth Paltrow from the Iron Man movies speaks Spanish. These guys can actually carry on full conversations during interviews and on television without a hitch.

Speaking of movies - my favorite this year had to be Mission Impossible - Rogue Nation, which I've seen 3 times.  Did you have a fave?

A year sounds like a really long time, but before we all know it, Christmas is right back much faster than the year before.

How in the world can someone have over 5000 followers on Pinterest with NO Boards????  What exactly are people following?

CHAMPAGNE COCKTAIL & TWITTER FOLLOWERS

No, I do not want to buy 100,000 Twitter followers! (lol)  How many of you get these requests on a daily basis, and why in the world does anyone want to pay for a follower?  What is the purpose I ask, and why spend money for someone to basically hang out with you, dang it??????  Is it really all that important to be popular on Social Media? That's my mini-rant to end the year. *heh*

If you still have cranberries at your house, you may as well use them for something even more elegant, like a champagne cocktail, right?  Here's a super simple recipe that tastes yummy and will impress all your friends.



POMEGRANATE CRANBERRY CHAMPAGNE
To make this more festive and fancy, put everything in a champagne glass.

Ingredients & Directions
2 Tablespoons Chilled Vodka of your choice
1 Tablespoon Chilled Pomegranate Juice ( I use POM)
1 Tablespoon Chilled Cranberry Juice
Add Cranberries or Cherries from a Jar
Top off with your favorite champagne or sparkling wine

This recipe is good for one serving.

NEW YEAR PLANS
Every single year, I watch New Year's Rockin' Eve, or all the rest of the musical programs that come on television.  There are a few exceptions when I celebrated with fireworks in the local park with hubby, had to work because no one else showed up, or went out for a steak dinner.  Other than that, I'm safely on the couch watching something drop, along with my book and a cheeseburger. (lol)  

In New York, a ball is dropping.

In NC, an acorn is dropping.

What happens in your neck of the woods?