career tips ...

before becoming a restaurateur ...

Any ambition I had in opening a restaurant was dampened watching Chef Gordon Ramsey's "HELLS KITCHEN" and "KITCHEN NIGHTMARES"

of course, any serious consideration you have of undertaking this enterprise then you should have a short stint as a basic dishwasher in a dinner restaurant. Graduate to becoming a waiter for one year where you bust tables and do food preparation. Spend time cooking in the kitchen during the busy hours and weekends. Be meticulous in cleanup afterwards.

know your temperment ...

No matter how dire your financial situation is, certain jobs ahould be off limits! You can burn your bridges in the social and career arena.

01) Think big02) Be positive03) Follow your passion

04) Learn something new every day05) Listen to your gut

06) Be patient07) Put a great team behind you

08) Put beauty in everything you do

09) Learn to negotiate, because everything you want demands it

10) Always go for the biggest win possible

11) Invest in real estate because it is the best investment there is

12) Take risks13) Be audacious and get into the public eye

14) Be your own brand

15) Enjoy doing some work seven days a week and on vacations

16) Learn to say NO!17) Get out of your comfort zone

18) Be stubborn when necessary

19) Always have a Plan B20) Never settle for second best

Donald J. Trump's TOP TWENTY Career Tips ...

MORE FROM SPEC ... HE SHARES THIS STORY FROM A YOUNG WOMAN:

I was privileged to take a photo of 'Five Generations of Women' shortly before my 93 year-old Grandmother passed away last year.  The photo, shown below, features the hands of my Grandmother, Mom, Sister, Niece and Great-Niece. While I can't take credit for the idea, I was so happy to have had the suggestion & capture this moment.  It inspired a friend of mine to do something similar which turned out so beautiful and a special keepsake prior to her father's passing. Grandma's Hands

Grandma, some ninety plus years, sat feebly on the patio bench. She didn't move, just sat with her head down staring at her hands. When I sat down beside her she didn't acknowledge my presence and the longer I sat I wondered if she was okay. Finally, not really wanting to disturb her but wanting to check on her at the same time, I asked her if she was okay. She raised her head and looked at me and smiled. "Yes, I'm fine, thank you for asking," she said in a clear strong voice.

'I didn't mean to disturb you, grandma, but you were just sitting here staring at your hands and I wanted to make sure you were okay," I explained to her. "Have you ever looked at your hands," she asked. "I mean really looked at your hands?"

I slowly opened my hands and stared down at them. I turned them over, palms up and then palms down. No, I guess I had never really looked at my hands as I tried to figure out the point she was making. Grandma smiled and related this story:

Stop and think for a moment about the hands you have, how they have served you well throughout your years. These hands, though wrinkled shriveled and weak have been the tools I have used all my life to reach out and grab and embrace life. They braced and caught my fall when as a toddler I crashed upon the floor. They put food in my mouth and clothes on my back. As a child, my mother taught me to fold them in prayer. They tied my shoes and pulled on my boots. They held my husband and wiped my tears when he went off to war. They have been dirty, scraped and raw, swollen and bent. They were uneasy and clumsy when I tried to hold my newborn son. Decorated with my wedding band they showed the world that I was married and loved someone special.  They wrote my letters to him and trembled and shook when I buried my parents and spouse.  They have held my children and grandchildren, consoled neighbors, and shook in fists of anger when I didn't understand. They have covered my face, combed my hair, and washed and cleansed the rest of my body. They have been sticky and wet, bent and broken, dried and raw. And to this day when not much of anything else of me works real well these hands hold me up, lay me down, and again continue to fold in prayer. These hands are the mark of where I've been and the ruggedness of life. But more importantly it will be these hands that God will reach out and take when he leads me home. And with my hands He will lift me to His side and there I will use these hands to touch the face of God.

I will never look at my hands the same again. But I remember God reached out and took my grandma's hands and led her home. When my hands are hurt or sore or when I  stroke the face of my children and husband I think of grandma. I know she has been stroked and caressed and held by the hands of God. I, too, want to touch the face of God and feel His hands upon my face. When you receive this, say a prayer for the person who sent it to you, and watch God's answer to prayer work in your life. Let's continue praying for one another.  Passing this on to anyone you consider a friend will bless you both..

Passing this on to one not yet considered a friend is something God would do.

RICH BURRIESCI's

POLPETTONE ITALIANO

prepare your chopped sirloin in the following manner:

recipe calls for 4 pounds of beef to blend with:

1/2 cup of minced garlic

1/4 cup of minced onions

1/2 cup of grated romano cheese

1/4 cup of red wine
2 eggs and italian seasoning

Bake 45 minutes in 350 degree oven take out to add:

cup of six italian cheeses (shredded package)

which you cover top of nearly cooked meatloaf and place back into oven for five minutes, take out add:

cup of your homemade marinara sauce

and top with another layer of cheeses place back in oven for another five minutes until melted into sauce and meatloaf. Garnish with cilantro.

riso e pesce ...THAT'S ITALIAN FOR RICE AND FISH

COOK A POUND YOUR FAVORITE WHITE RICE THE WAY YOU DO BEST!

ADD TO THE COOKED RICE A TABLESPOON OF CUMIN AND 2 OZ. OF TABASCO SAUCE

OPEN A LARGE CAN OF SARDINES AND BLEND WITH PREPARED RICE

now tell me how you like that!

RICH BURRIESCI’S ITALIAN RECIPES

FIRST WE LEARN THE ITALIAN WORDS FOR THESE POPULAR DISHES:

AGLIO        GARLIC
ANTIPASTO    HORS D’OEUVRES
CACIOFI (CACIOCIA Sicilian)       ARTICHOKES
CARBONARA        BACON AND EGGS
CARNE      MEAT (BEEF)
FAGIOLI (FASULE Sicilian)     BEANS
FORMAGGIO   CHEESE
INSALATA        SALAD
MULIANI (Sicilian)      EGGPLANT
OLIO D’OLIVA      OLIVE OIL
PANCETTA      BACON
PASTA AL SUGA    SPAGHETTI WITH SAUCE
PESCE        FISH
POLLO        CHICKEN
POLPETTE       MEATBALLS
POLPETTONE       MEATLOAF
POMODORI      TOMATOES
RISO      RICE
SALSICCIA         SAUSAGE
SPINACI      SPINACH
UOVA           EGGS
ZUCCHINI        SQUASH
ZUPPA         SOUP

THIS IS THE RESTORED CARRIAGE OWNED BY PRESIDENT ABRAHAM LINCOLN. IT WAS BOUGHT BY CLEMENT STUDEBAKER IT IS NOW IN THE STUDEBAKER MUSEUM     (click the carriage)

Master Chef Gordon Ramsay Recipe for

BEEF WELLINGTON and sautéed potatoes

Ingredients:

* 400g Beef fillet

* 400g Flat mushrooms

* 4 slices Parma ham

* English mustard for brushing meat

* 200g puff pastry

* 2 Egg yolks

* Approx 8 Charlotte/New potatoes

* 1 Clove garlic, crushed

* 1 Sprig Thyme

* 2 large baby gem lettuce

* Salt and pepper

* Olive Oil

* Mustard

* Vinigrette, optional

Method: How to make Beef Wellington:

1) Pre-heat the oven to 200c.

2) Heat some oil in a large pan and quickly fry the seasoned beef all over until it's brown. Remove and allow to cool. The point of this is simply to sear the beef and seal all those juices in, you don't want to cook the meat at this stage. Allow to cool and brush generously with the mustard.

3) Roughly chop the mushrooms and blend in a food processor to form a puree. Scrape the mixture into a hot, dry pan and allow the water to evaporate. When sufficiently dry (the mixture should be sticking together easily), set aside and cool.

4) Roll out a generous length of cling film, lay out the four slices of Parma ham, each one slightly overlapping the last. With a pallet knife spread the mushroom mixture evenly over the ham.

5) Place the beef fillet in the middle and keeping a tight hold of the cling film from the outside edge, neatly roll the parma ham and mushrooms over the beef into a tight barrel shape. Twist the ends to secure the clingfilm. Refrigerate for 10 -15 minutes, this allows the Wellington to set and helps keep the shape.

6) Roll out the pastry quite thinly to a size which will cover your beef. Unwrap the meat from the cling film. Egg wash the edge of the pastry and place the beef in the middle. Roll up the pastry, cut any excess off the ends and fold neatly to the 'underside'. Turnover and egg wash over the top. Chill again to let the pastry cool, approximately 5 minutes. Egg wash again before baking at 200c for 35 - 40 minutes. Rest 8 -10 minutes before slicing.

7) Par boil the potatoes in salted water. Quarter them and leave the skin on. Sauté in olive oil and butter with the garlic and thyme, until browned and cooked through. Season. Remove the thyme and garlic before serving.

8) Separate the outside leaves of the baby gem (leaving the smaller inner ones for salads) and very quickly sauté them in a pan of olive oil with a little salt and pepper - just enough to wilt them.

9) Serve hearty slices of the Wellington alongside the sautéed potatoes and wilted baby gems.

A classic mustard vinaigrette makes a great dressing.

Copyright © Gordon Ramsay

CHEF EMERIL LAGASSE'S RECIPE FOR:

CHICKEN, MUSHROOM AND SPINACH ALFREDO LASAGNA

Ingredients:

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring often until the mushrooms are browned and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the onions and garlic to the pan and saute until soft and translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, to make a light roux, about 2 minutes. Whisking constantly, slowly add the milk and continue to cook, stirring occasionally until thickened, 5 minutes. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt, pepper, nutmeg, spinach and 1 1/2 cups of the Parmesan and cook, stirring, until thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the bechamel sauce until ready to assemble the lasagna.

Set a large, 12-inch saute pan over medium heat and add the olive oil. Season the chicken with the Essence and remaining 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt and place in the hot pan. Sear the chicken, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through, about 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool and set aside. When cool, cut into bite size pieces.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Coat a 9 by 13 by 3-inch casserole with olive oil, and spread about 1/2 cup of the bechamel sauce on the bottom of the dish. Lay 3 sheets of pasta across the bottom of the dish and spread 3/4 cup of the bechamel sauce over the pasta. Sprinkle 1/4 of the chicken over the bechamel sauce, then sprinkle with 1/4 cup of the remaining Parmesan. Lay another 3 sheets of pasta over the chicken. Repeat 2 additional times with the remaining bechamel sauce, chicken, Parmesan, and pasta, ending with a layer of pasta covered with bechamel sauce. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of Parmesan over the bechamel sauce and scatter the butter pieces over the top. Place the casserole on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and bake, uncovered, until bubbly and well browned, about 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 20 minutes before serving.

Note: You may need slightly less than the entire package of lasagna noodles, depending on the pan used for the casserole. Also, you may be able to fit more than 3 pieces of pasta in each layer, depending. The pasta can be broken into smaller pieces to fill in the gaps.

MEXICO is the ancestral

homeland of: Jean Gonzalez

1950 CHEVROLET COUPE

(437 original miles as of June 2009)

photos contributed by Donald "Spec" Campen

a short coffee commentary by Richard C. Burriesci

There is a vast difference between the diner and the coffee shop of 2009. It's integration vs isolation; and it has everything to do with the personal computer. There is more silence in Starbuck's than in the Public Library save the piped in music. It's an anomaly! To almost rub elbows in a coffee shop and not say hello where as in a diner, you hear chatter of tidbits of lives and occasional laughter.

I swear it's the food!

Nuclear Power: It’s Time to Float Some Bold Energy Solutions
BY LOIS LINDSTROM TIMES-DISPATCH GUEST COLUMNIST
Published: July 5, 2009 (in the Richmond Times-Dispatch)

President Obama reminded us earlier this year that the nation needs a transition to renewable energy in the short term. "We need to find safer ways to use nuclear power and store nuclear waste." But, while Obama has paid lip service to expanding nuclear power and not much else, other countries are busy building nuclear power plants. The United States has not built a plant since the 1979 accident at the nuclear facility at Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania.

Meanwhile, there are 160 nuclear power plants under construction in China, India, Russia, and Europe. With 20 percent of this country's electrical power provided by the existing 110 nuclear power plants in the U.S., our policymakers have decided not to make a decision to go forward with the nuclear option. That is shortsighted! Congress needs to think more creatively in terms of a stopgap measure to produce nuclear energy until renewable sources like wind, solar, and geo-thermal are cost-effective and contribute more than 50 percent to our electrical supply. Currently, renewable sources produce only 3 percent of the U.S. electrical supply. And, we are still heavily dependent on imported oil and gas for our energy needs.

We need a different approach, along the lines of what a Lynchburg company, Babcock and Wilcox, is developing but instead of designing small nuclear units to be placed on land, put them on floating energy platforms. We should embrace the Babcock and Wilcox concept of developing smaller, scalable, modular designs that are one-tenth the size of existing nuclear reactors (which eliminates the need for large cooling towers and massive amounts of water.) But, to speed up the process, we should put these small nuclear reactors on safe, floating platforms. The plan would be similar to the existing technology that has been developed for our nuclear-powered Navy ships.

We need to study the feasibility of building ships or barges that could be used to house nuclear power plants that are capable of delivery to existing power plants or backup sites on our nation's waterways. This type of project would be beneficial in two ways: It would provide jobs for the American shipbuilding industry, and it would sidestep the heavy costs and environmental delays associated with building new nuclear reactors on land. Having a standard-sized and specific-shaped ship that could be floated on a permanent or semi-permanent site would not be as politically contested as installing a nuclear reactor on land. Congress would be motivated to fund and support this project if it were seen as a source of electric power for Washington, D.C. and other cities in the event of a national or regional blackout or power failure. In fact, it could be incorporated under homeland security, because we must have power!

Nuclear power doesn't contribute to carbon pollution. And, the Europeans are starting to solve the nuclear waste problem. Their methods and ideas need to be tested over here. We have a national oil reserve system for emergencies. Now, we need a national electrical power reserve system with small nuclear modules which can be built on ships/barges.

President Obama and Congress should consider the floating nuclear power option. It would permit an earlier start toward fixing a potential cities in the event of a national or regional blackout or power failure. In fact, it could be incorporated under homeland security, because we must have power! shortfall in U.S. electrical production.

Lois Lindstrom writes on energy and health issues. Contact her at lois@loislindstrom.com .

After a two year visit to the United States, Michelangelo's David is returning to Italy . . . 

COURTESY OF JULIA B. HEBNER

Research on the Heart & Intuition

A SPIRITUAL CONSPIRACY by Brian Piergrossi                    (From the book The Big Glow)

But calmly and quietly, at the same time, something else is happening underground.
 
An inner revolution is taking place and certain individuals are being called to a higher light.
 
It is a silent revolution.
 
From the inside out. From the ground up.
 
This is a Global operation.
 
A Spiritual Conspiracy.
 
There are sleeper cells in every nation on the planet.
You won't see us on the TV
You won't read about us in the newspaper
You won't hear about us on the radio
 
We don't seek any glory
We don't wear any uniform
We come in all shapes and sizes, colors and styles
Most of us work anonymously
 
We are quietly working behind the scenes
in every country and culture of the world
Cities big and small, mountains and valleys,
in farms and villages, tribes and remote islands
You could pass by one of us on the street
and not even notice
 
We go undercover
We remain behind the scenes
It is of no concern to us who takes the final credit
But simply that the work gets done
Occasionally we spot each other in the street
We give a quiet nod and continue on our way
 
During the day many of us pretend we have normal jobs
But behind the false storefront at night
is where the real work takes a place
Some call us the Conscious Army
We are slowly creating a new world
with the power of our minds and hearts
 
We follow, with passion and joy
Our orders come from from the Central Spiritual Intelligence
We are dropping soft, secret love bombs when no one is looking
Poems ~ Hugs ~ Music ~ Photography ~ Movies ~ Kind words ~ Smiles ~ Meditation and prayer ~ Dance ~ Social activism ~ Websites Blogs ~ Random acts of kindness...
 
We each express ourselves in our own unique ways
with our own unique gifts and talents
Be the change you want to see in the world
That is the motto that fills our hearts
We know it is the only way real transformation takes place
We know that quietly and humbly we have the
power of all the oceans combined
 
Our work is slow and meticulous
Like the formation of mountains
It is not even visible at first glance
And yet with it entire tectonic plates
shall be moved in the centuries to come
Love is the new religion of the 21st century
 
You don't have to be a highly educated person
Or have any exceptional knowledge to understand it
It comes from the intelligence of the heart
Embedded in the timeless evolutionary pulse of all human beings
 
Be the change you want to see in the world
Nobody else can do it for you
We are now recruiting
Perhaps you will join us ... Or already have.

PEARL HARBOR  DECEMBER 7, 1941

 TURNING ECSTATIC

Reality Versus Imagination and Illusion

Learning

HEALING THE HEARTS OF HUMANITY

THE WOUNDED HEALER

WALK-INS: THE WANDERING SOULS

RICH BURRIESCI IN STAUNTON 10/25/09

METAMORPHOSIS by H. Koppdelaney

TRANSFORMATION by H. Koppdelaney

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE CITY OF HONG KONG IN THE PROCESS OF DUSK TO NIGHT

THESE PHOTOGRAPHS ARE REAL AND UNALTERED

NATURE AT ITS BEST TAKEN AT DIFFERENT TIMES OF DAY

cloaked

the

Absence

meets

presence

and

in

naked

of

moment

A miniature city made out of millions of toothpicks
It took 38 year old Stan Munro 6 years to build this toothpick city. He used 6 million toothpicks and 170 litres of glue. He can spend up to 6 months to create a building, and each of his creations is built to 1:164 scale. He works at the Museum of Science and Technology in Syracuse, New York. Look at the amazing works of one of the most patient men in the world.

CLICK EACH THUMBNAIL TO VIEW MORE TOOTHPICK MAN HANDCRAFTS

a

SPEC CAMPEN

BOTTLENOSE DOLPHINS MUD RING FEEDING

SUPPORT THE
VIRGINIA FILM INDUSTRY AND JOIN THE VPA
$40. PER YEAR

CLICK PHOTO FOR VPA WEBSITE

The Chapel of St. Gildas sits upon the bank of the Canal du Blavet in Brittany, France. Built like a stone barn into the base of a bare rocky cliff, this was once a holy place of the Druids. St. Gildas appears to have traveled widely throughout the Celtic world of Corwall, Wales, Ireland and Scotland. He arrived in Brittany in about AD 540 and is said to have preached Christianity to the people from a rough pulpit, now contained within the chapel.

The Hallgrímskirkja (literally, the church of Hallgrímur) is a Lutheran parish church located in Reykjavík, Iceland.  At 74.5 meter's (244 ft), it is the fourth tallest architectural structure in Iceland. The church is named after the Icelandic poet and clergyman Hallgrímur Pétursson (1614 to 1674), author of the Passion Hymns.  State Architect Guðjón Samúelsson's design of the church was commissioned in 1937; it took 38 years to build it.

Look for the 1991 Ford LTD Crown Victoria station wagon which is a Mobile Showcase for The Lincoln Studio in the Greater Richmond Metropolitan Area. The starboard side of this mobile studio displays a Nostalgia Showcase promoting The Lincoln Studio.com on the World Wide Web. The port side of this mobile studio displays the Ontario Rose Showcase promoting their original screenplay.

CLICK THIS PHOTO AND SCROLL DOWN TO THE DINERS TO ENJOY OUR DINER EXPOSITION