Category Archives: Behind the Scenes with Sarah

The Queen & IsolaBella ….A Pesach Plum Brule Tart

17 Sunday Mar 2013

Posted by in Behind the Scenes with Sarah, Holiday Treats, London, Pesach/Passover, Sarah's Holiday Recipes, Sarah's Product & Places Reviews, Sarah's Travels, The Joys of Single Parenting

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 This year I am fortunate enough to go to Israel for Pesach…

but first I wanted to give Tunie B. a little taste of what I had growing up…

some over seas TRAVEL ADVENTURE!

 

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Tunie B. & Flying = all  you can eat nosh, videos & uninterrupted mommy time – can it get better for this 3 year old? She packed her own bag with her menchies, essential nosh items, blues clues notebook & hello kitty wallet!

So when I booked my flight – I purposely…yes purposely

decided to have a 15 hour stop over in London, England.

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The iPad – the mother’s #1 way to keep a kid busy & quiet through out a long flight! 

 

From 6AM – to 10:40 PM me & my Tunie B. would have a real European Mommy & Me Fun!

Buckingham Palace, a walk along the Thames, a wave to Big Ben, some Harrods shopping, & a really great meal…

all were in the cards…

but HA. Joke is always on the one who plans….

In all my lists & ideas… I never actually considered the WEATHER!

& from the second we landed & had to trek that very very long walk in Heathrow airport to Passport control..

the air hit us with a bone chilling biting cold that seeped through our clothes no matter the layers…

making me consider for a very brief moment…

checking in to the Siravus Lounge in Terminal 3, paying my 40 pounds for a bedroom with a shower & taking a very long nap…

But I was on a mission…

&… I am a single mother whose middle name is “go-with-the-flow” & whose theme song is “you can’t phase this!”

so …instead of my sunny fun filled dream day in England…

we played “Find the Queen” …..

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I bought one of many Queen Elizabeth image post cards that every kiosk in Heathrow airport carried & told Tunie  - this is who we are looking for.

She is the Queen & she wants us to go to her palace for some tea & prizes, but I forgot her address so we need to find her.

This little “tall tale” kept us going the whole day…& it got us a few laughs & some special fast track treatment when she told the airport security check in girl, (who gamely asked her “who’s the lass in the photo?), that the Queen was lost & needed to eat her tea with us!


& in every train, automobile, double decker bus..we took

Tunie had to look out for the Queen..& if she saw her….well then it was time for a Tea Party!

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Because of the cold I really wanted to do things the fast and easy way – take a cab to buckingham 

wave hello, and then go get something to eat…. 

But with the airport cabs charging 75 pounds or $115 one way…we hopped the Heathrow express to Paddington Station instead. ($45 round trip)

Starving at 10 AM & Tunie out for the count after the train ride, I decided food was a MUST. 

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The ticket agent was supremely helpful in giving the best directions and local advice. He also saw that I was with a carriage & a sleeping kid, and called a fellow colleague to personally escort me to the platform (a 6 minute walk), to ensure that I make the train and had help in those places where my carriage would be difficult to maneuver as to not wake her up! All I can tell you is, this American was in shock, these English folk could not have been MORE cordial & helpful to this Yankee – I was so grateful!! 

 

Having heard about a local Kosher dairy restaurant from all my Facebook UK fans

I had marked IsolaBella Cafe as my one English Food Stop.

Originally wanting to hit the Golders Green location, (since it was where I lived as a kid for a year and wanted to share it with Tunie)

I changed last minute to the Westfield London Location…since it was in a HUGE shopping center & out of the freezing cold!

It was the perfect place to let Tunie sleep as I high end window shopped some Dior, Louie Vitton, tried the London version of Starbucks (tastes the same!), charged my iPhone at the Apple store, and ate a surprisingly tasty English Kosher Dairy Meal!

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This mall had everything, including a champagne restaurant, where you can get a glass of bubbly with your sushi lunch before you shop for your Dior. Tunie & I really enjoyed IsolaBella. I loved the decor, the lucite chairs with their hot pink fabric seats & clashing colors mixed with wood. The service was friendly & the food was more than passable – I was hesitant but hopeful with all the recommendations. I loved that they had a kids menu which had the English standard and kid favorite Fish n Chips. For $14 the kids portion was really an adult size portion, with a drink & dessert included! The fish n chips were the perfect combo of crunchy coating to soft juicy fish!

 

I opted for something a little different, and was excited by the Asian/Indian inspired part of their menu – and ordered the perfect meal for that freezing day. The Silium -A hot soup filled with noodles and Chinese vegetables and some fried egg rolls! Their was just something so surprisingly delicious about the sweet & salty hot broth with veggies & noodles with  the added bonus of tasty bites of soggy egg roll – Who knew?! I am definitely going to have to recreate this one day when I get home!

 

My total bill with the additional add on of a hit-the-spot hot cocoa with a nip of rum & whip cream (yes I most definitely kept to English tradition and added a shot of alcohol to my hot drink to ward off the bitter chill!) was a total of $34 dollars (24.35 pounds). Not bad for a meal that could have really fed 4 people.

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Tunie & I never got to see the Queen…we sat on the bus for 2 hrs because of a Traffic light outage around Picadilly Circus, before I gave up.

But we had our English tea…and a really very fun….LONG day…despite the cold…

Would I do a stop over again?

Yup in a heart beat – but you can be sure it will be SUMMER weather!

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Now for my Pesach version of a delicious dessert that is definitely worthy of being served at High Tea with the Queen!

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Plum Brule Tart

yields 1- 9 inch round tart

note: this recipe can be made in advance and frozen if tightly wrapped.

 

Ingredients:

For the crust:

1/2 cup crushed candied nuts (I used Pecans) or you can use any ground nuts not candied

3/4 cup ground almonds

3 tbsp. potato or tapioca starch

1/4 stick of margarine, room temperature

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

 

For the filling:

1 large egg

3 large egg yolks

1/2 cup sugar

2 cups non-dairy whip topping

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. orange extract

2 tsp. orange rind (optional)

4-5 ripe plums, cut into 1/2 inch slices

 

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 350 F.

 

IMG 0522In a bowl mix together all your crust ingredients. Use your hands to crumble everything together into a sand like texture mixture. 

Spray the bottom of your tart tin with non stick spray and then press the crumble compactly to pans bottom, creating a crumble crust.

 

Place tart pan in oven and bake for 5 minutes. Remove and let cool.

 

As the crust is baking, assemble your filling. 

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In a sauce pan over medium-high heat bring the non-dairy whip to a scald (right before it starts to boil & bubble). Remove from flame and set aside.

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In a large bowl mix together the eggs, sugar, extracts and orange rind. Pour in the hot cream and mix well.

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When the crust has cooled, place tart pan on a baking tray, and arrange your plum slices all around your crust.

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Then pour your filling mixture into the tart pan till the top.

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Bake tart in oven for about 25 minutes until the Brule custard has turned golden and firm.

Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes before placing it into the fridge.

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Let the Plum Brule cool & set in the fridge for at least 1 hour before serving.

 

So be it…The Ultimate Pesach Brisket

04 Monday Mar 2013

Posted by in Behind the Scenes with Sarah, Meat, Pesach/Passover

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So be it…

the best laid plans are meant to never work out it seems…

lost all my pictures that I took for the last 2 weeks

while I was testing my Pesach Recipes…

spent the last 4 hours trying to recover them – to no luck!

kinda sucks.

Oh well – the Blogging…must go on!

lesson learned…

ALWAYS download the pics the same day you take them!!!

my procrastination has FINALLY hit me in the head!

Anyways…

So you know how every food package that is for something you use to cook or bake with, comes with a BRAND recipe? Well, have you ever tried them?

I do!  One of the main reasons, is because that is what I do for a living! My main source of income these days, comes from recipe development for companies that are looking for great recipes using their products, that they can put on the back of their packages, web sites and countless other promotional materials.

I know how hard I work on developing those recipes and how good they really are.  So when I see a recipe on a box or bag, 9 out of 10 times I end up trying them if I can and of 7 out of 10 times I find that I have something useable – to put my own twist on.

There are also those very few times I find a real GEM of a recipe that becomes a staple in recipe box! Of course I ultimately put my own twist on those recipes & share them with you all!

This Ultimate Pesach Brisket came right off Lipton Onion Soup Mix package. I added a little sugar but other than that, this was a real winner and so perfect for Pesach.

Personally, I love to serve slow cooked roasts on Yom Tov. Not only are they full of unbelievable flavor, impressive looking when served, easy to prepare in advance, they also truly are more delicious when served the next day, rewarmed (the meat has more time to soak up all that yummy goodness in the sauce).

Pesach cooking and baking is stressful enough without having to make recipes that are complicated. This one is truly the ULTIMATE PESACH RECIPE!

 

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pic from stock photography -closest thing that I found that looks like what I made.

 

The Ultimate Pesach Brisket

Ingredients:

1 3-4lb Brisket

1 Bottle of Ketchup

1 packet of Onion Soup Mix 

1/4 cup of packed brown dark sugar

1 1/2 cups of water

Directions:

In a bowl, mix together well,the ketchup, onion soup mix, brown sugar & water. 

Place your brisket in the aluminum tray or dutch oven, and pour the mixture over the entire brisket, turning it around and making sure both sides have been coated.

Place the pan in the fridge overnight or for a minimum of 3-4 hours. Then Pre-heat your oven to 275F. Cover your pan tightly with foil and place in oven. Cook for minimum of 6 -8 hours, turning the meat over once half way through.

To test doneness – take 2 forks and insert pulling apart in opposite directions. If the meat falls apart easily than it is finished. If it is tough and gives you resistance, then put back in oven for another 30-45 minutes.

To Freeze: Let meat rest for at least 20-30 minutes, then remove to cutting board reserving all the liquid.  Slice or pull apart according to preference, then put back into a clean plan. Take all the reserved liquid, and mix well, then pour over the sliced meat and the cover the pan very tightly with saran warp and then foil. Then place in freezer marked well, till needed.

To Reheat: Remove Pan from Freezer to Fridge the night before serving & let defrost in fridge overnight. Place in a low temperature oven for 45-1 hr to reheat, serve hot from oven right before serving.

 

Smash…& a little “Extra”

04 Monday Feb 2013

Posted by in Behind the Scenes with Sarah, Dairy, dinner

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So last June I was

in a “divorce” haze induced mega slump…

not sleeping as usual…

I came across a FB post at midnight

“Non-Union Extras needed ASAP tomorrow , Smash NBC shoot, NYC

for Fancy Patrons of the Art, Bring 2 changes of costume, must be elegant upperclass city – no gowns or tuxes

must be available for two days – send in head shot”

I don’t know what possesed me…

but before i could rationalize…

I snapped a quick shot with my iphone

of my head…& emailed it.

Not 6 minutes later

I got a response back….

“please report to ….(location) with your costume changes”

I started to laugh as I read it…

really ?I am really going to to do this?

be an extra on Smash? LOL

Tunie B. still had school, and I had someone to cover me in case I was late to pick her up…

so YEAH….I was totally going to do something – DIFFERENT & go experience a different Drama…

other than my life.

But then I panicked…

HELP….My wig needs help- was not washed or set!

I gotta look good…ya never know…

(just in case they need me for a close up – wink, wink)

So I call my cousin, Naomi L…

who even though she is a soon to be nurse…she rocks a curling iron like no one else!

& even though my text sounded crazy….SHE CAME with her magic wand!

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Here we are at 1am in my guest bathroom…trying to make me look semi glamourous.

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the picture is a little fuzzy…but she did an amazing job!

Then it was an early wake up call, drop off Tunie B. & off to NYC…with my “costumes” in tow.

I had NO CLUE what to expect…

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(my costumes…I went with black & white…classic & elegant) & since it was my own clothes…Tzniut was NOT an issue!!)

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(classic & elegant….LOL getting dressed in the basement bathroom of the theatre!!!)

But after I was dressed it was off to makeup & hair

I was excited…

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(hair I did not need…lucky for me, because it was ONLY for Union Members…not us lowly NON-Unon ones!)

BUT I really needed makeup – so I just sat myself down in the nearest makeup chair & “acted” like I belonged…

& this guy did me up…”hollywood style”

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sitting next to me in  the opposite makeup chair was this lovely lady..Shirley.

Who makes her living as a Union/SAG card actor

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and she filled me in on all the “politics” of actor unions etc…

lets just say there is a very DEFINED PECKING order!

But I really did not care ….

I was in it for the FUN & the Adventure of it all…

when I finally was all approved costume & make up wise but the associate producers…

it was off to film…Woohoo

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(me in my final costume)

I checked in to the holding station for all the extras…

I did NOT expect to see 100′s of people!

I thought they were desperate…

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But the Smash producers needed us to fill a theatre

and watch JENNIFER HUDSON…sing live!!

So they ushered us all in & we waited….

& we waited….

& we waited….

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(there are HOURS of technical things being done for 2 minutes of film)

But finally they started…and I was sitting literally underneath Jennifer Hudson – I could touch her.

There was a lot of stopping and starting..

basically all we “extras” had to do is stand up and clap when she finished her song…

over and over again…for 6 hrs!!!!

It was fascinating…what I LOVE about my whole experience was the behind the scenes

watching how it all was done…

BUT it was a LONG day…

& I had to get home to my Tunie B.

so when it was 8 PM and there were looking to film for another 3 hrs…

I asked if I can be let go…

and they were gracious and let me.

& they still PAID me…which was a total perk…

I would have done it for FREE!

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(I made $85 for 10 hrs that day  - paid for the gas & tolls. – Life as an extra – not going to make you RICH!)

Smash is premiering Tomorrow Tuesday Feb 5th – I have no idea when my episode will air or if I ever made it on camera!

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Spaghetti Smash

Talking about Smash…here is a great recipe that I literally made up on a whim. Not only was it inspired..it was a real SMASH with my daughter.

Ingredients:

2 cups of cooked spaghetti

1 cup of ricotta cheese

1 tsp. oregano

1 tsp. salt & pepper

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 cup of favorite Marinara Sauce

1 1/2 cups shredded mozarella & cheddar cheese

Directions:

In a bowl, mix together the cooked spaghetti,ricotta cheese and the spices.

Then in a greased quiche pan, smash down the spaghetti mixture, forming a crust of sorts on the bottom of the pan.

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Add the marinara on top like you would a pizza.

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Top with the cheese & bake in a 375F oven for 8-10 minutes until cheese has melted and is crusty.

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Dinner For One….Tapas Style

10 Thursday Jan 2013

Posted by in Behind the Scenes with Sarah, NYC Tuesdays, Sarah's Product & Places Reviews

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this single life

takes some getting use to…

but I have embraced it…

head on.

it was different when I was single & never married

hard to explain…

just different.

now a single mom…..

I always have a plus one…

she’s knee high & her liquor of choice is milk.

even though I go out with her to eat…

I almost never get a chance to experience

food….foodie style.

So… the last few months

I have shed the FEAR of making a

reservation

for one.

and I go…

once every other week or so

to all the places I want to try…my list is quite long!

and I get to experience food…

the taste, texture, smell….the different culinary styles & flavors,

I take my time…taking every aspect in

some places are better than others…

and I don’t care that I am alone, no embarrassment, no awkwardness….

I walk in head held high with fork in knife ready to dig in!

in the end….

my Dinner for One

is a PLUS on the “single” side of life.

I actually…

highly recommend it.

 

LADINO TAPAS BAR & GRILL

940 8th Avenue  New York, NY 10019

(212) 265-6520

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I went this past Tuesday after work, around 5 pm.

The place was empty, with the exception of a few tables who were early bird diners like myself. The lady who greeted me at the door told me that there were no tables available without a reservation

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and asked if I would mind sitting at the bar. I admit, I was a little put off, it was 5pm and the restaurant was for the most part empty, and knowing that dinner crowds do not normally happen till about 7…sitting at the bar myself was not something I really wanted to do. It was daring enough in my book to sit at a table by myself – but the bar…I just wasn’t feeling it. However, being a past restaurant owner, I DO NOT ARGUE with the staff, they have their reasons, and the restaurant was empty…so who cares really if I sit at the bar – right? So I did.

Lucky for me, I had a great bartender/waitress LIZ. Who was so sweet & accommodating and really was helpful in not only making me feel comfortable, but helping with menu choices.

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Right off the bat I told her “my eyes are bigger than my stomach – lead me to the best tapas Ladino has to offer”.  She recommended the Salmonceviche (my recipe here), and the Beef Ribs with BBQ Chipolte.  On my own I picked one of the special of the days – the Duck Taco with coleslaw & a chili de arbol sauce.

Now Tapas traditionally are Spanish finger foods, ranging from cold to hot appetizer like dishes. Tapas are served day in and day out in every bar and cafe in Spain. So much a part of the culture and social scene that the Spanish word tapear was invented for it – which means to go eat tapas!

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This Salmon Ceviche was delicious – it had the perfect blend of lemon acidic salmon flavor, spicy jalpeno and fresh cold tangy slaw. The only thing that would have made this dish more perfect would have been some type of crusty bread or salty tortilla chip to eat it with.

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These BBQ ribs the best thing I ate that night. Super soft – just the way I like them – they melted in your mouth. The bbq sauce was pretty standard hickoryish flavor did not have any distinct latin taste per say, but all together it worked very nicely with the spicy cold slaw on the side. The portion was perfect appetizer size and if I would have only ordered this – I would have been quite satisfied.

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The duck taco – a bit of a dissapointment – but I blame myself partially – I did not just go with what the Liz recommended.  I love duck, but this duck was gamey and had no real flavor. The sauce on top was so spicy that it ruined whatever flavor the duck might have had. After a long swig of coke, I tasted the duck by itself – and I see why that put that sauce (to hide the gaminess). That being said it is a lesson – I know that “specials” are either one of two things – a restaurants way of getting you to try a new dish that they are adding on the menu – OR a way for them to get rid of leftovers. This definitely was a leftover special. I barley touched it and left it for the trash.

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Then it was dessert time – sitting at the bar – dessert menu was not offered – I think Liz thought , there is no way this chic is going to ORDER MORE! But as I was perusing the menu I saw their sides offerings – and Plaintains were a side! I had to try them – I am a BANANA LOVER – all kinds and I truly never had a properly prepared plaintan dish. So of course I ordered it, much to the surprise of Liz. When the plate came, they looked awesome, and at first bite I did not know what to expect, sweet fried bananas or something else? Well  - they were not sweet – they had no taste – but they had potential!!! You have to remember this was not their dessert – but a side  - and I can see that they were meant to be eaten with your meal  - as you would a french fry.

So I asked for something sweet – and Liz said “how about our mexican chocolate sauce?” – UMMM YES LIZ – BRNG IT ON!! and she did – the chocolate sauce was not as thick or sweet as I would like – but with a little added sugar from the bar – it was the perfect Ladino banana dessert. I would definitely order it as a side and with a little tweak  - a dessert the next time I go.

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Now there were 2 men sitting at the table behind me, who were served this dish – The skirt steak with vegetables & avocado. It is a main meal and served with a side of plantains. It looked awesome and according to those 2 it was! Definietly going to try it the next time.

They were also served this dish – a corn meal slider. A burger that was put between two cornmeal patties with some sort of chpolte mayo drizzle – another dish I must order next time.

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So if you have read this far – you know that I am recommending LADINO TAPAS BAR & GRIL. The atmosphere is really quite inviting – a small intimate place perfect for those who are looking not for the traditional food fare – but love to go out to eat and have a FOODIE experience. The Drinks coming from the bar looked very inviting as well, and my next trip I will be taking a bus home, so I can imbibe! 

The service at 5pm other than that little glitch at the door – was fantastic, quick, friendly & very accommodating ! But if you want street parking – it only starts at 6PM – so bare that in mind.

The prices are quite reasonable $8-$14 for tapas, sides & salads. $20-$63 for mains. I believe if you want to spend no more than $25-$35 per person – you can have a terrific meal of tapas, salads  & drinks.

On the whole – it was a GREAT DINNER FOR ONE. – Next time though I am gonna bring a friend or two, so I can pick their plates!!!

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For the record: This is totally my own opinion and I was NOT paid in any way to review this restaurant or write this post. 

This Patchke Princess in the City…threw one Shingdig of a Party! (phew)

20 Thursday Dec 2012

Posted by in Behind the Scenes with Sarah, Party Time With Sarah

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it’s been a week…JITC Chanukah Video Launch Party.
with the killings in Newton, CT
it was not important in the scheme of things…to talk about the day or even days…after.
But now
direct NY Times quote…
“threw one Shingdig of a party”
can I just stop for a second
take it all in
and say…
phew!
I made some kinda deal with G-d.
I might have to sacrifice my next born…or something like that
but….I did it.
WE did it.
I was the puppet master…keeping all the strings moving and in place
to get the job done.
And my puppeteers…
well they were simply….the BEST in the business.
SO no one knew…
the behind the scenes madness.
me stuck in the lincoln tunnel
promising all sorts of things
Are you there G-d…. it’s me the Patchke Princess? (a long LOUD, lots of hand waving…conversation took place in that tunnel)
only 1 hr to prep a very ugly school gym
that still had the lingering karate kids…wondering what the heck were the 2 crazy ladies doing with paper chandeliers?
SO KUDOS must go to…
SWP Events (Sara Weisblum) with one phone call, a little less than a week to prep, a Zero-to-NO budget
was my fairy godmother of Decor.
One wave of her magic wand & a little help from her crafty mice..Levy Lighting
that gym….rivaled any princesses ball.
check out what the Jewish Press & the Wall Street Journal, said about her and all the other fantastic people helping to make this event so great
But the week before was insane as well…
I think BIG…so surreal, funny & seriously hectic all at the same time is what this event was for me…before, during & after.
when Mayim Bialiks PR person (the incredible Heather Weiss who was hired for this event as well)
tells Allison & I in all seriousness, to make a wish list of Jewish Celebs to invite…
well …what can I say? other than…
Yes I actually wrote a last minute email to Heather…
and I quote with all the gravitas that I sent it out to her…( because I am a believer!)
“wait we totally forgot Rob Reiner, Mandy Patakin & Steven Speilberg!!!”
so when I got a forwarded email from Adrian Brody & Woody Allen’s PR people saying
they regret that they could not attend due to other commitments…I was totally…
laughing in disbelief…they actually,maybe, by chance…CONSIDERED possibly coming :)
But All Stars were there a plenty…
and all of them bopping to the very cool DJ Jeff – (his coolest Gangaham Style Chanukah – rocked the house)
Dimitri Salita the Jewish Pro Boxer…his journey..I am in awe.
and can I be inappropriate and say…He is a way to cute to be in a boxing ring with people like Macho Chamacho. (February 9th people – get your tickets!!)
Those Maccabeat Boys/StandFour…in unity lighting the menorah & singing so beautifully.
and with a little help from my new friends….the Brooklyn Jazz Warriors (who topped of our evening with some of the best alternative Jazz playing I have heard)
our Michica Catered DELICIOUS…Latke, Donut & Royal Wine Bars
were enjoyed to the last DROP.
(and Michica…thank you for adding that salad bar literally hours before the party – when I called you in a panic…WE DONT HAVE ENOUGH FOOD…WE ARE SOLD OUT!!)
(you girls are a caterers…GO-TO caterer!!)
I can go on and on about the Ups & Downs I had in those days…
HOURS…leading up to the Party…
How sponsors like the incredibly generous FREEDA WIGS (you guys & your gorgeous wigs are very special kinda of people…THANK YOU)
NJ Senator Bob Singer, THE KOSHER SCENE & my good friend & Allison’s Stylist Guru,Sharon Langert Fashion-Isha, helped throughout to make this party possible…
to the disappointments of finding out the room was way smaller than we thought…& we were sold out!
the playbills were in Brooklyn & we were not! (LOL..we got them – thank you ESTHER NOVE – u rock!)
to the personal low realizing…
ALEX CLAIRE had to be in GA the night of the party instead of singing for us! (who does he think he is…a TOP 10 billboard star? LOL – he was so gracious fitting Allison in last minute as it was!)
Throwing a Party …I can honestly say…
is a tough job….
and it helps to have people (Sari Singer & Dorit Zev I must add you both in to this TEAM)
who are simply friends….
that hold your hand
and jump in head first…no questions asked or PAY given…
and make you LOOK GOOD!
But if I am handing out KUDOS…a thank you must go to…
Allison Josephs the wonderful, very patient Jew in the City.com
(yes I have over 300 emails & thousands of calls to her in the last 3 weeks!)
had no idea what I had roped her into
when I “took” her up on the crazy idea of throwing her a party for her fantastic
Orthodox Jewish ALL Star Video…truth is,
I needed something to prove to myself (the last 2.5 years has made me doubt myself)
I have not lost my touch…. it has been a while since
I got to throw a party…of this kind.
and ….it was one HECK of a Shingdig!
if I can say so myself :)

Here are some of Pics of the Event courtesy of , Kosher Scene, Allaya Fleischer & Astrid Staiwariz WSJ)
also while I am thanking people …thank you to all the other media outlets, Jewish Week, NY Post, Haeertz, Algemier Times, and more for coming! And my very cool & supportive Foodie blogger friends go check them out as well!!! Dinner in Venice, Allaya Speaks Food, Busy in Brooklyn for coming!

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Worst Case Scenario CHECK LIST…the Frakenstorm is a coming!

28 Sunday Oct 2012

Posted by in Behind the Scenes with Sarah, Party Time With Sarah, The Joys of Single Parenting

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if you know me
you know I am
a worst case scenario
survivalist enthusiast!
in everything I do
I like to way all my options
every single last one of them…
no mater how crazy they may seem.
Do you know what to do
on the off chance you come face to face with a tiger?
or
What to do first thing…if your
car flies over the Brooklyn bridge
into the water?
well I do!!! (don’t laugh…crazier things can happen!)
calms my nerves
gives me options…
and nothing is better than
having options
when facing a potential crisis.
now when hurricane Irene hit in August 2011
people laughed at me
But…I was ready. (read my post here)
Snowmageddon 2010 – I was super prepared…
Now it’s Frakenstorm 2012
and this time I am facing things…
just me & Tunie B.
This mama bear
knows how to protect her baby cub
and survive…
just in case
worst case scenario
this thing is as big as they are saying….
and if not…
well
party at my house
because
when I get nervous
I tend to COOK up a
STORM!

STORM READY FOOD I HAVE IN PANTRY:
I have an electric stove – so if my power goes I have no cooking ability so:
water, soda,
tuna & salmon cans
mayonnaise
crackers, rice cakes, bread
chips & cookies (& anything I call my go-to comfort food nosh)
cereal
canned veggies, corn, black olives, sweet peas, green beans, chickpeas
canned fruit
baby food squeezers (tunie and I both love them and there are some great flavors)
granola bars
instant oatmeal packets (hot sink water if urn is still not hot)
raman noodles
peanut butter

MY WORST CASE SCENARIO TO DO LIST:
I am writing this list in no particular order…

1. Place 9 day candles, matches and or flashlights with extra batteries in every room – including basement in case you need to evacuate to a safe room if hurricane actual hits your neighborhood in case.

2. WATER: fill up all bathtubs with water (not for showering but for your toilets) if you have little kids make sure your bathroom doors are kept closed.
BOTTLE WATER: make sure you have enough to last you 1 week for all members of your household. Last thing you want to do is to drink the water from the faucet after a hurricane hits.

3: EXTRA DIAPERS & FORMULA for baby (self explanatory)

4: CLEAN HOUSE: do all the laundry – you dont know when the next chance you will have – last thing you want to do is run out of clean underwear. CLEAN OUTSIDE HOUSE - walk around outside and secure anything that can be used as a projectile. This includes lawn furniture, garbage cans, toys, branches, bbq’s, flowerpots etc…

5. PICK A SAFE ROOM – in Israel its called a mamad – a place to go to if a bomb is going to hit…well people a hurricane can be just as powerful and just as dangerous. Let your kids know in case there is a warning and you have to make a run for it in a hurry. This room should have any medications (inhalers, prescription etc..), diapers, formula, blanket, pillow, medical kit, battery power radio, water, and food. I also make sure to put a siddur with tihilim – nothing like a little prayer to pass those tense moments!

6. SECURE YOUR VALUABLES – your passport, birth certificate, insurance papers, all important paperwork should be put into a waterproof container and placed somewhere safe and easily accessible incase you have to evacuate. PICTURES: the one thing I can not replace – I stick into airtight waterproof container. JEWELRY & OTHER VALUABLES including electronics like laptops and cameras – place in safe or in a secure location- easily accessible if you need to evacuate (vandals and looters are not a myth)

7. PACK A BAG - incase you need to leave in a hurry. You will be surprise how much you can forget when you are doing things under duress. So pack a bag in advance – think of everything you will need from deodorant, to underwear for a few days in case you need to bunk by a relative or friend.

8. POWER UP – make sure all your ipads, laptops, cell phones are fully charged and ready to go. This is also a great time to make sure you have your chargers in the car. Also download any games or videos now – because internet service might not be available.

9. STUFF FOR THE KIDS – its not just water you should stock up on. Storms like these are great opportunity for some quality family time. Have art supplies and possible kids projects at the ready – make sure crayons, markers, paper, glue and glitter are a plenty! BOARD GAMES – fun games for all ages are a MUST – and nothing kills a game like pieces missing – so make sure you have one or two new ones ready to open and play with! My favorite thing to do are puzzles – so I found a really great one in Walmart – and this is a game that no matter the age most kids can help and get involved in.
BOOKS – go to the library NOW or your local bookstore – nothing is cozier than everyone snuggled in bed or on the couch together, under blankets, reading their books quietly.

10 PREPARE YOUR CAR – fill your car with gas. Make sure all your headlights, tires and wipers are in perfect working condition. Make sure you have emergency equipment in car as well as water, blankets & food. Place your car in a clear area – away from possible damaging debris.

11. GENERATORS & WATER PUMPS -if you are luck enough to have your own back up generator – make sure you have enough gas to run it! For those who need water pumps for your basements and crawl spaces…now is the time to put them in place and to make sure they are in working condition.

12 STAY SAFE & HAVE A BACK UP PLAN – the point of all this is to be safe and the best way is to make sure you have covered all your bases – including what to do if everything you thought of fails.

THINK OF OTHERS….if you have friends, family or neighbors who might not be as prepared as you are – or are older and could use a hand…well now is the time to help them out (get them ready) and let them know …in worst case scenario… you are there if they need you!

stay safe & make it a few days to remember my friends…see you after the storm :)