Erin Blakemore honors our finest literary ladies residing on The Heroine's Bookshelf

In the realm of books about books,there have been quite a few that talk about admirable female role models from the past and present of literature. What then makes Erin Blakemore's newest contribution to this conversation stand out in the crowd? As some would say,it's that personal touch that means so much.

The Heroine's Bookshelf,like many of the leading ladies that it praises,has much more substance than it appears to on it's slender surface. Blakemore selected several fictional females,of various ages and circumstances,and boiled down their essential appeal as characters to one key trait that defines them above the others they possess,for both the reader and the author.



Rather than simply showcase the likes of Elizabeth Bennet,Laura Ingalls or Francie Nolan as cardboard cutout figures of character development,Blakemore makes a case for each one and why they should be seen as prime examples of Self,Simplicity or Family Ties.

She also at times holds up a mirror to the author's life to see how that particular fictional creation is a real reflection of the writer's true nature. In some cases,that can be easily seen such as Jo March being the picture perfect counterpart to Louisa May Alcott's struggles to be taken seriously as a writer. Ambition is well suited to both Jo and her true Marmee:





For a few others,the trait that Blakemore applies to that character may not be the first one that comes to your mind. Celie from The Color Purple,for example,makes me think of endurance rather than Dignity,mainly because dignity is the one thing that most of the people in her life seem to rob from her at every turn.

However,Blakemore does clearly illustrate how Celie manages to reclaim that power without stooping to the low levels of her oppressors and states her case as honestly and openly as Celie would herself. It's a fine point so well presented that I gladly concede to and ultimately agree with:





Even if some of the biographical background given for each author is familiar to you,Blakemore puts a fresh coat of paint on their portraits to make her themes become the focal point.

It's particularly enlightening when reading about inspirations for writers that you're less knowledgeable about;for me,learning about the emotional turmoil that Lucy Maud Montgomery went thru for most of her days makes me curious to check out Anne of Green Gables to see just how well she expresses Happiness via her young charge.

Another young lady that I've grown to know recently is Scout,the spunky yet tender hearted daughter of one of the best father figures ever written. Compassion is a great marker for her,since Harper Lee not only gave it to Scout in abundance without turning her into a saintly figurine but as Blakemore shows,Scout has the amazing ability to bring it out in others:





The Heroine's Bookshelf can also be used for educational introductions or book group suggestions but that doesn't mean the material presented on the page is bone dry text. Blakemore instead stirs up a smart and savory stew of insight that offers up lively food for thought regarding each book and character.

Granted,going over the Steadfastness of Jane Eyre could be easily viewed as a quiet topic of debate for a Sunday afternoon tea. However,by expanding upon the twisted romantic path that Charlotte Bronte wound up taking,the compare and contrast portion of that little discussion can get pretty lively there:





The Heroine's Bookshelf is readily available at a bookseller near you and should definitely make for an excellent gift for that special someone on your list this holiday season. Even after that time has passed,this book is a true treasure that makes the other gems in your personal library sparkle all the brighter.

So,when you need a pick-me-up in prose,just take a glance through these pages and find the steps to do your own dance in celebration of Self. Erin Blakemore proves to be a most instructive and entertaining hostess for such delights indeed:

Pop Culture on parade for the holidays

One of the best traditions for any major holiday celebration is the annual parade. Whether it's for Halloween,Thanksgiving or any other special day that doesn't require gift giving,parades provide us with music,fun and an excuse to walk around in public dressed in wild outfits on top of floats.

It's also a chance to see some pop culture highlights in action,as certain giant balloon characters go in and out of style and the opportunity for a major moment of glory can be taken by fictional folk. As a warm-up for the merry marches yet to come,let's look at a few parade moments that were show stoppers in more ways than one:



PARTY AT YOUR PERIL: The setting for the big showdown between the Dark Knight and his laugh til it hurts nemesis in Tim Burton's Batman was held at an unofficial parade hosted by the Joker.

Since the Gotham City officials decided to cancel the 200th anniversary festivities due to concerns about public safety,Joker seized upon that juicy opportunity and literally bribed crowds to show up by tossing handfuls of cash onto the streets. While many people eagerly basked in the glow of easy money,they were truly unaware of the death trap being set for them(yes,Batman eventually saved the day but talk about paying the ultimate price there!):


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SHAKING IT UP,BABY: A truly classic this-could-only-happen-in-a-movie moment is the sequence where the title character of Ferris Bueller's Day Off hijacks a float during a parade and lip synches for the delight of the crowd as well as his friends on the sidelines.

While his opening bit is a nifty tip of the hat to Wayne Newton,the real highlight is "Twist and Shout",that seems to infect everyone within hearing distance with the need to bust a move. In the hands of a lesser director,this over the top number would take the plot completely off the rails but John Hughes had a fondness for spontaneous musical scenes there and this bit is one of his personal best:





FORGETTING TO RIDE THE FLOAT:
Thanksgiving episodes on Friends mostly centered around dinner plans but on one occasion,Joey failed to show up for his spot on a Day of Our Lives promotional appearance at the famous Macy's parade.

It wasn't until he was watching it on TV that he realized his error and was in desperate search of a convincing lie. Lucky for him that Phoebe was on hand to help him out because raccoons do not make for the best of alibis:


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BANTERING BUDDIES: On a Christmas themed episode of Frasier,the talkative doctor was granted a chance to fulfill a childhood dream by being one of the commentators for the annual holiday parade.

His partner ,however,was "Dr. Mary",Frasier's unexpectedly popular former radio co-host who, to his everlasting annoyance ,didn't even possess a proper medical degree.

As usual,Frasier was his own worst enemy and turned the crowd against him by knocking Santa down during that pivotal part of the parade. Frasier did get his banter time eventually,from a person who he had more in common with than he knew:



Parades may seem to be goofy kid's stuff but what they really are meant to be is one of those stop and smell the roses pauses that we should take in life. Many times,even a holiday doesn't allow us to slow down and catch our collective breath,especially during stress laden times when we need to the most.

Another advantage of parades,such as the Macy's Thanksgiving Day production,is the chance to check out samples of pop culture that plenty of people don't have readily available to them. Seeing some of them being performed live out in the freezing cold can make a believer out of anyone determined to share their Scrooge sorrows with others-real magic that keeps on giving:

Top Chef:JD 's Final Four,a three ring circus of chaos on TAR and an extra bit of backstory for The Vampire Diaries

Top Chef:Just Desserts gave their Final Four contenders a rather personal Quickfire challenge this round. Each of them had to make a set of four chocolates that represented aspects of their life,sort of a Forrest Gump inspired theme-"Your Life as a Box of Chocolates!"

I really thought Danielle might take this one;her flavor profiles pleased both Judge Gail and special guest Francois Paynard(who Morgan happened to work for at one time) and were rather upbeat. She made a baseball shaped truffle(with caramel corn and peanuts) as a salute to her dad that Paynard seemed to like immensely.



However,moody Morgan won yet again and while I'm sure his chocolates tasted great,at least two of them were given negative inspirations such as bitterness over his marriage and pressure from the competition. Geez,has this guy never seen or heard of Like Water For Chocolate? Okay,I didn't even read the book but I know better than to associate bad times with dessert!



As Morgan grumpily basked in the knowledge that one of his chocolate creations would be added to a Godiva collection nationwide,the Elimination challenge was announced. Each chef was tasked to bake and design a cake for the 61st wedding anniversary of former guest judge Sylvia Weinstock and her husband Ben.

In addition to being in the Finale,the winner of this challenge received fifteen grand as their prize. Everyone got to talk with Ben and Sylvia,who gave them a few details to work with such as their favorite flavors(she likes lemon,Ben is a chocolate fan)and how they first meet.



Since Ben and Sylvia mentioned a make out session under a grand piano(that story sounds sweeter coming from such a devoted couple),Morgan put a little piano on top of his cake,along with a yellow bikini top draped across the bench to represent what Sylvia was wearing at the beach party where she first met Ben. Slightly tacky there,Morgan,seriously!

The raspberry panna cotta and lemon sponge layers went over well but the piping of shells as decorative trim wasn't quite up to par-gaps were easy to spot-and all of the judges agreed that this was a pretty safe offering for Morgan to be putting up at this stage of the game.



Yigit was particularly nervous,due to his not finishing his chocolates for the QF,yet his cake was rather elegant in it's design. Even that little touch of whimsy that he included-Sylvia's eyeglasses-came off great.

His biggest fumble was in the flavors. Yigit's almond cake with chocolate mousse and layers of sponge cake with lemon cream were fine on their own but the fruit sauce that he threw into the mix was a mess. Fortunately for him,that cake was deemed good enough to grant him a spot in the finale next to Morgan.



You have to give Danielle credit for boldness,as she chose to frost her cake the same color as Sylvia's wedding dress,gray. She also had pink roses(which were the wedding bouquet)and a tasty chocolate cake with sour cherry compote and Greek yogurt ice cream.

Her flavors were the deciding point in giving her win and the fifteen grand. Danielle has not been a favorite of mine on this show,with her occasional bouts of whining and oddball antics but she certainly knows when to pull out all the stops. Morgan might be unpleasantly surprised to discover that she's more of a worthy opponent than he realized there.



The person that Morgan truly wanted to see go home was Zac,who wound up sabotaging himself. Even he admitted that his cake was a disaster of epic proportions,making something that Sylvia herself said would be a good Bar Mitzvah cake but clearly not mature enough for a wedding anniversary.

While it was smart of him to connect the two layers of dark chocolate and lemon sponge with a scoop of passion fruit ice cream,Zac's disco dust ways put him out of the running here.

Next up is the Finale and since Morgan has the contenders that he was hoping for as his rivals for the last stretch,all I can say is be careful what you wish for,buddy!



Things got off to a three ring frenzy on this leg of The Amazing Race,as the first Detour had teams either trying to spin plates with clowns or learn a musical piece on the accordion. The confusion didn't stop there,as more than one couple had trouble with finding the clues and reading the instructions for each step of the way.

Claire and Brooke were quick enough to realize that they broke a rule by taking a taxi to one destination and went back to walk it over again. That replay turned out to be a savvy play,since Kevin and Michael had two infractions that resulted in them getting a one hour penalty at the Pit Stop.

That setback cost them the race,despite the fact that another team(Chad and Stephanie) received a penalty wait as well. Since Chad and Stephanie only had one mistake to make up for,not to mention having to go back and pay their cab driver,they staid in the race. Kevin and Michael did their best but at least they got some quality bonding time out of this whole experience:





As Gilda Radner used to say,it's always something,especially for Elena on The Vampire Diaries as she found out that her doppelganger status came with more than an evil bloodsucking twin on her trail.

Turns out that Katherine aka "Katerina" was an earlier biological copy who was targeted for ritual sacrifice by an ancient order of vampires determined to break that pesky moonstone curse which keeps them out of the sun. With the seemingly easy access to magic rings that take care of that little problem on this series,I don't know why these vamps are so eager to spill blood they can't drink.



Subplot goodness abounds,as it looks like Bonnie and Jeremy might become each other's significant others(a vast improvement for Jeremy,since his last two love interests were vampirellas)and Caroline's desire to help newly made werewolf Tyler adjust to his scary circumstances.

While all of that is fun to watch,it's the vampire lore that fans of this show love the most and looks as if we're going to get a heaping helping of that ghoulish fare before Thanksgiving hits. Boo appetit,folks!:



RANDOM NOTES:

THE WALKING DEAD: The ratings for the first two episodes of AMC's newest series have been strong enough to get a green light for a second season already. With Rick meeting up with more survivors and making new friends and enemies along the way,there should be quite a bit of plot meat left on the bones after this first go-round ends.

One development that's bound to cause friction is the group's leaving of racist Merle on the rooftop(a move that I fully endorse)which doesn't go over well with his younger brother. A rescue mission may be in the works there,a plan of action that should be avoided at all costs in my opinion. Then again,a few other people in that party may have more than one reason to see Rick risk his neck again:

Some sweet updates on the sugar art world

One of my favorite pop culture pastimes is keeping track of the wonderful world of sugar art and pastry,a steadily growing staple of food related TV. There's been some entertaining developments of late that warrant a tasty little write-up,so get ready to dive into the frosted goodness,folks.

Most recently,the Oklahoma Sugar Art Show,hosted by a good friend of this blog,the renowned Kerry Vincent ,held it's annual presentation of creative culinary delights and even topped themselves with an amazing Halloween themed edible display.



Along with Bronwen Weber,a Food Network Challenge champion who claimed another victory on the Giant Wedding Cakes episode that aired over the weekend,Kerry teamed up with fellow sugar artists Carolyn Mangold and Cheri Elder to whip together a massive showpiece titled "Halloween's Last Hurrah."

It was done right on the premises of the show and it took about 75 people(seasoned professionals and students),plus a huge amount of fondant to cover the entire structure that was about fifteen feet tall. Specially made sculptures were added to the landscape and the finished result was a truly sweet Halloween treat.

Hopefully,more about this year's Sugar Art show will make it to Food Network's line-up(sometime in 2011 is my best guess)and we'll get to marvel at all of the incredible cakes that graced the display tables,plus a fuller look behind the making of this record making culinary event:





Speaking of Food Network Challenge,their recent batch of cake contests has been paving a path to glory for one of their regular contenders. While plenty of promising cake creators have made their mark on this series,Orlando Serrano is really one to watch for here.

Orlando Serrano has made nine appearances on the show within four years and getting better and better with each pop culture themed challenge. He's made memorable cakes based on Disney fare such as A Bug's Life and the Broadway adaptation of Shrek and this year's acclaimed Toy Story 3,which earned him a well deserved win:



However,his true masterpiece came about for the Extreme Urban Legends challenge that aired in time for Halloween. Each chef had to pick a classic legend and tell the story via cake and sugar.

Orlando chose the "spiders hatching in the hairdo" tale,using for the first time anywhere in cake creation,animatronic features that made the eyes and face of his unfortunate bad hair day victim(named Ursula Lebowski) come alive. He even had a recording of Ursula's screeching phone call for help with her hair emergency,which added some fearsomely funny flavor to this crazy cake. Another well earned win for Orlando and I look forward to seeing what he does for the upcoming Mardi Gras challenge early next year:





With the holidays rolling around,the need for cake both on screen and the dinner table is at it's highest demand. So take a break from those trendy reality shows and check out a couple of sugar based series instead. Yes,it may be visual comfort food but at least you don't have to put up with cat fights and pointless posturing for the spotlight.

The realm of sugar art has it's own ways of making fun,plus a sharply sweet sense of humor about itself,something that many fields of interest could seriously use there. Watching the flour fly instead of the fury is a step in the right direction,if you ask me:

Having a Tuneful Tuesday tea with the ladies

While I'm not a big music person(my tastes are pretty pop centric),November does happen to be a big month for albums to drop and hit singles to be played on repeat just in time for holiday sales.

So,with that in mind,I thought it would be fun to lend an ear to some of the songs currently hitting the marketplace from a few of the major songstresses on the scene hoping to enchant you into adding their set of tunes to your collection.



First up is Rihanna's "Only Girl(In The World)",a September hit single from her soon to be released new album Loud. What I love about this song is that Rihanna actually seems happy for once.

Don't get me wrong,I appreciate the fact that she needed to work out some of that inner angst in the last couple of songs she had there but it's about time Rihanna got her groove back and not just for a dance song or two. This song has a strong sweetness that makes it truly refreshing to hear from her:





Next,we have "Your Love" by rising superstar Nicki Minaj. She's contributed guest vocals for established artists such as Mariah Carey,Sean Kingston,Christina Aguilera and Kayne West but is soon to set forth with her own debut album Pink Friday this month.

I've been hearing a lot about Nicki Minaj lately,mainly due to my sister being one of her biggest fans. From what I have listened to,that devotion is justified as Minaj's verbal nimbleness is on a level with the sword play that Beatrix Kiddo displayed in Kill Bill,Part One.

Nicki delivers her lyrics with the precision of a Hanzo blade and the visual flair showcased in her wardrobe and videos reveal her to be a most formidable opponent as a solo singer in the musical arena indeed:





For a bit of crossover change of pace,we have a track from Coal Miner's Daughter:A Tribute to Loretta Lynn from the lead singer of Paramore,Hayley Williams.

Hayley has been doing several gigs without the band lately,including the summer hit "Airplanes" with B.O.B.,and her take on Lynn's " You Ain't Woman Enough(To Take My Man)" is certainly in the spirit of the original.

A true test of timelessness in any art form is in it's ability to be passed on to another generation and genre. Lynn's music fits that bill nicely and is shown the proper respect by Paramore's charming rendition:





Another contributor to the Loretta Lynn tribute is Reba McEntire but the song that really captures my attention is on her new recording All the Women I Am.

Her cover of Beyonce's "If I Were a Boy" has a emotional resonance that is delivered more subtly than Sasha Fierce ever could. No disrespect intended to Beyonce here but while she uses her voice to issue a powerhouse statement,Reba cuts to the heart of the message embedded in the lyrics of the song.

Maybe it's just a personal preference-the song is beautifully rendered in the hands of both artists but I can't help being a little more moved by Reba's version:





Last and definitely least is "Firework" by Katy Perry-look,I'm sure she means well with this ditty about finding your inner spark and sharing it with the world but the video for this song is a bit hard to take.

Yes,she's trying to encourage the disenfranchised to rise up and take control of their circumstances,however the constant barrage of explosive pyrotechnics from Katy's chest(and from a few other folks showcased here as well)brings to mind an audition outtake for a X Men movie that wouldn't even be included as a DVD bonus feature.

There were rumors that Dazzler was going to make a cameo in one of the sequels,so maybe this is Katy's way of putting in a bid for that role(it's the best explanation I can come up with,anyway):



No matter what your musical tastes are,chances are that you'll find something to sing about this season. However,if you are actually called upon to provide musical entertainment for family and friends at a gathering,holiday related or otherwise,sticking to the classics is your best bet for getting through that particular pop culture ordeal without too much embarrassment:

Open Letter to Marie Claire regarding their missed Melissa McCarthy moment

Dear Marie Claire,

It's been awhile since I read your magazine(the print version,that is)but one of the things that I recall liking about it were the many interesting articles about women's issues,both here and abroad.

Along with the monthly book review/discussion and a decent round-up of current and upcoming pop culture events,Marie Claire was,in my opinion,more than just another flashy fashionista pack of pages at the newsstand.

That is why this whole Mike & Molly thing was such a surprise,not only to me but to other ladies who truly enjoyed reading MC,even if some of the outfits featured in your photo layouts didn't come in our size. What is really sad to me is that your editors and writers missed out on a golden opportunity to highlight actress Melissa McCarthy,a talented entertainer with a solid fan base,who is the leading lady of this series.



Melissa McCarthy is best known as Sookie St. James,one of the pivotal supporting players from Gilmore Girls,for the entire run of the show and who then went on to another nice ensemble role in the sitcom Samantha Who along with numerous film roles as a featured player such as the recent release Life As We Know It and last spring's The Back Up Plan.

I think you can see where this is going;Ms. McCarthy has been ,for most of her professional Hollywood career ,always the sidekick and not the leading lady. With Mike & Molly,however,she gets to be the main event as well as the major love interest.

Being romanced on screen is nothing new to her as Gilmore Girls gave her a charmingly down to earth love story to work with but seeing Melissa McCarthy as the star for once is encouraging to many of us out there in the audience that looked more like Sookie than Lorelai(and who appreciated the fact that Sookie's weight was only talked about during the pregnancy plot lines that her character went through as part of her happy marriage and home life):





Wouldn't it have been great if your magazine had done a positive piece about Ms. McCarthy's leap to a higher rung on the TV sitcom ladder? Since the premise of Mike & Molly does deal with weight loss,discussing that topic could have been tastefully brought into the article and addressed in an intelligent,thoughtful manner.

However,you chose to assign a blogger with body issues to give her two cents on the series instead. That was about as smart as asking a vegan to give an unbiased report on the state of the meat industry. Yes,an apology was later tacked onto to the post but it was too little,too late there.

This is a real shame,both for your magazine and the blogger in question. As a blogger myself,I understand the need to state a honest opinion but it would behoove many folks online and off to restrain themselves from expressing every stray thought they have for all the world to read. Especially considering that fact that most bloggers like myself don't have a professional editor to overlook their work,this rude write-up is rather beneath the standards of any respectable publication.

One of the few positive outcomes stemming from this controversy is that people from all walks of life,fat or thin,find this "aesthetically displeasing " attitude towards the overweight to be unacceptable and are speaking out about it.

While we can all agree that keeping healthy is important,there is no justification for such low rent behavior. There's a difference between stating your case and going out of your way to bluntly express your personal disgust with someone's physical appearance-one can be done without malice and the other is just plain mean:





It's really too bad that you didn't take the opportunity to shine a much deserved spotlight on such a sweet and smart actress like Ms. McCarthy when you had the chance,particularly due to the fact that she's not going to be the only plus size player on prime time anymore.

Surely,your magazine must have covered the success of the Lifetime dramedy Drop Dead Diva(it is a network that at least one of your editors is familiar with)starring Brooke Elliott that has had two successful seasons so far?

Also,as we speak,best selling author Jennifer Weiner is out in Hollywood working with ABC to get the pilot episodes of her potential series "The Great State of Georgia",which plans to have a large leading lady at it's helm,underway. While it may be soon to tell if that show will be part of the future ABC line-up,all the signs are there for this series to have a real fighting chance at a full run.



Basically,you really dropped the ball on this one,Marie Claire. While Melissa McCarthy is refusing to add any fuel to this fire at the moment,her co-star Billy Gardell gave a very classy take on this situation recently which further shows up your lack of finesse in this matter.

I have to admit that I haven't watched Mike & Molly,mainly due to concerns about the show possibly overusing fat jokes,but after reading a few reviews about the series and this awful brouhaha of late,I may give it a fair chance(as will many other folks out in TV land). One thing is for certain-I don't intend to give your magazine any such consideration. Even if you did a nice profile on Melissa McCarthy,it would be an obvious attempt to placate peeved readers and just as insulting as the original article was.

Hopefully,there will come a time where having a plus sized person as the headliner of a TV show or major motion picture is not such a big deal and that when they do,the main focus of the plot doesn't have to be all about their weight. That may sound silly to you,Marie Claire,but a girl can dream,can't she?:



Sincerely,

Lady T and the other Melissa McCarthy fan girls

Some bits of encouragment for those tackling the challenge of National Novel Writing Month

One of the most common dreams of pop culture success is in writing the Great American Novel,a goal that many would argue has not been reached by any one writer.

However,that doesn't stop the ambitious folk who take on the task of participating in the annual event known as National Novel Writing Month(NaNoWriMo,for short). Aspiring authors from all walks of life decide to settle down and see if they can string together enough words to reach the required number count(50,000)accepted to claim personal victory here.



Writing is not as easy as it looks,something that plenty of well meaning people have found out the hard way. Even for those who have been putting pen to paper since they were less than double digits in age,this craft does have it's own pitfalls and distractions along the way that are tricky to avoid.

Even though I haven't partaken in NaNoWriMo,I do have a little experience in this area. At the moment,I'm working on two books while trying to sell the first one I completed and while my struggles have yet to borne fruit,I'm still hoping to make a nice batch of novel jam to share with the world.

Not a great way to put that,I know,but that's part of writing,testing out those awkwardly original phrases and clauses to hear how they sound. As a show of support for those daring to take on National Novel Writing Month's challenge,here are a handful of helpful hints to spur you onward along the path to a finished work of literary art:

THE ROUGH ROAD TO REJECTION: Everyone in the arts faces this demon,sooner or later. Whether it's a publisher,agent or well intentioned(or offended)loved ones,having your writing rejected can be difficult to not take personally.

What can be even worse than a direct "sorry,this is just not what we're looking for" is an acceptance that is quickly taken back,sometimes for reasons beyond the control of the person who said yes in the first place. The best way to deal with this is to not let such setbacks bring you down for long. Many of the top authors of the past and present have had to cope with these fickle twists of fate before getting that one big break that changed everything:



SWEATING OVER THE FIRST SENTENCE: A major cliche about writing that still persists for good reason is in finding the "perfect" words to start your book off just right. There are no perfect words,folks,at least not ones that you're deliberately searching for.

The important thing about starting any book is in telling the story that's caught in your head and making it come alive on the page. By focusing too much on the words themselves,you can easily get stuck behind the cart next to the horse that's supposed to be front of it. Let the story introduce itself to you in it's own words in it's own good time:



DON'T BE AFRAID TO TOOT YOUR OWN HORN: Since most writers tend to be introverted types,sharing your work with others is the scariest part of the process. While bragging and being overly self confident can be a real turn-off,a simple modest declaration of your achievements will always be appreciated by the right people.

Getting that honest feedback and emotional support is the fuel that every writer needs for their creative health and stamina. It's also a way of thanking those who stood by you and made the effort to keep your spirits up. Fortune favors the brave and tends to reward the generous of heart as well:



DISAGREEMENTS ARE NOT ALWAYS MEANT TO BE DISAGREEABLE: When showing your work to someone else and asking their opinion,it is entirely possible that they may like what you did but hate the entire concept or genre. Art is subjective,after all,and while admiring the architecture yet disliking the building sounds strange,it does happen quite often.

Don't be too upset if this happens to you,particularly if this comes from a person who you most admire and wish the good opinion of. Just because they may hold a different standard for judging art than you do doesn't mean that you have lost any serious standing with them. You may simply prefer one cup of tea than another but you both can sip them somewhat harmoniously together;



So,as I offer the best of luck to the NaNoWriMo contenders out there,let me add one last piece of advice;resist the urge to pull an all-nighter. Even if you are only a few hundred words away from hitting that goal number by midnight of the last day of November,there is no shame in getting some much needed sleep. Exhaustion may seem like a small price to pay for completion but it comes at the expense of creating anything worth reading or readily comprehensible for your troubles:

Top Chef: JD's tea party troubles,TAR takes a babushka break and strolling with The Walking Dead

For the Quickfire challenge on Top Chef:Just Desserts this week,the order of the day was to create an edible floral bouquet. Yigit attempted to make sugar vases for his sweet posies but excessive breakage(some of it "accidentally" by Morgan)made that plan impossible to pull off.

Morgan took the victory here,winning five grand for it since immunity is now off the table. He wasn't too inspired by the Elimination Challenge,which was to prepare a pair of treats for a tea party hosted by Dana Cowin(editor of Food & Wine magazine). The theme of the day was "Celebritea" as in using a famous couple to model your duo of sugary goodness on. Morgan's not a pop culture guy,so he was rather stumped on this one.




Another twist to the challenge was that the chefs were not allowed to have any form of chocolate in their final product. That didn't faze Danielle,who chose Conan O'Brien and Andy Richter as her sweet inspirations.

While the heat from the strawberry jalapeno cake was a tad intense and the oatmeal cookie coated in buttercream and orange blossom water came out a touch too chewy, it was still a decent pairing that earned her a few kudos from the judges.



Morgan flipped thru a magazine during shopping and chose Reggie Bush and Kim Kardashian as his celebrity couple. His almond sponge cake with apricot coulis and citrus butter cream went over well,along with the bittersweet citrus macaroon.

However,I think that Morgan's pointing out that the flavor of the macaroon represented Kim's disappointment over not getting a marriage proposal left a bad aftertaste in everyone's mouth.



Zac was the real belle of this ball,using Julie Andrews and Blake Edwards as deliciously divine inspirations.

The mascarpone cheesecake with Captain Crunch(yes,he used the actual cereal)and tarragon sugar(as in "spoonful of") was sheer bliss but the Pink Panther themed pavlova with grapefruit curd was the piece de resistance. Zac won this round,much to the displeasure of Morgan and the delight of Zac himself.



That left Yigit and Eric in the Bottom Two;both of them were thrown by the no-chocolate rule delivered last minute and it showed in their food.

Yigit's Madonna and Guy Ritchie based goodies were as a big of a flop as their marriage was,causing Judge Johnny to express major disappointment in him. For a moment there,I thought it was going to be Yigit's time to pack up and go home.

Fortunately for him,Eric's Oprah and Steadman shortbread cookies let down the judges much more. Eric seemed like a nice enough guy who just needed to shake off that "I'm only a baker" self applied setback to go further along. Best of luck to you ,buddy,wherever you end up.

Next week has the Final Four in a tizzy over truffles amidst other kitchen tensions. Top Chef All Stars is set to start in December,so this sweet season should stretch over into Thanksgiving by my calculations-hope the finale will be worth it!



This leg of The Amazing Race took the teams to Russia,where they went up against a truly challenging Detour. Classical Music had them listening to three piano compositions that they had to identify in a ball room with several pianos playing at once and Classic Cinema offered up a room chockfull of film strips to search through.

In comparison,the Roadblock seemed like a breeze,altho not a fragrant one. One team member had to don the garments of a local "babushka" and plant fifty potatoes,using a generous amount of cow dung to fertilize their row. That didn't prevent people from going the wrong way at times,even near the Pit Stop.

Nick and Vicki were way behind by the time they got to the Roadblock,due to going back and forth between the Detour challenges. Lucky for them that this was a non-elimination leg,which spared them for another run:





Halloween night brought us quite a treat with the debut of The Walking Dead,which stars Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes,a comatose police officer who awakens to a world overrun by zombies and heads off to find his wife and son.

Rick does come across a couple of survivors,a father and son devastated by the loss of the woman who was once their wife and mother and is now one of the undead reminders of the all too recent past. After learning the low down on their new reality,he decides to head for the nearest city,Atlanta,to see if he can locate more.

What awaits him there is no picnic,not for vegans at least. While there is plenty of human angst to go around,fans of zombie lore and gore will find their cup filled to the brim with ghoulish delights on this series.



What really breathes life into this seemingly typical take on the genre is the interaction amongst the living characters,such as that father's determined desire to have his wife rest in peace and his sorrowful reluctance to do so himself.

In addition,Rick is right about his family still being alive but he may be unpleasantly surprised at their reunion,since his former partner is now man of the house.

Since I'm not familiar with the comic books that this show is based upon,I don't know how long this story is meant to last. However,there is hope that The Walking Dead may turn out to have more meat on it's bones than the one trick pony of a plot line appears to be. The acting is pretty solid and with any luck,the story telling will give patient viewers real emotional bang for their buck:



RANDOM NOTES:

THE NEXT IRON CHEF: We're down to the Final Five and with the gang going off to Vegas for a double elimination,the stakes are even higher than before. As NIC judge Michael Symon says,they all need to step up their game,even touted favorite Ming Tsai:

Are superhero costume changes a fashion do or don't?

The latest buzz on the Superman scene is that his look has been updated yet again. In a new series that once again goes over his origin,the Young Man of Steel is seen sporting a hoodie and with glowing red eyes. Granted,the amber eyes are just cover art hype but that casual look is definitely not.

Many fans are less than thrilled with what they see as a "Twilight makeover" of the character,giving him a smaller physical build and an air of moodiness about his outsider status-I would contend that the attitude adjustment started much sooner with Smallville but the wardrobe change is pretty consistent with keeping the character more in tune with modern times.



He's not the only DC Comic big shot to receive some fashion consultation recently. A new look for Wonder Woman was announced over the summer,donning the legendary Amazonian warrior princess in leg coverings.

While her overall ensemble is better than one might expect,throwing a few stars down the side of those tights certainly would brighten them up a bit. This may seem to be a superficial concern(no pun intended)but what a superhero wears into battle is a strong part of his/her identity and a new look can either add strength or take away their formidable flair.



A costume helps to establish credibility,for the most part. While characters like The Hulk or Wolverine have powerful physical appearances that let everyone know that they mean business,others have to rely on a solid first impression to get the attention of evil doers and fellow heroes alike.

While a snazzy suit is no substitute for true heroics or amazing superhuman feats of strength,it is important to at least give off the impression that you are a force to be reckoned with rather than a breakfast cereal flavor:

Coon 2: Hindsight
Tags: SOUTH
PARKEric Cartman,more...

Costume changes are par for the course in the comic book world,with both heroes and villains giving into the styles of their time period. Some have clearly been for the better(those Robin the Boy Wonder numbers,for example)and others so bad that they would even leave the judges on Project Runway speechless(Halle Berry's shredded ensemble in Catwoman-need I say more?).

For female characters,the range of outfits often teeters between sexy and slutty. While showcasing the beauty as well as the brawn of a super heroine is equally important,it takes a tasteful hand to balance them out carefully.

Not that men are immune to being clad in skin tight and revealing costumes in the superhero realm but their major worry is more about coming across as a laughing stock rather than a sexpot:





Of course,a cool costume does not instantly a superhero make. What truly matters is how that character chooses to embrace their abilities and channel them towards doing what is right. Whether Superman is wearing a T shirt or Wonder Woman has to throw on some sweats due to it being laundry day,they're still tough enough to save the day.

What a costume can do best for any hero is to give them an air of mystery. That's why the mere arrival of Batman on the scene causes the bad guys to run for cover. You can amp up that factor with cryptic sayings but don't get too set into a rhythm there or your gimmick will be too easy to detect:



So,even if Superman looks a tad too Twilight in his new duds,his stellar status as one of the top superheroes of all time will hardly be diminished by a trendy new look. It could be much worse,folks,as many a wannabe hero will tell you as they try to strut their stuff in outfits not fit for Halloween. Clothes can make the man but they also can undermine them,too: