We're building a MAN CAVE!

Well, my son, Joshua, at almost 12 years old, is on the cusp of puberty and all things associated with teenagers...loud music, shaggy hair, fits of attitude and high drama emotions, flirtations and ridiculous appetites (especially for boys...my mother used to call my brothers "human garbage disposals" when they were this age). In other words, life is in a hugely transitional state. Joshua is moving up from elementary school in a short month, beginning middle school in September so the future is imminently full of new challenges, adventures and excitements.

Several years ago I made some slight changes to our garage to create a playroom space for Joshua and his friends...lots of shelving and baskets full of toys, art supplies and various costumes/dress up stuff. I stuck in a couch, a table with four chairs, some indoor/outdoor carpeting and slapped some paint on the walls...done deal. In the backyard, there was a play apparatus with a slide, a fort, a swing, and various other things that were a treasure trove of fun. This was all perfect for Joshua's life and development at that time.

However, we are now dealing with an entirely different beast...literally and figuratively...so it was time to make some changes, some BIG changes. The first thing to go was the play apparatus....gone with the wind. The next was to modify the garage playroom.

I had heard, but never personally used, the phrase "Man Cave". It seems in recent months that this term has become common in the daily vernacular, so we decided to call our new venture the "Man Cave" Project. We're starting small because I just can't afford to everything at once right now. This doesn't seem to bother my son in the least..as a matter of fact, it seems to heighten the excitement...each change a true celebration.

So, the first thing we did was to get a black slip cover at Target for the decrepit army green couch...the couch itself is in fine condition, the color is simply fading and quite ugly. Joshua and I had decided on a black/grey/white theme with a few splashes of red thrown in so the couch was an easy fix. While at there, we also got some little black ottomans that can serve as foot stools or seating...muti-tasking furniture...very cool! Then we added a nifty microwave that Joshua insisted on putting in his bedroom first to"break it in". We researched a compact refrigerator/freezer and decided to wait until it went on sale which it did several weeks later. In our spare time (ha, ha!) we got some spray paint and repainted the red tables and chairs a glossy, slick black. Things were beginning to look mighty inticing...so much so that several adult men in our lives were begging for a special pass to gain entry.

The next step, of course, was a trip to Ralph's to stock up on supplies...all the good teenage junk food required of such a place...cup of noodles, sodas, ice cream, mozzarella sticks, mini-sliders, gatorade, twinkies...you get the idea...one can NEVER have too much of this stuff. Now, that meant we also needed paper goods and some shelving to house it...done deal, easy peasy. We were on a roll!

The following things require more money and so will have to trickle in...like changing out the regular garage door for a walk-in type door with plexiglass windows so Mom (me) can look in at anytime and see exactly what is happening inside the "Man Cave". I want every young adolescent (boys and girls alike) to be acutely aware that I will be able to walk by without any notice whatsoever and just peek in...it should keep a slight handle on the types of activities that will be engaged in...at least that's what I'm thinking, hoping and praying for.

Since the indoor/outdoor carpeting is already in place we're in good shape there...just need to give the walls and beams a fresh coat of white paint. Then we'll add a rod and some cheap (though color coordinated) curtains to hang up covering the shelving that still must house luggage and various boxes full of stuff/junk.

The last and most crucial "piece de resistance" will be a flat screen television that will allow the young burgeoning persons a place to watch sports, movies and play a ridiculous amount of Wii/Nintendo/Video games...all the while eating that somewhat disgusting panoply of teenage junk food, whether it be hot or cold.

So, there you have it...can't you just see this vision of Joshua's "Man Cave" as it rises up to take its place in the hallowed annals of architectural excellence? Can't you just feel its "cool, ultra hip vibe"? Honestly, I can't tell you who is enjoying this more...me or my son.

Hope you're having as much fun with your child as I am with mine...

xoxo Nanci

P.S. Since there has been precious little time to do recreational baking, what with the Sugar & Stilettos bake Sake Extravaganza for Charity coming up this Saturday,  May 21, 2011/11am-3pm...OOH LA LA...I have been taking advantage of my friends, Jane and Donald Lockhart's, SWEET LADY JANE Bakery...Jane's pastries are sooo very good...and even though I am a chocolate person by nature I simply swoon over her Coconut Cake (she's donating one for the bake sale). Do yourself a favor if you live in the LA area...go there and get a piece...if you don't live nearby check out the website and plan on going when you next come to Los Angeles...you won't be disappointed!

A Royal Wedding Affair...oh, to be so young, so beautiful and so in love!

I am not really a royal watcher per se and I had convinced myself that I was happily going to sleep through the LIVE televised nuptials of Prince William and Kate Middleton catching every little bit of the event later in the day when it would, most certainly, be running on a continuous, non-stop loop on every television station, network and cable.

So, I was shocked to find myself awake and glancing at my clock at exactly 3:22am. My then surprising  response (at least to me) was to bolt from my bed to my tiny family room clicking on the televsion as quickly as was humanly possible...especially since I already knew that the real action had begun at 3am PST.

By the time my eyes were no longer in a blurry haze I was able to see that William and Kate (or Catherine as people were now calling her) were seated to the right of the center altar. I kept waiting for them to get up and say their vows...mostly because I just wanted to see the full effect of Kate's dress having obviously missed the grand entrance 22 minutes earlier. For me at that moment it was all about the dress.

I can't tell you how long it took me to realize that they had said their vows at the very beginning of the whole spectacle and in doing so had deprived me of my God given American right to see it all LIVE (oh, just forget that I  had not intended to do so in the first place...just never mind about that). I was beyond frustrated as I struggled to stay awake long enough to get through all the church music and shots of the Queen who NEVER cracked a smile or even the hint of one...she is one piece of work that one! I mean, for goodness sake, it was her grandson's wedding...wasn't she the least bit happy about that?! Oh, well, never mind about that, too.

The music was actually quite lovely and the grandeur of the centuries old Westminster Abbey was something to behold indeed...but it was Prince Wiilliam and his new bride, Catherine (now together the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge) who took my breath away. They were both so poised in the face of such enormous pressure and scrutiny. William was shy and low key in the way that his mother, Diana, was before her fame took over. He was constantly and lovingly gazing at Kate, holding her hand as if to reassure her that he was (and would always be) there to guide her through this new fishbowl life she had just signed up for. And then, there was Kate/Catherine looking as serene and quietly elegant as a human being possibly could. She was so stunning, so classy, so dare I say perfect, that I'm sure I was not the only one who was left spellbound. Though journalists and others liked to remind everyone that she was considered a "commoner" I don't think that there is one thing "common" about Kate Middleton. In fact, I would go as far as to say that that young woman has more class in her pinky finger than all of those royal Windsors combined. Good for Prince William for realizing that he was the luckiest guy on the planet to have found her.

As most of you know, I never found my Prince Charming (at least not yet...but let's be honest here, time is running out!)...anyway, I can say without hesitation that I would be ill suited for the royal life. I would never be able to keep my mouth shut and my opinions to myself, my past though not racy would come back to haunt me I'm sure plus I don't possess the kind of natural elegance and grace that would be required to really pull it off with any dignity at all. So, I don't secretly long for a real prince...but what I found myself truly envying was how much in love William and Kate appear to be...such a sight to behold...such magic, such wonder...yes, I admit it, I do envy them that because I would like to feel like that again... it looks like a piece of heaven.

Around 4:22am I decided that I better get back to sleep if I was ever going to get through my day with what is left of my brain intact. I staggered back to my bed feeling giddy and quite joyful actually...very happy for Prince William and his new bride, Catherine...oh to be so young, so beautiful and so in love...

Sweet dreams to them and all of you...

xo Nanci

Babies, Babies, Babies...Axe're is in the house!

Well, as if life wasn't crazy enough right now, Joshua and I had house guests visiting from NYC for a few days last week...and not just any house guests...but Joshua's old babysitter, Vanessa, and her ten month old cupie doll baby, Axe're...what a pleasure and delight!

I am a total BABY person. I love, love, love babies...their sweet smell, their soft squishy skin, their funny little noises, their innocence, their infectious smiles and giggles, their chunky thighs and saucer sized eyes...in other words I simply find them irresistible and delicious. It is nearly impossible for me to pass one on the street without wanting to touch the little angel (I always ask first though because people are rather finicky about strangers overwhelming their babies with their unknown germs, etc).

Axe're in LA...how cute is he?!

So, even though life is quite hectic right now, it was a total joy to have Vanessa and Axe're with us... a wonderful reminder as to what's right and good in the world. Vanessa is a very calm and relaxed first time mommy and Axe're is a totally chill, happy baby (see picture above) much like Joshua was when he was a baby...lovely memories that fill me with longing...not for another baby to raise but for more time spent with babies...just gazing at them in all their magnificence.

The next time you feel yourself slipping into a funk of any kind find a baby to hold and let yourself get lost in their magic...I promise it will make you feel infinitely and immediately better!

That's all I've got to say for today...oh, and bake something...that always works too!

xo Nanci

Bethany Hamilton and her SOUL SURFER inspiration

Well, I have had my high speed button turned on for quite some time now...especially with all the zillions of things I have to do to get the first annual SUGAR & STILETTOS Bake Sale Extravaganza for Charity ready for its debut on May 21st! It seems I spend every waking (and even some dreaming) moments consumed and obsessed with every minute detail of its planning and preparation. I just can't seem to stop myself...which is good in some ways and not so good in others.

Sunday was shaping up to be another day of continual work hunched over my computer and phone. There had been a tentative possibility of meeting up with my friend, Susie Coelho, and her daughter, Hailey, in the afternoon so I could get the six copies of her beautiful, autographed Wedding Style book to sell at the bake sale, but I hadn't heard from her yet so I got myself busy....very busy, while Joshua was at religious school.

Then, Susie called around 1130am asking when we were getting together. I threw up my hands and immediately gave in. We met at The Grove in the Beverly-Fairfax area of Los Angeles (my old neighborhood) and decided to see the movie SOUL SURFER...the real life story of then thirteen year old Bethany Hamilton's terrifying shark attack off the shores of Kauai, Hawaii where she lived with her family.

Joshua and  Hailey sat many rows away from us as pre-teens are apt to do. Susie and I sat eating our popcorn and sipping our drinks, both grateful for a a little break from our hectic lives as single mothers and artists/entrepreneurs. We had no real idea as to what we had just signed up for with this movie.

From beginning to end we both cried and sighed in disbelief and horror...and in awe of the unparalleled  courage, spirit and moxie this little Bethany Hamilton displayed as she faced the loss of her arm, the potential loss of her dream to be a professional surfer, her forever changed place in the world (the glare now focused on her) and the trauma of the shark attack itself. Her determination, her family's unfailing faith, love and support was so deeply moving, so incredibly inspiring as to render both Susie and I speechless and spellbound.

Bethany Hamilton is now 21 years old and is a professional surfer ranked amongst the best in the world. She is a role model for millions, an example of what it is to live your passion every day of your life, to overcome and conquer your fears and obstacles no matter what they are and to lead others by sharing the light you carry inside you. SOUL SURFER  is the story of a remarkable young girl that has turned into an even more remarkable young woman.

I urge you to see this movie with your children (they may not understand it in the way that you will but they will be better for having its images and messages forever in their brains). It will impact your life, it will re-shape your perspective. We, as humans beings, really can do ANYTHING we want to do and along the way we can CHANGE the world...even if it is just the immediate world and lives around us.

Afterwards, the four of us went to dinner (Susie and I definitely needed a glass of wine!). We toasted Bethany and her amazing family...reminding ourselves how lucky/privileged we all are and how much left we have to do while still on this planet.

Find the blessing in everything that happens to you...create light wherever you go...fill the world with your passion and dreams...live your best self...smell the roses along the way...be at peace...I wish this for myself, my son, my family and friends...and all of you.

xoxo Nanci

P.S. As a little treat to yourself (and by all means you deserve one!) make Dorie Greenspan's Chocolate Whipped Cream...it is sinful, sinful, sinful on its own by the spoonful or dolloped on top of some other decadent delight...a wonder to behold!

Raise your hand if you LOVE malted milk balls!

It's no secret that I LOVE all things sugary and sweet...find it nearly impossible to turn anything down that even resembles a cake, cookie, pie, bar, brownie, crumble, candy...well, you get the idea. And as much as I like high end desserts (think French pastries) and chocolates (think La Maison du Chocolat in Paris) I am often just as happy with a Snickers or Butterfingers candy bar...which brings me to my absolute devotion to malted milk balls...their thick outer layer of chocolate combined with their crunchy malt interior just drives me wild with excitement.

Now, of course, there are the Whopper variety, which will do in a pinch. It was certainly the brand of choice (well, alright the only choice) during my childhood. However, over the years I have done exhaustive research...from local candy shops in Los Angeles to Dylan's Candy Bar in NYC to various "bon bon" shops in Paris and throughout the French countryside. I have found decadent Espresso Malt Balls, Easter Egg size Malt Balls in pastel colors and everything in between. I could eat these things day in and day out if anyone would let me...then again who's to stop me!

So, imagine my delight when I opened my "BAKED - New Frontiers in Baking" book by the fabulous Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito and found a recipe for a stunning Milk Chocolate Malt Ball Cake. It's three layers high, chock full of malted milk and decorated with malted milk balls...can you even believe that such a thing exists?! I was beyond happy...I literally floated on air while reading the recipe.

Oh, be still my heart!

I set about to make this beauty queen and along the way ate so many malted milk balls (of the Easter Egg size variety no less) that it's a miracle I am still here today to tell the story. It is simply delicious and I implore you to make it straight away.

That's really all I have to say for the moment...now go forth and BAKE mes filles (et gracons)!

xoxo Nanci

I'm on a Roll...more Bake Sale Extravaganza for Charity news!

I know, I know...I'm starting to sound like a tape recording on a forever loop saying the same damn thing over and over again but PLEASE, PRETTY PLEASE, WITH OODLES OF SUGAR ON TOP bear with me.

This Sugar & Stilettos Bake Sale Extravaganza for Charity on May 21, 2011 continues to grow and astound me every day. I've been able to sign up several sponsors, businesses and individuals, (i.e. City National Bank, State Farm Insurance, Marci Baron at Teles Properties, Laurie Newbound, Madeline Cripe, Eddie Schwartz, Edna Neidorf, Richard & Helena Neidorf to name a few). Each of these sponsorships, plus the others I'm still pursuing, will aid us tremendously in covering those costs we must incur. The more costs that are covered like this, means more money can go directly to the Westside Food Bank and St. Joseph Center's Food Pantry to feed those women and children we so desperately want to help. That just makes me smile big time!

I'm also continuing to get donations of baked goods as well as gift certificates and baskets to sell/raffle off. Added to the list most recently are treats from Isamax (Wicked Whoopie Pies) in Grenier, Maine, amazing artisan pies from Stephanie Jayne at CRUST, cupcakes and custom made stiletto cookies from Dan Shapiro at Modern Bite and luscious pound cakes from Nancie McDermott of Chapel Hill, North Carolina (along with 12 autographed copies of her incredible books, Southern Cakes and Southern Pies). As for other items, I now have a $500.00 white gold necklace with a white gold and diamonds stiletto charm from XIV Karats LTD, movie passes from Landmark Theatres, a bag of signature goodies worth $50.00 from Trader Joe's, a facial worth $75.00 from Blush LA, a $100 certificate from Celeste at chic Pecha Salon in Santa Monica and floral arrangements galore from Vida Floral owner, Gabriella, in Orange County.

To top it all off, Paul Reiser (Mad About You), Michael Warren (Hill St. Blues) and Peter Bergman (Emmy winner for The Young and the Restless) have joined the Honorary Advisory Board...plus the specially designed Sugar & Stilettos things are rolling in...the refrigerator magnets, transparent cutting board and note pads are so cute, the aprons are irresistible, the Fifi Flowers notecards are divine and the piece de resistance the S & S Pink Tote is beyond adorable...a MUST have...and it's only going to be $5.00...OH LA LA!

My passion is overflowing for this event...the entire process and journey is making me so happy..and that's not to even mention the fact that the first draft of the play, "SUGAR & STILETTOS - an obsessive baking odyssey" is done and is being developed for a reading and eventual production. What truly just began as my next play is morphing into something that will magically encompass the parts of myself I most value (other than being Joshua's mom which is #1 no question!)...those being my artistic/creative side, my philanthropic/community side and my businesswoman side. Three pieces of a puzzle that fit together via Sugar & Stilettos in a way I could not have possibly imagined even a short time ago.

Imagine these babies with a lovely cup of coffee or tea!

They are a little messy but, oh so YUM!

To celebrate all this good fortune and a future of re-invention (not to mention a present) that is brimming with new paths and possibilities I decided that I had to do some baking...big surprise! So, I made some Scottish Scones with dried wild blueberries and pecans and Farmeeoh Sandwich Cookies.

With all that said...and MERCI vraiment for listening once again, I leave you to find your passion and pursue it to its fullest...it is never too late to find yourself...never too late to find your bliss!

xoxo Nanci

Menopause anyone? Laissez les bons temps roulez!

Can we please talk about menopause, perimenopause and all that goes with it? I mean, really, as if us women don't have enough to do and contend with we've got this roller coaster ride to endure!

When I started perimenopause way back when in my early forties I thought the hot flashes and sleepless nights were going to literally do me in. I think I didn't sleep through the night for a good year or two...waking up every two or three hours became my norm. I was often drenched from the night sweats not to mention having gone through the entire day having hot flashes every fifteen minutes or so...and I mean flashes where I was dripping in sweat, red in the face and wanting to run down the street naked screaming bloody murder at the top of my lungs...as horrendous an image as one could possibly conjure up. This was all in addition to the lovely mood swings, never knowing when my next period was coming and alarming memory lapses. My poor son (five years old at the time this began) must have been the only kindergartner who even knew what a hot flash was...he'd look at me practically tearing my hair out, sweat cascading down my face and proclaim..."Oh, Mommy, you're having another one, aren't you?"

As you might remember I adopted Joshua from birth as a single mom so while I have enjoyed my fair share of lovely sexual relationships/encounters I never actually used my uterus for its intended purpose...the bearing of children. So, one day at my annual exam and in the middle of this delightful stage of my life, I innocently asked my OB-GYN what I thought were a couple of completely reasonable questions. One, how long will this perimenopausal phase of my life go on for? And, two, since I never even used my uterus and have endured 35 years of  crippling cramps, lower back pain, the ruin of many a pair of underwear and other clothing items plus numerous sheets (sometimes leading to horribly embarrassing moments)...shouldn't I at least get a "bye" on this other end of it? Wouldn't that be fair? Wouldn't that be just and righteous? To which my adorable OB-GYN said, "Perimenopause can go on for years. There is no way to tell exactly. Also, I'm afraid that NO, there is no"bye" like in a tennis tournament. You're going to have to go through it like everyone else." I immediately responded in a very mature way saying, "I don't like you anymore and I'm not going to pay you for today because that was so not nice of you to tell me that even if it's the truth."

It's quite crazy to watch your body, not to mention your psyche, morph before your very eyes while you have seemingly no control over any of the changes...they simply appear and you must either accept/come to terms with them or find some way to modify them (i.e. cosmetic surgery and other expensive, risky procedures). I tell you that when I look in the mirror these days I absolutely do not recognize myself. My inner self is still 25...well, alright 35...but my outer self is...well...older to put it mildly. Oh, yes, people still say how wonderful I look for my age (that is if they can actually drag the truth out of me!)...however I say that that particular response is the kiss of death...you know you've crossed some kind of invisible line when you hear it. I mean, really, who wants to look good for one's age for god's sake...I just want to look GOOD! Oh, Boo Hoo for me, because those days are clearly gone!

So, I've done what most of us in this predicament have done. I try to watch what I eat a little more to fend off gaining more than the common "menopausal ten" pounds that magically appears around one's waist and invades one's breasts. Yes, along with everything else, your waist expands and your breasts get bigger...why...no one really knows...they just do. Maya Angelou has said that she is fascinated waiting to see which of her breasts will end up at her knees first. I think that's a very enlightened and fun way to look at it. Unfortunately, I am not Maya Angelou...I am not that evolved.

I also try to keep to a regular exercise routine (believe me, it doesn't always happen, though I have the best of intentions) to at least release some much needed endorphins to help with the mood swings as well as to allow me to continue to eat some of my beloved sweet treats. Honestly, if I couldn't have my sugar fix I'd truly be beside myself with grief and profound sorrow.

So, as always, for me it comes back to sugar...and then, of course, that leads to baking...my salvation, my saving grace, the secret to my soul. I know that sounds a little overboard but that's the way I am if you didn't know that already.

Here is a recipe that I recently can not stop making...it's simple and easy and totally melt in your mouth delicious...BUTTERY SHORTBREAD by Sarabeth Levine from her terrific new book, Sarabeth's Bakery - From My Hands to Yours. These shortbread cookies are great as Sarabeth has them written in her book but there are many variations that you can do as well...one version with ground nuts works beautifully (Sarabeth personally recommended it to me) and one with cocoa nibs that I came up with on my own (Sarabeth approved!) also works quite well.

Aren't they pretty?!

There you have it mes filles...I'm a little bit older, I'm a little bit crazier, I'm a little bit more out there with my opinions...but I'm also a happy home baker and happier mom plus a few other things.

Wishing you a glorious evening filled with sugary delights!

xo Nanci