I Love This Idea: Food + Community

San Franciscan Marco Flavio is an avowed foodie and man of action. His blog, Cook Here and Now, is replete with weekly farmer's market reports, recipe suggestions, and general enthusiasm about great food.

He's also been running a very successful series of open dinners. The idea is simple and the execution brilliant. He posts a monthly theme, interested people visit his blog and sign up to prepare various courses, and everyone cooks and eats together. Travel and Leisure, Food and Wine, and Lonely Planet have all written about Marco and his magnificent meals.

I've seen the posts for dinners and thought "I'd like to do that." I would then have a crisis of confidence, either in my cooking, creativity, or bravado to join cool people in San Francisco. Today, Marco posted photos from his most recent dinner. What an amazingly diverse group of people thisese events attract. The guy cooking the andouille sausage got it from Dittmer's in Mountain View. I know that place. I can do this. Attending one of Marco's dinner's is on my list for 2009.

If you're interested, he's written a post on how to host your own communal dinners. Let me know if you try!

In Your Own Backyard

Shutter Sisters has a terrific post today about finding beauty right where you live. As much as I love the message in the post, the comments are amazing. Women have shared photos from their daily lives and immediate surroundings; I am staggered by how beautiful this work is. Who knew a turkey sandwich could be a kaleidoscope of color and texture.

Yes, We Can!

And we did! I have never been more proud to be an American. We have made history. We have taken a huge step toward reclaiming our future as a great nation with freedom and justice for all. Congratulations President (elect) Obama and Vice President (elect) Biden!

The road ahead may not be easy but it is full of promise and hope. I look forward to Barack Obama's leadership. May his tenure as President be a blessing to our nation and the world.

Get Out and Vote!

I want to add my voice to the many, many out there encouraging everyone to vote. It's the single thing that needs to be on every American's "to do" list today.

No excuses.

Let your voice be heard.

(Why are you still reading? Get out there!)

A Few Minutes' Diversion

Please check out Freerice.com. You demonstrate your vocabulary prowess by correctly defining words (multiple choice) and Freerice donates grains of rice to those in need based on your correct answers. You clear your head, exercise your mind and others eat. Sounds like a fine arrangement to me. I've made it vocabulary level 45 before beginning to make mistakes.

I learned of Free Rice via Michael Leddy's very excellent blog, Orange Crate Art. Visit to read his writing and gain his perspective on the world.