Shore Savings with Patti: EVERY FRIDAY IS A $50 FRIDAY ~ ENTER TO WIN $100 T...

Shore Savings with Patti: EVERY FRIDAY IS A $50 FRIDAY ~ ENTER TO WIN $100 T...: Everyone loves cash, right? How would you like a chance to win  $50 EVERY FRIDAY ? Well, I am very excited that I have joined with an amazi...

XoXo~Lisa Marie

A Child Called It

   

  On one of my book hunts at a local used book store I bought a book titled: 'A Child Called It'. Two years later, after throwing it aside numerous times due to the gruesomeness of the subject: child abuse, I finally read the book.  A couple of friends who know the two subjects that interest me most (Children and True Crimes) mentioned that I should read the book, and I decided I was going to just dive in and give it a chance. 
   Six hours later  I've finished the book and can't get my mind off of it. I wonder what ever happened to the mother of David Pelzer, the abused victim who tells of the abuse he endured during his life with this heartless- ugly- evil woman. This woman starved her child for days at a time. She and her husband enjoyed dinner joined by his four other siblings, while he's forced to sit outside the door and listen, clean up dinner and sleep in the garage with an empty stomach. David was considered  “The Boy”, and never a member of the family; ignored by his siblings and though his father felt bad, he chose to tolerate the abuse. I could not put this book down, I felt compelled to find out every dirty detail of this boys journey. Being a victim of child abuse myself, one thing that stuck out to me was how he felt the need to protect his mother. I know the feeling all too well. I never wanted to be taken from my abusive mother in fear of being alone, that someone would hurt her, and most importantly I wanted the love a mother is supposed to bestow on her offspring, a love that should come natural. I thank god I had my siblings who would have never let the stuff that occurred to David, occur to me. That's one of the biggest differences, I had someone on my side, this guy, he had ABSOLUTELY noone. He was helpless, he had to beg, borrow and steal to eat. He was put through several near death experiences and he had not a soul; 4 siblings, but again, it was him against the world. A world he wanted to change.
    I have ordered his next book in the Trilogy, and I cannot WAIT to find out what happened next. I do know that this man served in our U.S. Military for 10 plus years and is now a motivational speaker!! He took his life experiences and soared! This was an incredible book, cleverly written. Kudos to David Pelzer for sharing his story, AND overcoming his past!!  


  If you're interested in learning more about the author, David Pelzer go to David Pelzer's official site.
                         
  Last but CERTAINLY not least. Report these monsters out there who are abusing OUR future. Abuse is a scary thing to endure, especially from someone you love and trust. You always see the best in the person even in the midst of all the abuse. Help them find hope. HERE is more information...or HERE is a non profit agency   which raises awareness and helps educate their local community, I happen to know the founder who is very passionate about the cause!!

Washington, D.C.

Our Nations Capital is one of the most historic looking, patriotic cities I’ve ever visited!! We spent 4 days there and were out and about exploring the entire time, waking up and getting out at 10 am and not getting back to our suite until 11-12ish that night! We were worn out by the end of our trip, but pleasantly worn out if that makes sense! Here’s our Vacation in pictures…ENJOY!!

   First Stop: The White House! We’d heard it was tiny compared to pictures and to television, but we thought it met our expectations and then some!!

The front of the White House..beautifully landscaped!

Our favorite view of the White House: the back..we got to see the garden which was huge!!

The Washington Monument, it was close due to the recent earthquake..still quite a site to see!

The Jefferson Memorial!

Martin Luther King Jr Memorial, opened August 22nd 2011. This is one of my favorite men ever, I love all that he stood for!

A VERY crowded Lincoln Memorial!

Good thing the wading pool was closed due to construction, Nate had EVERY intention of replaying the scene from Forest Gump!!

A small fraction of the FDR memorial...this being my favorite! I Hate War too!

Before this trip, we'd never seen protesters, this is one of the many protests we saw. We signed this canvas with peace and love!

Of course we went to the Smithsonian Natural History Museum!! 

The Air and Space Museum was cleared as we neared the end...due to protests ending with pepper spray. It made the news.

The National Zoo was amazing!

We of course explored more, but I do not want to post the 800 photos we took!! We enjoyed late night walks downtown, drinks at a few trendy bars, explored The Crime and Punishment Museum (it was okay, nothing too impressive); we even squeezed in 2 hours at the Holocaust Museum, which was very saddening. We enjoyed great food at A Taste of DC, which was a pleasant surprise that ended with an awesome concert put on by Big and Rich...best of all it was free!! A few friends along with the Food Channel recommended 'Ben's Chili Bowl' and they were closed due to plumbing issues, but were at the taste of DC. We got the famous chili half smoke...we LOVED it! It's called a half smoke because it's half beef half pork smoked sausage!! We will definitely go back for more exploring in the future! 

PS. Here is our White House Security HARD at work. Hmmm...

Toddlers&Tiaras turn into Teens with issues!

This girl would be adorable with no makeup.....just what a 5 year old should be--ADORABLE!

  I was reading this weeks issue of People Magazine and was appalled at what I saw!
I cannot believe that this show is being aired on television, much less The Learning Channel!! I am not opposed to beauty pageants, I am opposed to how far these parents take it.  These little girls are dressing up like 25 year old prostitutes!! Yes, I mean literally. I love the movie Pretty Woman, but come on!! This next video is THE most appalling video of all in my eyes. Just plain sick, twisted and TOO far!!!

  I wonder what would possess a parent to push their children into this sort of activity instead of ballet, dance or the many other child oriented sports/activities out there? Every child should know that beauty starts from within,  not encouraged to change their appearance in order to be beautiful. If your child likes to play dress up and wear makeup, why not acting lessons? I just think this show sends the wrong message to our youth, and that being a young woman in a shallow world is tough enough already without fake tans and false lashes at 5 in order to be pretty.  I think that these parents are trying to live through their children!! Their children are little pawns. I've seen it all, from mothers SCREAMING at their kids, to waxing their 4 year old!

   Take a look at the little girl who's mom does her makeup so she can be pretty for her mom. And before you say it's for the fun of it, does this look fun to you? 

  Where is the line drawn here? I mean what happened to the olden day beauty pageants? You know, the curls and the ruffles and the cute little poems? I say keep them young, pure and care free like a child should be. Let them be kids. I personally think that every child is beautiful, more so when they are their silly little selves; Au natural!


XoXo ~Lisa Marie

We won!

Ahhh, there is nothing like ending the summer and heading into another year of marriage at Myrtle Beach! Well, there was one thing that added the enjoyment of it all: paying a mere six (6) dollars for 3 nights in an ocean front efficiency room at Sea Crest Resort on Labor Day/ Anniversary weekend! Yes, we won the Photo Contest on Sea Crest Myrtle Beach's Facebook page!! Thank you if you took the time to vote and if not, heck THANK YOU TOO!! :) We enjoyed our stay to the fullest, and cannot wait to do it again next year!! A HUGE thank you to Sea Crest since the weekend we chose was a holiday weekend--their busiest one of the year and they made it happen just for our anniversary!!

The Sea Crest Resort

Here is our stay in pictures, since they are worth a thousand words in my eyes!

We rented scooters for a day!

Nate caught some waves..

I even chased waves...which DOESN'T happen often!!

Ran into this little guy!

Walked the boardwalk!! 

We do this every year, even  last year, on our wedding day!!

           

Met Richard Blais from Top Chef!!

Enjoyed breakfast at our usual spot in Myrtle Beach! Worth the wait!!

Ate some local seafood at a hole in the wall..

Enjoyed a nice anniversary dinner at Seablue!! 

And visited the place where we became one, one year ago on that day (9/5/10)

XoXo ~Lisa Marie

Sharing is Caring!

I have an envelope FULL of coupons waiting for YOU!!!! You have to follow, my blog and share one recipe, or comment to qualify!! Coupons go to my "Seventh" follower!! I love feedback and sharing so this should be fun!!! :) Bring friends!!!
XoXo ~Lisa Marie

Tyson Lately!

Tyson with his siblings and mommy!

Baby Tyson and his favorite toy!

Tyson looking adorable!

Tyson is 1 year old!

Tyson after surgery!

Tyson on the bridge leading to the dog park!

Tyson loves his toys!

Digging his toy!

One of my favorites from earlier this month!

Bathtime doggie!

XoXo ~Lisa Marie

Meridian Restaurant

  My very thoughtful husband made dinner reservations at Meridian located in beautiful downtown Winston Salem  Sunday and it was scrumptious to say the least! The view of the city was amazing and the atmosphere was warm and inviting! We started off the evening with drinks, Nate got a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale and I got a Stinky Filthy Martini.My first Martini and it was AWESOME! Stinky, because it was served with blue cheese stuffed olives, which were hand stuffed with a very creamy,very pungent Roquefort blue cheese (YES, I asked for extra olives once I tasted them)! I love Roquefort blue cheese and I love olives, I know you they are sold in stores, but when you buy them from a store, the cheese in the middle soaks up the olive juice and it loses its flavor! Filthy, because they put olive juice in it since the salt from the juice knocks the edge off of the strong vodka taste; I asked for extra filth and it was perfect!


  We started our dining experience with a couple of appetizers that immediately caught our eye! The first was Pan Seared Foie Gras with grilled candy onion, brandied pear, balsamic reduction & Verjus gastrique. For those who don't know, Foie Gras is  goose or duck liver. The name actually means “fatty liver” in French.  This is something we've wanted to try for awhile but have not had the opportunity because we've never seen it on the menu, so opportunity knocked and we answered!

Pan Seared Foie Gras with grilled candy onion, brandied pear, balsamic reduction & Verjus gastrique   

  I was impressed with the deliciousness of the candied onion and the brandied pear was cooked perfectly retaining it's moisture and flavor, the foie gras on the other hand, was not impressive at all. The foie gras had very little flavor and wasn't at all what I expected, especially after hearing all the hype about it on the food channels; we were a little let down, but at least we can say we tried it!
  The second appetizer was absolutely amazing! We chose the Fried NC Oysters with creamed spinach, applewood bacon & lemon hollandaise!

Fried NC Oysters with creamed spinach, applewood bacon & lemon hollandaise

  We are both huge oyster fans so of course we had to try this unique preparation of them! The oysters were fresh out of the shell, lightly breaded and fried to perfection.The bacon had a nice smokey flavor and the spinach tasted as though it was freshly picked that afternoon, the lemon hollandaise tied it all together adding a creaminess and acidity that you need when eating oysters.With all those ingredients packed into one bite..how could it be any less than perfect? 

  We never get the same thing when we dine out because we love to try a bit of this and a bit of that, so we picked our two favorite entrees and it was a delightful choice! Nate got the Seared Sea Scallop Risotto with Chanterelle mushrooms, spinach, local cherry tomatoes & Parmigiano and I got the Grilled 14 oz. Ribeye with sweet potato hash, Prosciutto wrapped asparagus & Gorgonzola butter. 

Seared Sea Scallop Risotto with Chanterelle mushrooms, spinach, local cherry tomatoes & Parmigiano

  This dish was much tastier than I expected!! The rissoto was nice and creamy, the Chanterelle mushrooms were crisp on the outside but hearty and earthy on the inside adding a bit of crisp to each bite of the creamy rissoto. Just before serving this yummy dish, they threw raw cherry tomatoes into the mix adding a bit more freshness and texture. The scallops that topped this rissoto were the absolute BEST I've ever experienced! They were so large you had to cut them in two, sometimes three and tasted like they were plucked right out of the ocean, seared to perfection and placed  right on our plate! 

Grilled 14 oz. Ribeye with sweet potato hash, Prosciutto wrapped asparagus & Gorgonzola butter 

  My dish was amazing too. My first bite was of the spinach and boy, not to sound redundant, but it was the best cooked spinach I've ever had! It tasted like it was fresh out of the garden and infused with garlic. The sweet potato hash and the prosciutto wrapped asparagus were cooked to just the right consistency and since the steak, with its creamy Gorgonzola butter topping, was strategically placed atop the sides, the juices flowed into them adding even more wonderful flavors! My steak was perfectly cooked, tender and juicy, I loved the Gorgonzola butter, I suggest asking for a bit extra just to get the taste in every bite!

We will be heading back to this corner of the city again soon since its a mere ten minutes away!

                                       


XoXo ~Lisa Marie

Ruths Chris

I must say, when it comes to steak, Ruth's Chris served up the absolute BEST steak I've ever eaten! All of their steaks are served on a 500 degree plate in  sizzling butter and they serve only the the top 2 percent of all beef in America! They were a bit pricey, but a must try FOR SURE!  Take a look at the deliciousness! 


                   

                       Nate got the Cowboy Ribeye with Au Poivre (a pepper corn and brandy sauce)

                     

                             I got the Petite Filet topped with a Gorgonzola crust and shrimp!

      We chose to share sides, and I'm glad we did because they were pretty large sides and well, we barely touched them due to the awesomeness of our steaks! We got the Sweet potato Casserole, and the creamed corn, they were delicious sides, but the steak is all I can think of! 

                         The sweet potato casserole was very sweet and scrumptious with its pecan topping!

                 This corn was fresh and crisp with a creamy buttery flavor that was to die for!


If you like a good steak, I suggest you give this a try! I like the "a la carte" style; I get to choose my favorite sides with my favorite steak instead of bland rice or a baked potato that someone else paired up! 








XoXo ~Lisa Marie

Good True Crime Read!

 I'm typically an Ann Rule fan when it comes to true crimes, but I've been venturing out lately and I must say, I'm pleased with my pickings!! It's always great to find a new author who writes amazing pieces only to discover they have written several other books just waiting to be read! Kathryn Casey is one of my newest discoveries; she's an amazing author. I've read three of her books thus far and have been VERY pleased with her work!

A Warrant To Kill by Kathryn Casey is a MUST read, it gave me nightmares, which doesn't happen often, and true crime is all I read! In this book, Kathryn tells a story of a bully cop who uses his badge for evil and in the end, he takes the life of Susan White. It's eerie to think of the control an officer of the law has over civilians, its even more eerie when it's used in a manipulative, harmful manner making one feel almost helpless.This victim cried out to several and no one listened. It's very intriguing the loopholes in the system that kept allowing a screw up like McGowen chance after chance at getting job after job as an officer with a badge. I don't want to give the ending away but it's shocking to say the least.








                                                                     










XoXo ~Lisa Marie