Cheese Nachos & Dip

Baked on Cheddar with a full homemade dip. As good as it looks or better!

Today's Tidbit

It's a slow day in music history but with at least one amusing mention. I didn't even know John Denver's style crossed the pond enough for him to have a weekly show but he did and it began on this day in 1973. Aptly named "The John Denver Show". This at least demonstrates that coordinating dancing with music wasn't invented a few years ago by Dancing with the Stars.

Baked Lemon Chicken Stir-Fry

With a very light dessert.

All aboard!

I really should have made my official prediction yesterday morning but now that Vancouver have beaten the former stanley cup champs in seven games I'm going to predict they win the cup this year, at long last. After all, were an olympic gold medal hockey city now and it's still fresh in our minds. Hop on the bandwagon Canuckleheads, while you can!

Today's Tidbit

The age of Aquarius? The sexual revolution? The anti Vietnam war movement? Call it what you will but it all happened for the original cast of "Hair" on this day in 1969 as they hit No.1 on the US album chart and held it for 13 weeks. It obviously sustained a lot longer then it held a No.1 position on the US album chart though.

Hair, the story of a politically active hippy "tribe" fighting the Vietnam war and living a bohemian lifestyle. It's a far stretch to fit the words hippy, Vietnam and bohemian into the same sentence in 2011, I'm just as surprised as you probably are. Do those pacifistic principles exist these days or has the capitalistic machine ground it to a halt? Age of Aquarius indeed. I just now discovered you can spell hippy - hippie and get a different meaning.

I rarely quote another source but sometimes you need to consult the experts.



Quoting another source for a brief description:
"These days there are many more hippies around than hippys (well at least in the US, anyway). Perhaps today’s hippies are what the yippies from the late 1960s turned into, since there are so few yippies around today. But no, not all hippies were once yippies, nor were they all once hippys – although many hippies were hippys in the past and a few were yippies, too. 

A good song lyric to describe a Hippy: “Come on people now, smile on your brother, everybody get together, try to love one another right now”

A good song lyric to describe a Hippie: “I ain't askin' nobody for nothin', if I can't get it on my own"

A good song lyric to describe a Yippie: “But when you talk about destruction, don't you know that you can count me out – in!”

The longhair thing: Although one has to be a longhair to be a hippy, today most longhairs are not even close to being hippys. Being a longhair might have meant you were anti-establishment years ago, but it no longer applies. Today in the US, even many rednecks down south are longhairs. Perhaps the only thing that still applies today to all longhairs is their love of music.

Freaks: The term might not be used too much anymore, but yes, Hippies and Hippys and for that matter, Yippies too, are still considered freaks, but perhaps it applies more so to just hippys today."

"Hippy: A person who has long hair, is peace loving and wants to make friends with everybody. A hippymakes for the best of neighbors; they are naturists (aka nudists); most of them are into free sex and love;they don’t worry about the race of other people; hippys smoke a lot of weed (and like all heads, they do not have to have it pointed out to them to be able to see where, in this site's pages' background, a dude is smoking a roach  - Hint for non hippys and non-heads: - he's inside the spiral); they eat healthy foods (and may or may not be vegetarians); raise their children in liberal but very loving ways. Hippys are groovy and very cool. They are anti-establishment. They are amongst the most discriminated people on the planet. Hippys love all animals. They can be very much like Buddhists and into Zen. They also love to listen to rock and or country music (especially late ’60s psychedelic rock music); and totally believe in the saying “don’t worry, be happy”. 

Hippie: Hippies are close cousins to hippys, but they are not the same. Politically charged and very much to the left – and not afraid of the word “liberal”, in fact hippies like to be noted as being liberal. They are not afraid to speak out for what they believe in – hippies will take on anybody. They will get in another’s face if that is necessary to get their point across; they like to take part in protest marchers; are anti war; pro human rights. They are very much anti-establishment. They are misunderstood and discriminated against. One doesn’t have to have long hair to be a hippie, or smoke weed, even if many of them do. They are for the legalization of all drugs. Most hippies watch their diets, but do not go overboard on that either. They are not groovy but are very cool never-less. Hippies like all music styles and are not restricted to digging only rock or county music. They have no problem with free love but usually don’t partake in it themselves. Many of them are naturists, but not all. Like hippys they are very liberal in raising their children. "

Who knew it could get so complicated, smiles. Enjoy Today's Tidbit, freaks.

Ground Turkey Stir-Fry

Garlic and ground black pepper not shown. Brown rice.

Turkey Stir-Fry

Today's Tidbit

It was this day in 1965 that Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders were No.1 on the US singles chart with "Game of Love". Here is a pretty raw live version from that year.

Pork Chops & Homemade Fries

Pork Chop

Today's Tidbit

The Troggs released "Wild Thing" in the US on this day in 1966. It went on to become No. 1 for a couple of weeks. It was one of the first songs I and many learned on an electric guitar and was a majorly influential rock & roll song the world over.

"Wild Thing" had been written by Chip Taylor and released about 6 months previously by The Wild Ones but got little attention. Chip Taylor was the stage name for James Wesley Voight who is also noted for writing "Angel of the Morning" and happens to be the Uncle of actress Angelina Jolie.

I've put the original version first, then The Troggs version and finally the equally well known Jimi Hendrix version.

The Wild Ones - Wild Thing



The Troggs - Wild Thing



Jim Hendrix - Wild Thing

Hamburger & Cheese Manicotti

Essentially it's exactly what the title says along with some tri-colored shell pasta, lots of fresh garlic and the same cheese sauce we'd use in macaroni & cheese. For vegetables there's green pepper, corn, carrots & onions.

Today's Tidbit

For today's mention I have to go all the way back to 1957. What artist could make record label executives rub their greedy hands together with a grin like an enticed cheshire cat? I've inserted an image for reference.

Elvis Presley is who and he had an eight week run at No. 1 on the US singles chart with "All Shook Up". It sold over two million copies that year and is obviously a song that you still hear to this day. Greedy record executives aside Elvis did sing from an honest place with a unique and soulful tone that crossed more then a few boundaries.

Chili Burgers & Chili Cheese Fries

This meal pretty much speaks for itself, repeatedly.

Today's Tidbit

There wasn't much going on today in music history but that's ok because today's mention can serve to prove I'm Canadian.

On this day back in 1942 the Toronto Maple Leafs [who originate from the city of my birth] pulled off the greatest comeback in NHL history after being down 3 games to the Detroit Red Wings. They came back and won 4 games straight to win the Stanley Cup. No team has ever come back in ANY sport by a margin like that to win any championship.

Now that I've occupied a permanent space in your brain with this important Canadian trivia you can thank these guys!!

Beef Dip

Thin steak, sharp cheddar, good bread & a simple au jus.

Beef Dip

Today's Tidbit

On this day in 1970 Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love" was gold certified after selling over a million copies. I'm including a link to a live version of this song from the same year it went gold. It's not the most popular version but it's nice to see how they were playing it well before "The song remains the same".

Hot Dogs

On Toasted buns with cheddar baked on.Topped with a little mustard and ketchup. Quick and easy fits the day.

Hot Dog

Today's Tidbit

There was a lot too choose from on this historic date but a song I really like and don't hear enough of these days just asks to be featured. Paul McCartney and the Wings album "Band on the Run" was No.1 on the US album charts this date in 1974. Music, like a lot of things back then seemed more patient. Like a fine wine aging well with each fine note and then slowly savoured. Enjoy!

Chicken Salad

Nice and light tonight.

Today's Tidbit

Well for today's tidbit I'd like to mention that on this day in 1981 Eddie Van Halen married actress Valarie Bertinelli who was co star of the then hit show "One day at a time". At the time that show was considered pretty controversial to tackle the storyline of a single mother raising kids without a father. Things have sure changed. I know I will be dating myself by saying so but I used to watch that show and owned a Van Halen t-shirt when I was in high school.

Here is some live footage of what Van Halen was up to in 1981 musically.

Unchained Live 1981


I was actually at a Van Halen concert in 1986 for the 5150 tour in Toronto Canada when Sammy Hagar was the new lead singer. {Sammy is also known to own the Cabo Wabo Tequila brand and restaurant chain].I remember being surprised at how good Sammy was on guitar and how amazing the bass solo was. I actually was underwhelmed by Eddie's solo. I recall Eddie mostly sitting the entire solo which was so unlike what I'd seen and heard of him. At the time Eddie seemed bored with the guitar which he'd seemingly mastered and he was playing around with synthesizers which weren't overly popular then. He did a lot of that in the concert as well. Then again maybe he was just hung over and tired that leg of the tour. Here is a clip from the 5150 tour in 1986. I couldn't find one from the Toronto concert but from new haven instead.

5150 concert footage from New Haven 1986


Staying on topic, who remembers this?

Rotini & Meat Sauce

With a simple side salad.

Today's Tidbit

I sometimes learn a few things myself each time I do a musical tidbit for the day. On this day back in 1974 Terry Jacks was No.1 on the UK singles chart with "Seasons in the Sun" I usually don't mention UK chart information and tend to stick to Canada and US. I made an exception here because I remember loving that song and few may realize that Terry Jacks was Canadian.

He is credited as the first Canadian to produce two songs to reach No. 1 on the US charts. He also produced albums for the local Canadian band Chilliwack [named after that city in British Columbia Canada]. The song seasons in the sun was actually written in french by a Belgian and the English lyrics were developed by the poet Rod Mckuen.

I could go on and on and on but I'm not doing an expose just a tidbit for the day. Enjoy the memories and the information.

Soft Tacos

The taco salad was made first and then the shells were stuffed. Kidney beans are a good alternative to pasta, rice or potatoes. A better carb and a good source of fiber. Just mind your manners later!

Soft Tacos